Biophilic design is an approach to architecture that connects people with nature through daylight, plants, natural materials, water, views and natural patterns. It grows from the idea of biophilia, popularized by biologist E. O. Wilson in 1984, that people have an innate affinity for the natural world.
Parking facilities are usually the opposite: concrete, artificial light and no views. Bringing biophilic elements into garages and lots can make them feel safer and more pleasant, improve how they fit into neighborhoods, and support stormwater and heat goals at the same time. See heat island effect.
Ways to apply it
- Daylight through open sides, light wells and light-colored surfaces. See ambient lighting.
- Green screens, planters and green walls on facades. See graphic panel.
- Trees and bioswales in surface lots for shade and stormwater. See stormwater detention.
- Vegetated roofs. See green roofs.
- Views out from stair and elevator cores, which also help people orient themselves. See cognitive map.
What to watch
- Irrigation, maintenance and replacement budgets for plants.
- Structural loads for soil and planters.
- Keeping sightlines open for safety. See CPTED.
The Parkonomics view
A little nature goes a long way in a garage. Daylight and a view of a tree from the elevator lobby cost little and change how people feel about the whole facility.
Related terms: Green Roofs, Heat Island Effect, Vitruvian Principles, Ambient Lighting, Stormwater Detention, Sustainability