Why biophilic design is more than just a trend

Biophilic design aims to enhance our innate biological connection with nature by bringing natural elements into the built environment. This can be achieved by selecting natural materials such as wood and stone, using organic and biomorphic shapes and forms, incorporating plants, adding earthy textures and colours, and maximising natural lighting and ventilation. It can also take the form of indoor spaces being designed so they are connected to the outdoors and nature.

Biophilic design is an ever-evolving concept that can extend beyond aesthetics and material choice to sustainable practices, energy-efficient technologies, and sustainable materials. Ultimately, a built environment that offers a connection to the earth and nature has been shown time and time again to have a positive impact on wellbeing.

A La Natural

Sustainable thermowood specialists Thermory see incorporating natural materials like thermally modified wood as one of the easiest ways to put biophilic design principles into practice. Thermory’s Content Marketing Specialist, Kerttu Raie, says humans evolved in the natural environment, not a human-engineered one, which is why we have an understandable inclination towards nature.

“To counterbalance, we have started using biophilic design principles in urban planning, architecture and interior design as a means to restore our connection with the natural environment,” she says.

Thermory uses thermal modification as a way of naturally enhancing wood. The chemical-free heat treatment makes the wood extremely durable and stable for both indoor and outdoor use, giving it a beautifully deep shade and bringing out its natural beauty. Unlike chemical impregnation, Thermory’s thermal modification enhances the wood throughout, not just the outer surface.

When used for interior spaces the wood even enhances the acoustic properties of the room. Thermory’s Benchmark ash cladding was chosen for Maidla Nature Resort, a small luxury cabin inspired by wild nature, set in the middle of a forest near a manor house in Estonia.

Mari Hunt from b210 Architects designed the cabin in keeping with the natural environment surrounding it. No trees were felled, and the cabin is on stilts due to local floods in springtime. The form of the cladding and the overall look of the building was based on the character of the site.

The house is clad with durable thermally modified wooden cladding boards from Thermory, which are perfectly suited for houses exposed to rain, winds and falling leaves and preserve the intended look for a long time.

Thermory ash boards were selected as the architect liked its brownish shade, which was emphasised by treating the material with oil. The facade of the building was clad with vertical boards, while the same material was also requested for use horizontally on the terrace. This worked to create the feeling that the house was simply covered with decking.

Thermory wood has also been used for the interior, covering the floor of the bedroom and all the ceilings in the house. Using the same material for the ceilings and the facade ties the individual parts of the building together as a united whole, where the architecture and interior architecture are completely entwined.

Connecting with Mother Nature

Another leading producer of thermowood, Novawood, also recommends thermowood products as a perfect fit for biophilic design. Novawood’s heat treated products originate from sustainably managed forests, emphasising their commitment to ethical sourcing and environmental responsibility.

Novathermowood products are sustainable, strong, long lasting, and environmentally friendly. The range includes exterior cladding which helps the building fit in better with its natural surroundings, decking and flooring: The unique colours and patterns achieved through the thermal modification process can mimic the aesthetic of forest floors, creating a grounding and calming effect in the environment.

Novathermowood also comes as interior wall cladding, ceiling panels, doors, windows, partitions and screens. The use of heat-treated wood in interior spaces can complement the presence of indoor plants, reinforcing the connection to nature and creating a harmonious environment.

Timber manufacturer Big River Group also point to the warmth timber adds to biophilic design and the way it can bring a sense of nature and wellbeing into the built environment.

“The materials surrounding us on a daily basis that offer a deeper connection to earth and nature, such as the natural beauty and uniqueness of wood are being embraced by designers,” Sales and Marketing Manager, Panels, at Big River Group Stuart McGonagle says.

“According to a recent study, those in environments featuring natural wooden surfaces, reported higher personal mood, clarity, confidence and optimism on average”.

He says Big River Group has seen a rise in the use of decorative timbers on walls and ceilings.

“There’s a myriad of timbers with different textures and colours available, that can be utilised to improve the ambience of a venue. What’s more, due to its natural insulation timber reduces internal heat gain in summer and loss of warmth in winter and can store and release moisture which helps to regulate humidity and air quality in an indoor environment”.

Warrnambool Library / Big River Group

Seeing the wood and the trees

A smart choice for cabinetry and joinery applications that achieves a natural aesthetic is Big River’s ArmourCab, a new generation of engineered Australian decorative wood panelling. Available in Blackbutt, Spotted Gum and Hoop Pine timber finishes, each with its own natural colour and markings, ArmourCab adds harmonious design and plays an important role in marrying the indoor and outdoor spaces.

Big River’s decorative plywood known as Armourpanel is another popular choice for biophilic design thanks to its distinctly natural appeal.

“In maintaining the natural characteristics of the selected wood species, every Armourpanel sheet offers an individual and natural look, with the species’ unique grain structures being preserved so no two sheets look alike,” McGonagle notes.

