Nature in Every Room
This pattern is shaped by
Problem
When the connection between interior spaces and living nature is broken — no plants, no view of greenery, no natural materials — people experience measurably higher stress, slower healing, reduced cognitive function, and lower satisfaction with their environment.
Evidence and Discussion
The evidence for biophilic design is now extensive. Terrapin Bright Green's "14 Patterns of Biophilic Design" (2014, updated 2024), drawing on over 500 publications, identifies measurable health benefits from nature connection. Hospital patients with views of trees recover faster. Office workers with plants report 15% higher productivity. Students in biophilic classrooms score higher on tests.
Therefore
in every room where people spend more than an hour a day, provide at least one of the following: a view of living plants or natural landscape, indoor plants, natural materials (wood, stone, earth) visible and touchable, flowing water, or natural light that changes with the time of day. Prioritize real over simulated — a potted plant over a photograph of a forest. Make the connection specific and sensory: you should be able to see, touch, hear, or smell something alive from wherever you sit.