Biophilia, the love of nature, is a feeling we all share to varying degrees. As the world built up around us, surrounding cities with concrete and steel, many architects and designers began searching for ways to satisfy human’s innate attraction to nature. Thus, biophilic design was brought to life.
As the idea took root, scientists became curious about the relationship between urbanization and a person’s wellbeing. They found incorporating elements of nature into homes can reduce stress, blood pressure levels and heart rates, whilst increasing productivity, creativity and self reported rates of well-being.
Scientific Backing of Biophilic Design
The American Psychological Association published countless experiments to prove the healthy connection between mankind and nature. One such experiment found that being exposed to natural environments improves working memory, cognitive flexibility and attentional control. In fact, contact with nature naturally increases dopamine — the happiness hormone — as well as a person’s wellbeing and helps fight fatigue.
How? Spending time outside or with nature actually soothes our brain by cutting us off from the many distractions around us. In nature, we are focused on being outside, not on screens.
As more research comes out, scientists are finding that you can achieve the same effect even if you are not fully immersed in nature. You can enjoy views, a stroll through the park, or incorporate it into your home with biophilic design.
Luxury Homes that Incorporate Biophilic Design
To inspire you, we at Supreme Auctions have compiled a short list of luxury homes that flawlessly incorporate nature into their design.
$46M San Francisco Spec House Brings Nature into Every Room
Real Estate Developer Troon Pacific crafted this home with one idea in mind: bring nature into every single room. They achieved this in their newly constructed $46M San Francisco home. The 12,200-square-foot home’s three stories is sustainably built, LEED Platinum, and filled with smart technology to put energy efficiency at the forefront.
In other words, the home is a cornucopia of energy-saving and wellness-enhancing features: solar panels, toxin-free paints, triple-pane windows and doors, rainwater harvesting and a MERV-13 air-filtration system that changes the internal air nine times a day.
The biophilic design goes beyond the technology and the views. The 19-foot-tall motorized entry door opens to a two-story atrium with a massive stone feature just beyond an indoor reflecting pool. Every exterior door is motorized to fully bring the outside in.
Even the lighting features mimic nature. They are designed to look like water ripples, the plant vascular system, and other organic forms.
The home’s terraces and rooftop all feature gardens and planters. The roof is topped by an outdoor lounge with views across the bay from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz.
Outside, a small manicured rear garden has a stone patio, lawn, outdoor kitchen, a lap pool, and evergreen perimeter planting.
This home is currently listed by Compass.
A Look into The New Vegas Spec at $28M
The new spec house from Blue Heron was designed to showcase Blue Heron’s technological and architectural innovation. It flawlessly incorporates impressive feats of engineering and biophilic design.
The home has a sophisticated off-grid power system that is fueled by the region’s largest residential solar array. A smart biophilic system allows residents to sync the home’s lighting and temperature inside with that of the outdoors.
What makes this spec home stand out is the emphasis on bringing nature indoors. There is water on three sides of the great room so the homeowner can feel humidity and enjoy the sound of flowing water, despite being in the Vegas desert.
The home also incorporates plenty of green, both inside and outside the home. Plant life is commonly flowing into each room. Additionally, fire features and views were incorporated into the home to bring in the best parts of nature.
The Future of Biophilic Design: Garden Towers
Biophilia is evolving beyond luxury homes and moving into luxury apartments, hotels, and condo high-rises. Inspired by Eden, a 2019 luxury garden tower in Singapore, Beverly Hills developers Alagem Capital and Cain International are looking to introduce 4.5 acres of botanical gardens, a luxury hotel, and two biophilic residential buildings.
The project is not expected to wrap until 2024, so details on the 300-plus residences are under wraps. One thing is certain though: condo towers will apply for LEED Platinum certification. We at Supreme Auctions eagerly await more news on this project.
