— Urban design

Biophilic design principles in urban spaces

Biophilic design is not a style. It is a way of admitting that people are animals and that we feel better when we can see trees, hear water and sit in the sun. In our urban projects we reserve at least fifteen percent of every ground floor for something that is alive. In Malmö that meant a courtyard of birch; in Helsinki, a reflecting pool fed by roof runoff. The test is simple: if you take the plants away, does the building still work? If yes, you haven't gone far enough.