Also available in a range of native species including Blackbutt, Flooded Gum, Spotted Gum and Sydney Blue Gum, its durability makes it ideal for use in hardwearing areas, including flooring, wall panelling, screening, cabinetry, ceiling linings and joinery.

Big River’s wood panels were specified for Warrnambool Library and Learning Centre in regional Victoria. Designed by Kosloff Architecture, the space aims to bring education, community, and the arts to the city in a warm and inviting environment.

The interior is punctuated by a dramatic timber staircase, which leads up the three levels through a circular void and has been clad in Big River Group’s premium plywood products ArmourPanel and Armourfloor in Blackbutt.

“The warmth of the Big River Blackbutt products with rich tones provides a sense of comfort and connection to nature within the interiors of the project,” Associate Director of Kosloff Architecture Lance Van Maanen says.

Scultpform's Australian Ash biophillic design by click-on batten

Wood in the workplace

High quality timber is recommended for biophillic design by click-on batten, cladding and screens specialists Sculptform. Scultpform says getting the quality right with timber is key for biophilic design as showing off the natural features of timber helps to improve the atmosphere within a space. Scultpform’s battens, screens and tongue and groove cladding can all be made from timber. All can be applied on interiors and exteriors and are perfect to cover walls, and ceilings and create screening within spaces.

They offer three species of timber, Australian Ash, Spotted Gum and American Oak, and a range of profiles and coatings to enhance the look of the material. Scultform’s Ash timber click-on battens and tongue and groove cladding feature throughout the multilevel ceilings at The Workshop by Milligan Group, a campus-style business hub in Sydney’s Pyrmont. Designed by Bates Smart, The Workshop showcases a new era of workplace design with 19,000 square metres of office space, seven boutique offices and substantial onsite amenities including retail outlets, childcare, a gym with bike storage and an infrared sauna, a café and a restaurant.

A full-height atrium in the centre of the Workshop creates an open, light-filled environment and visual connectivity between floors Biophilic design is also incorporated with gleaming planter halos suspended at differing levels throughout the void, bringing a sensory element to the interior and emphasising the benefits of indoor/outdoor connections in the design. The design achieved the highest-level Green Star Rating (6 Stars), through its careful choice of building materials.

Another way to bring biophilic design to life is by incorporating the architecturally designed timber wall and ceiling panels by SUPAWOOD. These can be produced in natural and concept woodgrains, as well as textured and natural-coloured finishes. The panels can also be customised and shaped to mimic natural elements like leaves.

Castle Towers Shopping Centre / SUPAWOOD

The footage is grainy

SUPAWOOD’s custom-shaped and grooved SUPALINE panels, for example, brought a natural feel to levels 2 and 3 of the podium retail spaces at Castle Towers shopping centre in Sydney. The designer, Buchan, engaged SUPAWOOD to create a decorative but complex paved effect on the ceilings. The panels form a crazy paving design on the ceilings over the thoroughfares on each level. The parts of the ceilings nearer the shop fronts are lined with SUPALINE in a neutral matt SUPACOLOUR finish. The areas on the outer edge are slightly raised and in a SUPALINE custom-grooved pattern reminiscent of the veins of leaves.

These outer areas are finished in a woodgrain laminate. Raw unfinished backing boards were used as a base under the shaped panels. To frame the inner perimeter, custom curved MAXI BEAM lightweight beams have been applied. These have been tastefully contrasted with the other finishes in a metallic brushed finish.

Follow the pattern

Flooring specialists GH Commerical design many of their products with biophilia in mind, purposefully incorporating colours, textures and patterns found in the natural environment. Their Lichen 1.5 and Lichen Community collections exemplify biophilic design.

“Inspired by the idea of ‘nature’s carpet’, the design team looked at natural assemblages of rich multi-hued, multi-textured lichens from extreme climates as the foundation for the collection, particularly how they grew on rock and bark.

GH Commercial used their Pattern Perfect tufting technology to produce textures and forms on the surface of the carpet, which look authentic and capture nature’s impact on our senses and wellbeing.

When the team at New Zealand commercial interior design business, Outline, needed to create a learning space that was both beautiful and inspiring for Saint Kentigern Schools, they chose GH Commercial’s Lichen Community collections for the flooring. The brief for the project was to achieve an interior vision based on sustainability and the wellbeing benefits of biophilic design. The light-filled central atrium with its ‘social staircase’ links two floors of classrooms, collaborative learning zones, and a staff room that also serves as a professional development area and function space.

Below: Saint Kentigern Schools / GH Commercial

The Lichen 1.5 Collection of carpet planks presented ideal flooring to meet the brief, with the selection of Micro and Macro Bloom 1.5 in an array of colour offering a distinctive pattern with complementary pops of yellow, purple, blue, aqua, and white. Teamed with neutral Groundcover 1.5 in 949 Rock face, the overall effect was cohesive while also creating wayfinding paths and distinguishing separate learning zones.

