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Subject Area

Architectural Engineering

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Incorporating living elements into educational environments is a crucial matter, as many educational spaces are deprived of natural features. Designers should incubate this way of thinking to generate healthy and inspiring spaces for students. The biophilia hypothesis reveals that humankind has a genuine connection with the natural environment which makes us happier and healthier. Biophilic design has motivated architects to merge nature within the interior spaces using plants, reclaimed wood, water features, and daylight. Thereby, this manuscript debates that educational spaces – particularly in universities – requisite a sincere interaction with the nature environment by embracing biophilic design as an approach to reconnect the users in the built environment with the natural surrounding world. However, not all educational spaces can be renovated with full adoption to the biophilic approach, yet designers are responsible for integration of the natural features within these spaces to improve a healthier educational environment for students. This paper will first illustrate the necessity of applying biophilic design concepts in the built environment by integrating nature into interior educational spaces. Then, it is followed by the adoption of biophilic design elements into interior spaces of “Architecture and Urban Planning Department, Suez Canal University, Egypt”, involving staff members and students in the retrofitting process. In this context, students can develop a sense of belonging to their educational environments, as well as this ensures that spaces will meet their needs and become more functional and productive. Finally, this study introduces guidelines and recommendations for implementing biophilic design attributes into universities` interior spaces.

Keywords

Urban design; Mental health; Urban design approaches; Urban design dimensions; Perceived mental wellbeing; Campus open space design

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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