Biophilic Design in Healthcare
It’s long been known that nature has healing powers—physical, mental and emotional. The concept, termed biophilia, maintains that humans are naturally drawn to nature and that, with it, they can overcome a variety of problems related to health. Indeed, a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health confirms that the concept of biophilia has merit. It follows then, that healthcare design with nature elements can aid in boosting patient health.
In this post, we will examine the health benefits of nature as studied by a many organizations and individuals. We will also discuss and provide examples of a number of ways to incorporate nature in healthcare design in order to improve patient health and the overall patient experience.
Ten ways to implement biophilic design in your medical or healthcare practice
- If you have an outside area, consider a communal herb garden for staff.
- Improve air quality with an air filtration system, opening windows and natural plants. One plant for every ten metres is a good guide. Spider plants are low maintenance and look fantastic in pots or hanging baskets. Peace lilies are another easy interior plant.
- Natural plants do more than absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They evoke an emotional response because we associate them with being outside and enjoying leisure time. They are also visually appealing, which will be welcome in a healthcare setting.
- If your staff listen to music or you play music in the waiting room, natural sounds such as a babbling brook, bird song or raindrops promote a connection with nature.
- Artwork with pictures of animals, coastal scenery and rainforests are biophilic and can be very evocative.
- Increase the opportunity for views and natural daylight exposure in your next healthcare or medical fit-out. Window blinds offer the flexibility to have light without glare at different times of day.
- Natural textures make such a difference to healthcare interior design. If the budget is tight, consider wood-effect flooring and faux stone tiles.
- Elements that remind people of nature, such as natural patterns and shapes, are biophilic. You could include a leaf pattern or cloud shapes in your wall coverings.
- Nature-resembling colours such as green, blue and brown can positively impact patient and staff well-being. A study showed that 67% of respondents felt happy when walking into bright interiors, while calming colours are better for quiet or social areas.2
- Recuperation and relaxation make us feel close to nature. Provide breakout spaces within the healthcare interior design so that clinicians can have some downtime during the work day.
There are countless other ways to include nature in healthcare design both indoors and outdoors, and doing so provides a number of benefits. By giving patients large windows with beautiful outdoor views, painting walls colors that evoke a sense of environmentalism, including open outdoor seating areas, planting gardens and trees around the facility premises and more, designers can create environments that make patients feel more connected with nature, thereby reducing their stress.
It’s important to create such calm-inducing environments as patients need plenty of rest and resources to heal. The less stressed they are, the most resources their body has to aid in the healing process.
Keeping biophilia in mind when designing healthcare facilities is therefore very important for designers and architects alike. Creating healthcare design with nature not only aids in the healing process; it ensures a better patient experience.