Biophilia in the interior

For interior specialists, Baresque, Wallcoverings play a central role in biophilic design as they can artfully replicate the textures, colours, and patterns found in natural materials like wood, stone, and water. These designs capture the gentle flow of fluid motions through deep texture, intricate patterns, and geometries.

Nature plays a central part in the design of the recently refurbished IDES restaurant, a cool and innovative fine dining venue in Melbourne. The food and dishes at IDES take their cues from the local environment and seasons, with the fit out of the original restaurant also echoing this theme. It’s no surprise then that nature played a huge part in influencing the design vision for the new project, with earthly finishes such as wood, stone and linens all featuring. Like all bustling venues, addressing the acoustics of the space was also high on the priority list to ensure an intimate experience for diners.

In the private dining room, Baresque’s fabricated acoustic wallcovering Zintra Sticks was selected in Merbau, a colourway inspired by real woodgrain. The covering which features on the walls and ceilings complements the original timber elements and adds a sense of warmth and intimacy.

In keeping with the theme of natural finishes, Baresque’s Cork Cobra wallcovering which is inspired by snakeskin was installed on the adjacent walls. This decorative wallcovering features gold highlights which are beautifully accented by the wall lights. Overall, the newly refurbished IDES is a moody, intimate space with elegance and connection to nature expressed in both the aesthetics and gastronomic experience.

Designers and manufacturers of facade systems, Fairview, say they have seen an increased focus on incorporating natural elements, materials, and patterns into designs to create spaces that foster wellbeing, productivity, and a sense of harmony with nature.

“We have also seen an increase in the integration and usage of nature analogues, certainly specific to woodgrain finishes. Powder on powder technology allows architects and designers a choice of finishes that mimic not only the natural patterns, but also textures of wood,” Head of Marketing at Fairview Kristy Welsh says.

She says Fairview see biophilic design as extending much more broadly beyond aesthetics and material choice.

“It is an area that is ever evolving as new sustainable practices, energy-efficient technologies and sustainable materials continue to emerge. It is an exciting space to be in, and for Fairview we are committed to contributing to biophilic design and ultimately the circular economy – not only in terms of how our products are manufactured and with what, but also in terms of their lifecycle and end-of-life use. It is a constant learning curve”.

Fairview collaborated with builder and installer, Northpoint Residential Projects to complete the exterior facade of 1 Pretoria Parade Hornsby. This project features more than 7,220 of Argeton’s Argelite terracotta tiles in Salmon Pastel and a large range of accessories.

Biophilic design becomes sophisticated

Argeton’s Argelite panel is a product made of natural clay, preferred for its stylish simplicity and low weight. Argeton is a natural terracotta facade system, available in a wide range of colours, textures, profiles, and glaze options for exquisite and unique designs. With sunscreen and rainscreen properties, frost and moisture resistance, impact, weather, and UV resistance, Argeton is an eco-friendly option that allows for creativity while ensuring resilience to harsh environmental conditions.

Australia’s largest supplier of certified engineered bamboo and rattan House of Bamboo see biophilic design as much more than just a trend, but “an essential part of sustainable and emotionally resonant architecture”.

“In 2023, biophilic design has become more innovative, sophisticated and integrated into architectural practice. Thankfully it has become an essential element of sustainable architecture, as it not only enhances the quality of life for people but also aligns with the growing focus on environmental stewardship and holistic wellbeing in the design and construction industry,” House of Bamboo’s Marketing Manager Ash Guven says.

By incorporating biophilic design with House of Bamboo materials, architects and designers are well positioned to achieve Green Star ratings, particularly in the Indoor Environment Quality and Management categories. For projects targeting LEED certification, their products can contribute to achieving high levels, ranging from Gold to Platinum.

Feeling WELL

The biophilic materials also play an important role in projects aiming for WELL Building Standard and can secure valuable credits for UK-based BREEAM certification, particularly in categories like Health and Wellbeing, Materials, and Land Use and Ecology. House of Bamboo has a wide selection of products available to suit biophillic designs from stylish and sustainable Cross Laminated Bamboo panels to woven bamboo decking, featuring natural bamboo heat-treated for improved hardness and durability. Made without toxic glues or plastics and pre-oiled with premium Woca oil.

Ultimately, biophilic design isn’t just a trend but a timeless way of designing that taps into our innate connection to the natural world. It is about bringing the feel of mother nature into our built environments to create a welcoming and nurturing atmosphere evoking a sense of calmness to those that using the space.

Image: Thermory’s Benchmark ash cladding was chosen for Maidla Nature Resort, a small luxury cabin inspired by wild nature, set in the middle of a forest near a manor house in Estonia.

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