Biophilic Solutions: Nature Has the Answers

Latest Episodes:

Anger vs. Optimism and the Way Forward: BONUS with David Orr Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

What does it mean to be an engaged citizen or an effective activist? How can we shift from anger to hope and then create meaningful change? We’re back this week with a special bonus episode, an off-the-cuff conversation with David Orr, renowned scholar of political and environmental science and co-editor of Democracy Unchained: How to Rebuild Government for the People. We chat about finding the right balance between anger and optimism, recognizing and overcoming the flaws baked into our system of government, and why we should be regulating tech.

Show Notes

Democracy Unchained: How To Rebuild Government For The People, edited by David W. Orr, Andrew Gumbel, Bakari Kitwana, and William S. Becker
Dangerous Years: Climate Change, the Long Emergency, and the Way Forward by David Orr
Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change by George Marshall
Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas by Natasha Dow Schull

Key Words: nature, biophilic design, biophilia, politics, political science, tech, technology, technology and politics, democracy, climate, climate action, climate solutions, social media

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How Biophilia Makes Our Democracy Stronger with David Orr May 24, 2022

Show notes

This week, we’re diving deep into the intersection of democracy and the environmental movement, why it’s imperative that all lawmakers agree to the rules of the game, and how biophilia might act as a bridge to the equitable, green future we want. We also weigh the merits of a circular economy and discuss what it means to be responsible citizens and stewards for future generations.

Our guest is renowned scholar of environmental and political studies at Oberlin College David Orr, author of eight books, including Dangerous Years: Climate Change, the Long Emergency, and the Way Forward (2016) and co-editor of three others including Democracy Unchained: How To Rebuild Government For The People (2019). While at Oberlin, Dr. Orr led the effort to design and build the Adam Joseph Lewis Center, one of the first truly biophilic buildings in the United States. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Lyndhurst Prize, a National Achievement Award from the National Wildlife Federation, and a Visionary Leadership Award from Second Nature.

Show Notes

About David Orr
The Oberlin Project
The Adam Joseph Lewis Center
Democracy Unchained: How To Rebuild Government For The People, edited by David W. Orr, Andrew Gumbel, Bakari Kitwana, and William S. Becker
Dangerous Years: Climate Change, the Long Emergency, and the Way Forward by David Orr
Democracy in a Hotter Time, presentation at Elon University (YouTube)
Design with Nature by Ian L. McHarg
The Biophilia Hypothesis, edited by E.O. Wilson and Stephen R. Kellert
Dr. David Orr and Dr. Miranda Yaver on the Stand Up! With Pete Dominick Podcast
Children & Nature Network
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist by Kate Raworth

Keywords: Biophilia, Climate Change, Climate, Environment, Policy, Politics, Environmental Policy, Biophilic Design, Nature, Wellness, Democracy, Economics, Circular Economy

Form Follows Feeling: Serenity, Human Emotion, and Design with Suchi Reddy May 10, 2022

Show notes

How do we connect human emotion to the built environment? Is it possible to design spaces that produce serenity and wellbeing? Can we harness technology as a force for good rather than division? We’re diving into all of this and more with renowned architect, artist, and self-professed “serene-ist” Suchi Reddy, founder of Reddymade. Throughout her career, Suchi has strived to put human emotion at the center of everything she creates, from a biophilic, LEED Platinum Google flagship store to an interactive art installation in the Smithsonian that challenges viewers to imagine our collective future. Suchi credits her childhood in India, where biophilia was embedded into everyday life, with shaping her extraordinary perspective.

Suchi Reddy founded Reddymade in 2002 and in the years since, the firm has built a reputation for experimentation with materials, color, and technology - as well as their approach to the overlapping fields of architecture, design, and immersive works of art. Reddymade is the recipient of numerous awards including the NYCxDesign award, AIA Brooklyn + Queens Award, AIA New York Excelsior Award, and Interior Design’s best of the year awards.

Show Notes

Reddymade
Form Follows Feeling
Google at Milan 2019 Design Week: A Place for Being (YouTube)
Suchi Reddy, Architect of Serenity (W Magazine)
Designing a Digital Future by Suchi Reddy (New York Times Opinion)
21 Questions with Architect Suchi Reddy (Curbed)
Suchi Reddy and the Neuroaesthetics of Architecture (Design Well)
Suchi Reddy talks about space, community, and tech in art with me + you (Stir World)

Key Words: design, architecture, art, installation, technology, technology and culture, technology and society, nature, nature based learning, biophilia, biophilic design, Suchi Reddy, innovation, technology and innovation, neuroaesthetics, equity and inclusion

Cover Art Image © Ashok Sinha.

