Biophilic Design: The Value of Nature in the Built Environment

Biophilia is more than a philosophy; it is a love of life and of living things. Biophilic design is an approach, to how we live and design our spaces encouraging the innate connection between humans and nature.

It is important to incorporate the natural world into our architectural surroundings to promote happiness and wellness. Research over the past few decades has shown us that contact with the natural world enhances human wellbeing in a multitude of ways: By reducing stress, improving mood and self-esteem, speeding recovery from illness, and enhancing cognitive skills and work performance.

In architecture, biophilic design embeds nature into the built environment – on façades, walls, roofs, roads, and structures, but to be effective, elements must be connected, complementary and integrated with the overall environment.

Here, we have highlighted several projects that demonstrate how award-winning architecture practice Ronald Lu & Partners (RLP), known for its human-centred, future-ready designs, incorporates these core biophilic design concepts into its work.

Embrace a site's natural surrounds

INTEGRAL, Guilin

A modern garment manufacturing plant in China that is integrated with the landscape in which it sits. Located near the scenic Guilin in Guangxi Province, the project is considered a ‘sustainable development garden’. Titled Integral, the total site area stretches over a 511,800 square-meters. The highest point of Integral is only 22 metres in elevation as the design intentionally extended the main building horizontally instead of vertically, seamlessly integrating the large production workshop and craft centre with the natural environment. In turn, this makes the site’s greenery the main focus, with the buildings playing a supporting role in the overall aesthetic. Elements of the local architectural language and culture appear everywhere, with distinctive blue bricks and bamboo panels used extensively in the buildings’ exteriors – including a large, semi-transparent bamboo curtain placed on the façade of the large craft centre’s wall to soften and break up the building massing.

The facility is more than a manufacturing plant, it is a place which embraces the fundamental concepts of Buddhism through its architecture, where sustainability elements are woven into every aspect of its design.

"Meaningful biophilic design is applied in the urban spaces around us through natural shapes, forms and materials used in building design, and by daylighting, natural ventilation, greening, and inward and outward views." – MK Leung, Director of Sustainable Design

Multi-level greenery accessible to all

TECHNOLOGICAL AND HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTE OF HONG KONG (THEi), Hong Kong

Chai Wan Campus for the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) aims to be a green, open, and community-centric learning environment. The site is surrounded by thriving community hubs, including Victoria Harbour, a housing estate, bus depot and elevated railway line.

The two-tower design faces the Harbour and the towers act as a solar and noise buffer for the campus plaza. The plaza is located on the first floor, with good ventilation and views of the nearby harbour. Sky rise greenery further adds to both shading and views.

The design presents an innovative model of a vertical sustainable campus. It is a symphony of diverse functionalities. The campus aims to be urban microclimate-responsive, neighbourhood-centric and a friend to life — by providing a network of green clusters which support both learning and sustainable living. This enables the campus to foster a flowing exchange of ideas, between academics, environment and neighbourhood.

From a life cycle perspective, spatial, structural and building adaptability are enhanced by loose-fit spaces and large structural grids. To motivate positive user behaviour, a building environmental project assessment dashboard (BEPAD) provides real time measurements of how user groups are performing when it comes to energy saving.

Sustain urban biodiversity

VICTORIA DOCKSIDE, Hong Kong

Victoria Dockside is a remodelling development of the former New World Centre, which is one of the ambitious and comprehensive urban remodelling projects ever undertaken on the promenade of Hong Kong’s iconic Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront in recent times. RLP initiated the sustainability solutions for the development, including the ‘urban window’ at K11 ARTUS that breaks up the visual density of the building’s façade while enhancing natural ventilation, and the Victoria Dockside podium, which provides landscaped open space and improved ventilation along Salisbury Road.

Integrate biophilic components into communal areas

COURTYARD RESIDENCE, Hong Kong

RLP's Courtyard Residence integrates sustainability, biodiversity and wellness through an urban forest concept, ensuring it will be a uniquely green space in the densely developed area in Kowloon. It aims to connect every resident with nature by greening every view, with green balconies, courtyards and a sky garden stocked with a large number of plant species. RLP's aim is for the project to eventually create a new microclimate through its use of natural elements.

"Kowloon’s Courtyard Residence is an exemplary application of biophilic design within a confined urban site. Seven unique, interlinked courtyards on multiple levels act as vegetation-lined passageways that provide a tranquil, natural experience to residents and seamlessly connect interiors with exteriors." – MK Leung, Director of Sustainable Design

Create a microclimate around the building that is conducive to natural ventilation and lighting

CIC ZERO CARBON PARK (ZCP), Hong Kong

Zero Carbon Park is to showcase state-of-the-art eco-building design and technologies to the construction industry internationally and locally and to raise community awareness of sustainable living in Hong Kong.

The project addresses the imminent need for actions to reduce GHG emissions and is specifically designed for the high density, hot and humid sub-tropical urban context of Hong Kong. Open to the public, ZCP is a visitor education centre and houses a green office for Construction Industry Council, a demonstration home for low carbon living, a multi-function room, the first urban native woodland of Hong Kong and other outdoor landscaped / event spaces. It is to set a world-class example in Hong Kong for low-carbon, highly energy-efficient buildings, acting as a teaching tool and a living platform for sustainability.
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Notes to Editors

For more information on Ronald Lu & Partners, please contact Camron PR

About Ronald Lu & Partners 

Ronald Lu & Partners (RLP) is an award-winning architecture practice focused on human-centric, future-ready design. Founded in 1976, RLP is known throughout Asia as being a trailblazer in sustainable architecture. For more than 45 years, our deep roots in China and our international perspective have allowed us to build a global portfolio spanning green architecture, master planning, transit-oriented development, and interior design. Working in partnership with many of the world’s leading developers, government bodies and institutions, we bring the values of our clients to life in high-density urban environments to “Design Better Life” for the people and communities that use these spaces. 

www.rlphk.com