Exploring Challenges and Opportunities of Biophilic Urban Design: Evidence from Research and Experimentation

Improved environmental and human health outcomes have long been associated with the integration of nature into our urban form. Pandemics such as Covid-19 have highlighted again the importance of access to nature and open spaces in our cities for our social, physical, and mental health [4]. People living in neighborhoods with worse air pollution—which also often lacks greenspace—have been shown to have a higher death rate from Covid-19. Access to urban nature has also been shown to be influential in stress reduction and socialization [6,7], with urban parks receiving attention on the benefits of nature as urbanites seek out safer outdoor space in which to work, socialize, and play. This renewed attention is supported by a trend in urban planning and design that is trying to provide opportunities to connect urbanites with nature through communitybased ecosystem services projects, regenerative and biophilic design interventions, and residential greenspace, all of which have been linked to increased well-being, concentration, socialization, sense of place, and a connection with nature.