Your Brain on Nature: Neuroaesthetics and Biophilia with Dr. Anjan Chatterjee Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

This week we’re exploring the neuroscience behind our relationship to beauty. Are we culturally conditioned to prefer certain landscapes, works of art, and types of buildings or are those preferences universal? Why do some people embrace nature while others are fearful? Is there a way to measure biophilic design’s effect on neurodivergent individuals? We investigate all of those questions and more with our guest Dr. Anjan Chatterjee, a renowned professor of Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Chatterjee is at the forefront of a relatively new field called neuroaesthetics which examines the neural basis of aesthetic experiences. In other words, why do we deem certain things beautiful or pleasurable over others? Particularly with nature and biophilia, the answer may not be as clear-cut as you think.

Show Notes

Anjan Chatterjee, M.D.
Neuroaesthetics
Biophilia as Evolutionary Adaptation: An Onto- and Phylogenetic Framework for Biophilic Design (Frontiers in Psychology)
Biophilia by Edward O. Wilson
Buildings, Beauty and the Brain: Q&A with Anjan Chatterjee (CNS: Cognitive Neuroscience Society)
What We Like About Built and Natural Spaces (Psychology Today)
How Our Brains Decide What Is Beautiful (TED)

Key Words: Neuroscience, Neurology, Neuroaesthetics, Neuroarchitecture, Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Brain Health, Beauty, Art History, Architecture, Aesthetics, Nature, Psychology, Science, Research, Research and Development

Biophilic Patterns, Awe, and a New Industrial Revolution with Interface’s Kari Pei Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

What if we told you that a global commercial flooring company has achieved carbon neutrality and is well on their way to net negative emissions? This week, we’re joined by Kari Pei, the Vice President of Product Design at Interface, to discuss the inspiration she finds in nature, the sustainable materials and manufacturing techniques that have made Interface a standard-bearer for environmentally friendly corporate practices, and the importance of awe. We also touch on some overlooked aspects of biophilic design, including texture and the impact that ambient noise has on our wellbeing.

Interface is a commercial flooring company that specializes in carbon neutral tile and resilient flooring. Interface helps their customers create interior spaces that support wellbeing, productivity, creativity, and the health of the planet. As VP of Global Product Design, Kari Pei brings her fine art background to every aspect of the design process, drawing inspiration from nature and biophilic patterns. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2020 Manufacturer Leader HIP Award presented by Interior Design Magazine.

Key Words: Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Nature, Sustainable, Corporate Responsibility, Net Zero Emissions, Carbon Negative, Awe, Product Design, Wellness
Show Notes

Kari Pei of Interface Takes Home 2020 Manufacturer Leader HIP Award (Interior Design)
Interface’s Sustainability Journey
Interface Achieves Carbon Negative Milestone with the Launch of Innovative Products to Decarbonize the Built Environment (PR Newswire)
Ep. 156 Creating Happier Places with Biophilic Design (Clever Extra Podcast)
Walk with Walsh at Serenbe with Kari Pei
14 Patterns of Biophilic Design (Terrapin Bright Green)
Awe (Terrapin Bright Green) - Coming Soon!
Spotlight: I.M. Pei (ArchDaily)

Biophilic Design and the Human Habitat with Dr. Judith Heerwagen Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

This week, we’re diving into the psychology of biophilic design - why we find it so appealing, the evolutionary basis for preferring certain landscapes to others, and the reasons we fear certain natural elements like snakes and spiders. We also chat about the social experiences we find in nature, like camping with friends and sharing stories around a fire, and the ways in which climate change complicates our relationship with the natural world.

Our guest is Dr. Judith Heerwagen, a psychologist who specializes in the behavioral, social, and health impacts of buildings. Dr. Heerwagen has worked extensively on the psychology of biophilic design and is the co-editor of Biophilic Design: the Theory, Science and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life which won the 2009 Publishers Award in architecture and urban planning. She is also the recipient of 2014 Design for Humanity Award from the American Society of Interior Designers.

Show Notes

About Dr. Judith Heerwagen
Biophilic Design: the Theory, Science and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life by Judith Heerwagen, Martin Mador, and Stephen R. Kellert
Building Biophilia: Connecting People to Nature in Building Design by By Judith Heerwagen, Ph.D., and Betty Hase, IIDA, ASID
Biophilic Design and Climate Change: Performance Parameters for Health by Julie Africa, Judith Heerwagen, Vivian Loftness, and Catherine Ryan Balagtas, Frontiers In Built Environment
Biophilia by Edward O. Wilson
Sociobiology: The New Synthesis by Edward O. Wilson
Nature Inside: A biophilic design guide by William D. Browning and Catherine O. Ryan
‘Savanna Preference,’ Universal Principles of Design: 125 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach through Design by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler

