The Role of Biophilic Criteria in Urban Landscape Design

The Role of Biophilic Criteria in Urban Landscape Design

Submission ID:

80

Comprising of the combination of the words “bio” (life) and “philia” (love), the term “biophilia” has gained popularity after being used for the first time by Erich Fromm as a psychoanalyst and philosopher in the 1960s. Interpreted as “having a strong liking for the life itself, as well as the living systems”, this term argues that people possess an innate tendency to seek for connection with the nature. With unearned income-based rapid settlement process in urban areas, the cities started to expand on an uncontrolled manner with such practices as high-rise apartment blocks, impermeable surfaces, along with surface and façade elements that are covered with unhealthy structural materials. As a result, artificial living environments started to gain steam in cities due to the decrease in open-green areas and plant materials, unnatural processes air-flow and evaporation, the differences between the urban areas and outdoor areas in terms o wind velocity, direction and air temperature, impact of heat islands, disturbed soil structure and content, changes in the climate, etc. This fact empowers the sustainability of urban areas with healthy living conditions in cities.

This research attempts at exploring and understanding the implication of Biophilia and biophilic elements in design of urban landscape to improve the quality of environment and life and how benefits can be reaped in terms of users experience as well as the improvement in the quality of built environment.

Preferred Track

4. Environment Impact Awareness in Urban Developments

Second Preferred Track

5. Methods and technologies on architectural design and urban planning