When biophilic design meets restorative architecture: the Strambinello project

The present crisis in the complex relationship between Man and Nature offers an extraordinary context for experimentation also in the architectural field, where we must rethink the relationship between Man’s relational structures and his physical-spatial surroundings in terms of the material and non-material components. The multidisciplinary vision of the biophilic program examines the design of living spaces with reference to the physiological functions and the psychological, behavioral, emotional and cognitive development of the individual. Biophilic Design thus brings greater awareness of the concept of sustainability in architecture, which can then facilitate the regenerative features of human residential environments. This project presents an experimental case study of biophilic architecture that becomes a design variable for the physical and psychological well-being of the inhabitants according to certain characteristics that are known as regenerative factors by the attention restoration theory (ART). The case study, a single-family home that is being built in the municipality of Strambinello (Piedmont, Italy) is an example of a regenerative residential environment that respects the Man-Nature bond.

[1]  J. Jonides,et al.  The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting With Nature , 2008, Psychological science.

[2]  Michael W Mehaffy,et al.  Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science, and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life , 2012 .

[3]  Kevin Lynch,et al.  The Image of the City , 1960 .

[4]  Rita Berto,et al.  The Role of Nature in Coping with Psycho-Physiological Stress: A Literature Review on Restorativeness , 2014, Behavioral sciences.

[5]  G. Orians,et al.  Evolved responses to landscapes. , 1992 .

[6]  R. Berto Exposure to restorative environments helps restore attentional capacity , 2005 .

[7]  Rita Berto,et al.  The Biophilic Quality Index. A Tool to Improve a Building from “Green” to Restorative. , 2017 .

[8]  Rita Berto,et al.  Assessing the restorative value of the environment: A study on the elderly in comparison with young adults and adolescents , 2007 .

[9]  F. Mayer,et al.  The connectedness to nature scale: A measure of individuals’ feeling in community with nature ☆ , 2004 .

[10]  R. Kaplan,et al.  The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective , 1989 .

[11]  G. Barbiero Biophilia and Gaia: Two Hypotheses for an Affective Ecology , 2011 .

[12]  G. Evans,et al.  Restorative Effects of Natural Environment Experiences , 1991 .

[13]  T. R. Herzog,et al.  Reflection and attentional recovery as distinctive benefits of restorative environments , 1997 .

[14]  J. Falk,et al.  Development of Visual Preference for Natural Environments , 1982 .

[15]  Stephen R. Kellert,et al.  Birthright: People and Nature in the Modern World , 2012 .

[16]  Stephen Kaplan,et al.  The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework , 1995 .

[17]  T. Hartig,et al.  RESTORATIVE QUALITIES OF FAVORITE PLACES , 1996 .