Design & Nature Reimagined: Reforesting cities and towns
Vertical forests
Recently I wrote an article about incorporating vertical forests into our cities. I looked at how cities are actually including vegetation and trees in their architectural design, bringing mental health benefits, energy benefits, and beautiful hybridization of architecture and nature.
Biomimicry with buildings
"Vegetation can reduce air temperature by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius as well as providing shade". And now, Singapore is designing buildings to mimic some of the benefits that nature brings: petal shaped roof structures and incorporating reflective surfaces like ponds or white surfaces that naturally keep the building cooler. The best part? They're testing things on a smaller scale first as a way to gather data to show the impact of their changes.
Indoor jungle at Amazon Spheres
Biophilia is a term named by Dr. Edward O. Wilson, which means that humans have a desire or tendency to commune with nature. Japanese studies have shown that spending time in nature is good for our mental and physical health. This is taken to a beautiful new level with Amazon Sphere, a building with floor to ceiling living wall that resembles a jungle. These living walls help with natural cooling, air circulation, and helping employees take time to get closer to nature.
I hope you enjoyed this newsletter, and now enjoy this pretty picture!
