A biophilic apartment is an apartment in which the harmony of the elements - light, air, plants and water - is established. Its inhabitants live in harmony with these elements and, more broadly, with nature. How to imagine such an apartment? And in what way is it beneficial for people?
Biophilia or love of life
This term first appeared in the 1970s and was originally coined by the social psychologist Erich Fromm. Some time later, the term "biophilia" was established in other fields as well - in biology, ecology and architecture. In biological terms, it is defined as the need of every animal to live in harmony with nature. Architects, however, responded to this theory with biophilic design, an approach that prioritizes harmony between man and nature in building design. This also applies to the design of an apartment in a multi-storey concrete residential building.
1. Air – airiness and lightness
Emphasis on airiness, space and abundance of natural light is important. This is achieved inside with large glass windows and glass walls. These also create a feeling of connection with the outside, which is desirable for biophilic design. Therefore, balconies, terraces and glazed elements are part of the design. You can take advantage of air and light even if you already live in the house and are not planning major changes:
- View your home from afar and get rid of unnecessary things that are overloading it. Try to keep the interior as simple and airy as possible.
- Get rid of heavy and dark curtains and draperies. If you can't do without them, choose bright, natural colors and materials.
- The windows and windowsills should be clean and free of things - so you can air the room often.
2. Earth - natural materials and plants
For the earth element, focus mainly on two things - materials and plants:
- Replace artificial materials with natural ones. Better wood than laminate and linen than polyester. We recommend that you start making changes in the bedroom, as this is where potentially toxic substances affect us the most. Therefore, we recommend that you start with a bed made of wood and linen or cotton bedding.
- Don't skimp on flowers! Plants make any interior pleasant and are proven to have a positive effect on our mental and physical well-being. Look for plants that clean the air (you can't go wrong with chrysanthemums, spathes or philodendrons).
3. Water – water filtering and shaping
There are two key factors here: cost and scale. For large projects, architects can afford more expensive green solutions, such as collecting and capturing rainwater, filtering tap water, etc. Another option is to include larger decorative water features such as waterfalls and fountains. But there are also much more modest options with which you can approach harmony with this element in your home:
- Boiler with carbon filter for better drinking water
- An aquarium with an algae ball (or even fish that already need some care)
- Decoration in the form of a "water wall"
- Humidifier
4. Fire – just the right amount of heat
Temperature is related to this element - the apartment must be pleasantly warm (but not too hot), and the interior must be well ventilated. The optimal recommended temperature is about 20 degrees, although this seems a little to many. However, it is better to put on an extra layer of clothing than to overheat your apartment unnecessarily. Not to mention it will save you money too. Of course, you can also bring the fire inside directly, with a fireplace or stove.
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