Key Words: Biophilic Design, Biophilia, Climate Change, Evolutionary Psychology, Psychology, Environment, Climate, Health and Wellness, Habitat, Nature,

Creating A Destination for Holistic Healing with Dr. Elizabeth Trattner Mar 15, 2022

Show notes

This week, we’re chatting with Dr. Elizabeth Trattner, a renowned acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese Integrative Medicine, who works with clients on everything from autoimmune support to holistic beauty. Elizabeth has received widespread acclaim for her work and has been featured in publications like Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Allure. Elizabeth’s journey to holistic medicine began early in life, but her own experience battling chronic illness led to a very personal interest in green, nontoxic beauty, household, and building materials. In this episode, we chat with Elizabeth about Helia House, the new wellness center she just launched in Miami using the strictest standards for environmental impact.

Show Notes

Dr. Elizabeth Trattner
The Helia House
Sick Building Syndrome (WebMD)
Living Building Challenge (Living Futures)
Sacred Geometry Is Literally Everywhere - Here’s Where To Look & How To Use It (MindBodyGreen)
15 Green building materials for an eco-conscious home (The Zebra)
Elizabeth Trattner Debuts Helia House, a Non-Toxic Healing and Wellness Oasis for Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (Well Defined)
Elizabeth Trattner Uses Alternative Medicine and Gemstone Facials to Treat Patients (Allure)
Could We Be Inhaling Plastic? (Coveteur)
7 Ways Acupuncture Changes Your Brain, According to Science (Bustle)

Key Terms: Wellness and Beauty, Green Beauty, Health and Wellness, Holistic Medicine, Alternative Medicine, Clean Beauty, Sustainable Living, Biophilia, Biophilic Design

What’s Your Nature Score? With NatureQuant Founder Jared Hanley Mar 01, 2022

Show notes

This week, we’re speaking with Jared Hanely, the CEO and founder of NatureQuant, a company whose mission is to leverage technology to promote a greater connection to nature. The idea for NatureQuant came out of a multi-day ski trip with Jared’s co-founders Christopher Minson and Christopher Bailey, when they realized that the power of metrics and trackable data could encourage people to get outside and reap the benefits of time spent in nature. NatureQuant’s applications include NatureScore, which measures the quality of greenspace in a given area, and NatureDose which individuals can use to keep track of their time spent outdoors. In this episode, we talk to Jared about the exciting applications of his technology beyond individual health, the possibilities of measuring biophilic design benefits, and if he is at all worried about “app fatigue.”

Show Notes

NatureQuant
NatureScore
Nature Dose
NatureQuant White Paper: Delivering Technology to Assess and Promote Nature Exposure
Nature is Medicine. But What’s the Right Dose? (Outside Magazine)
The benefits of green exercise go far beyond physical fitness (The Globe and Mail)
10 Minute Walk Pledge

Key Ideas: Nature based solutions, technology and society, environmental issues, health and wellness, biophilic design

Water and Wellbeing with Blue Mind Author Wallace J. Nichols Feb 15, 2022

Show notes

Have you ever felt instantly calm upon arriving at the ocean or a rural lake? Or even felt the need to dip into a hot bath after a tough day? This week on Biophilic Solutions, we’re chatting with Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, scientist, activist, and author of Blue Mind, about why we are so innately drawn to water and the neuroscience behind water’s healing properties. We’ll dive (pun intended) into the ways we might reconnect with our favorite bodies of water, the innate spiritual properties that water contains, and even why too much “blue mind” isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Show Notes

The Blue Mind: How Water Makes You Happier, More Connected and Better at What You Do by Dr. Wallace J. Nichols
The Blue Mind Book Club
Book review: ‘Blue Mind,’ on the benefits of being near water, by Dr. Wallace J. Nichols (Washington Post)
Our Love of Living Near Water Persists Despite the Dangers (New York Times)
Applying Blue Mind to Our Ocean Conservation Mindset (Plastic Oceans)
Dr. Wallace J. Nichols: Getting in touch with Blue Mind (Creative Mornings HQ)

Flight Path and Lost Waters with Urban Designer Hannah Palmer Feb 01, 2022

Show notes

This week, we’re chatting with urban designer and author Hannah S. Palmer about the second longest river in Georgia, the Flint River - a river that few Atlantans have even heard of because it’s headwaters run underneath Hartsfield Jackson, the world’s busiest airport. Hannah is the Project Coordinator for Finding the Flint, a partnership between The Conservation Fund, American Rivers, and the Atlanta Regional Commission, whose mission is to bring this forgotten river to light, opening up spaces for public access, and connecting the wider South Atlanta community.

Show Notes