Regenerative and biophilic design can help us reconnect with nature and benefit from its powers, says Amanda Sturgeon.
Nature is all around us is a common saying. But sometimes, you must look hard to find it. More and more of us live in towns and cities and our streets and urban centres are often devoid of nature, and short on biodiversity. Lots of us spend most of our time indoors. Yet, we know that exposure to nature is good for our health – physically, mentally and emotionally.
Studies show that spending time in nature boosts employee productivity and is good for students’ learning, while a view of outside helps patients in hospital to recover more quickly and require less medication. Studies also show that humans have an innate attraction to nature and will spend time there – and return repeatedly – if it is accessible and safe. That’s good for local businesses and for jobs.