Biophilic Design

There is a growing body of evidence that human beings function better when they have access to natural environments. Not just physically, but cognitively and emotionally. The way a space is planted, the materials it uses, the light it allows in, the sounds it creates — all of these influence how people feel in that space, often without them being consciously aware of it.
Biophilic design is the disciplined practice of using this knowledge purposefully.
At the centre of our approach is the human element. We introduce the environment through the considered use of plants and a sophisticated approach to design — one that connects people to the natural world in ways that are practical, lasting, and genuinely felt.

What is Biophilic Design?

Biophilic design is not a style or aesthetic trend. It is an approach to the built environment grounded in the understanding that human beings have an evolved and enduring need for connection with nature.
Rapid urbanisation has resulted in dense environments and buildings dominated by concrete, cars, and other hard surfaces. This has decreased exposure to plant life and good air quality, as well as access to natural sunlight. It is estimated that the young and elderly now spend over 90% of their time indoors.
The consequences of this shift are increasingly well-documented. Poor access to natural environments is associated with elevated stress, reduced concentration, lower mood, and diminished capacity to recover from the demands of daily life. Biophilic design addresses this directly, by reintroducing nature into the spaces where people spend their time.
In practice, biophilic design draws on a range of elements, which this would generally include:

  • Living planting — trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and greenwall systems that provide visual, sensory, and ecological value
  • Natural materials — timber, stone, and gravel used in preference to purely synthetic surfaces
  • Water — features that provide sound, movement, and visual calm
  • Light — considered orientation and canopy management to optimise natural light and seasonal variation
  • Organic forms — curved paths, irregular edges, and layered planting that reflect natural patterns rather than purely rigid geometry
  • Sensory engagement — fragrance, texture, sound, and seasonal change woven through the landscape

These elements are not applied as decoration. They are integrated thoughtfully into the design and documentation of each project, so that the outcomes are real, buildable, and maintainable over time.

 

CITYWIDE - Plants Display circularquay 2023 Summer
Botanical Traditions Professor Lynn Corcoran Early Learning Centre Design Detail
Botanical Traditions Native Residential Garden Blackburn

WHERE WE APPLY BIOPHILIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Early Childhood and Education Settings
In early childhood settings, the importance of the outdoor play area is supported legally by the national code requirement of 7m² of unencumbered area per child. However, in schools there is no such requirement for a minimum outdoor space per child, and it is possible for there to be no, or very low quality greenspaces. This is of particular concern for schools located in built-up urban areas, where multi-level buildings dominate and schools become landlocked.
In these settings, biophilic design is not a design preference — it is a developmental necessity.
We design early childhood and school landscapes that prioritise:

  • Sensory planting offering texture, fragrance, and visual interest across all seasons
  • Naturalistic play environments that support imaginative and unstructured play
  • Shade and shelter from appropriate canopy selection and structure placement
  • Quiet and semi-enclosed spaces for children who need a retreat from group activity
  • Sensory pathways, outdoor classrooms, and framed views of greenspace that allow for recharge throughout the school day. 
  • Where space is limited, rooftops, vertical spaces, and indoor planted areas are becoming critical alternatives. We encourage schools and early childhood operators to plan for these elements early, and to ensure that landscaped areas are integrated within the built form rather than treated as an afterthought.

Commercial and Workplace Landscapes

Staff wellbeing, retention, and performance are now recognised business concerns, and the landscape around a workplace has a demonstrable role to play in all three.
Introducing biophilic elements increases health, wellbeing, and performance, and has the most benefit when used in areas where people experience stress — such as fast-paced workplaces, medical facilities, highly urbanised areas, and workplaces requiring creativity.
For commercial clients, we design outdoor spaces that serve two purposes simultaneously: supporting the wellbeing of the people who work there, and communicating the values and quality of the organisation to anyone who visits.
This typically includes:

  • Planted entry sequences and street frontages that create a strong and considered first impression
  • Appealing street frontage and welcoming entries that blend individual qualities of the site and project with the essence of the local surrounds
  • Courtyard and terrace designs that give staff access to natural light, planting, and outdoor air during the working day
  • Water features and aquascapes that provide calming effects to counter rising levels of stress, while natural light and ventilation improve the character and ambience of a building, which in turn has a positive impact on the physical wellbeing of those who use it

Residential Landscapes

For private residential clients, biophilic design translates into gardens that genuinely support the way you live — not just spaces that look well-designed in photographs.
We like to use natural elements through flora, materials, and light to tie the different areas of a property and landscape together, so that any structures, outdoor areas, and landscaping effortlessly fuse together with interior spaces.
A well-considered residential landscape designed around biophilic principles will typically provide:

  • A clear sense of arrival and transition from the street into the home
  • Planting that changes seasonally, offering ongoing sensory variation and interest
  • Spaces that feel calm and restorative, as well as practical and liveable
  • Materials and forms that feel connected to the garden, not imposed upon it
  • Shade, shelter, and enclosure appropriate to the scale and orientation of the site

For larger residential projects, rooftop gardens, and elevated courtyards, these principles are particularly important, as the absence of ground-level connection to landscape makes considered design even more critical to achieving genuine wellbeing outcomes.

Botanical Traditions Elwood Planting Design Water Feature Botanical Traditions Early-stage Concept Design
Residential design water features - Sound
Early-stage Concept Design of sensory play areas for a Childcare project

How We Work

Our biophilic design approach is embedded across all project types and scales. It is not a separate service or an optional add-on. It is the lens through which we approach every brief.
Our design process involves a comprehensive strategy, taking projects from design through to the construction period if required. For most projects there are three distinct design phases — Consultation, Concept Design, and then Tender Design.
Throughout this process, we focus on outcomes that are:

  • Buildable — designed with real construction constraints and budget parameters in mind
  • Approvable — documented to the standard required for council and planning submissions, where applicable
  • Maintainable — planted and detailed in a way that is realistic to manage over time
  • Genuinely felt — designed to make a tangible difference to the people who use the space

Ready to discuss your project?

Whether you are designing a new early childhood landscape, exploring what is possible for a commercial premises, or planning a residential garden that genuinely supports how you want to live, we welcome the conversation.
We offer a straightforward initial consultation with no obligation, and are happy to share our thinking before any formal engagement is made.

Contact us via our enquiry page or call us directly to arrange an initial conversation.

 

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Outdoor classrooms
Greening Community Centres and adding greenery to be viewed
Latrobe University Concept - Activating outdoor space for use