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BERLIN, GERMANY: The facade of a residential building in Berlin Kreuzberg is planted as a Vertical ...
More Garden on August 15, 2024, in Berlin, Germany. Photo by Kira Hofmann/Photothek via Getty Images It turns out your mind isn’t only shaped by your thoughts. It’s shaped by your surroundings, too.
And increasingly, science suggests that the more natural those surroundings are, the better your brain performs. Welcome to the era of biophilic design—a growing architectural and psychological movement that is subtly, yet powerfully, reshaping how we work, live, feel and experience the surrounding world. Rooted in the ancient human affinity for nature, biophilic design integrates elements like natural light, organic materials, greenery and even water features into our built environments.
The results aren't just aesthetic. They're neurological. From Google campuses with forest-inspired interiors to hospitals using indoor gardens to accelerate recovery, biophilic environments are becoming essential, not just attractive.
As more people experience chronic stress, overstimulation and attention fatigue, this return to nature represents a return to cognitive equilibrium. The term biophilia , popularized by Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson in the 1980s, describes our innate tendency to seek connections with nature.
Decades later, researchers are mapping how this evolutionary trait plays out in modern spaces—and the findings are profound. Studies published in Frontiers in Psychology and Journal of Environmental Psychology have shown that even minimal exposure to natural elements, like a window view of trees or indoor plant life, can reduce cortisol levels, enhance cognitive performance and boost mood. In workplaces, these effects translate into improved focus, faster recovery from stress and increased productivity, among others.
This is especially critical as the average person now spends more than 90% of their time indoors , according to the Environmental Protection Agency. With rising concerns about digital burnout, mental health and decision fatigue, the built environment can no longer be neutral. It must support and elevate human function at the level of the nervous system.
Emerging brain imaging studies have further validated these effects. One 2023 functional MRI study revealed that individuals exposed to natural scenes, even virtual ones, showed increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for executive decision-making and emotional regulation. The takeaway? Biophilic inputs can measurably shift brain function in real time, promoting states of clarity, calm and control.
Our brains evolved in environments teeming with natural stimuli—rustling leaves, flowing water, dappled light. These stimuli activate the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling safety and allowing the body to downshift into a state of restoration. Urban environments, by contrast, often overload the brain's stress circuits with noise, artificial lighting and architectural monotony.
Design cues drawn from nature, such as fractal patterns, organic textures, and rhythmic sensory inputs, speak to the brain's deepest wiring. We are, in a very literal sense, neurologically designed to flourish in environments that mirror the natural world. These design elements foster what psychologists call "soft fascination": the gentle, effortless attention that allows the brain to rest without disengaging.
In her book Well at Work: Creating Wellbeing in any Workspace (2023) , Dr. Esther Sternberg, a physician and neuroscientist at the forefront of design-emotion research, underscores how the lack of nature in our surroundings creates a cognitive burden—one that quietly taxes our mental and emotional reserves. Her work presents how biophilic design helps us reclaim the calming effects of the natural world, even amid dense urban or workplace landscapes.
Through her research and advocacy, Sternberg has been instrumental in integrating evidence-based design into healthcare and corporate environments alike, showing that healing and high performance are inseparable from the spaces we inhabit. Beyond a passive preference, neuroscientists now believe that this nature-brain connection is a co-evolutionary relationship. Just as we shape our environments, our environments shape us.
This dynamic is made possible by the brain's capacity for neuroplasticity, the ability to rewire itself by forming new neural connections in response to experience. In other words, our brains are not fixed—they're adaptive, continuously shaped by the inputs they receive. And with the right biophilic signals, we can intentionally design spaces that shift our baseline from overstimulated to attuned.
Global companies and institutions are taking note. Tech campuses, hospitals, schools and luxury hotels alike are embedding nature into their design blueprint and infrastructure. Architects now consult neuroscientists, and interior designers study circadian rhythms.
What was once a trend is rapidly becoming an essential feature of human-centered design, utilizing nature as the leading inspiration. In Singapore, entire skyscrapers are now wrapped in vertical forests, a concept pioneered by architect Stefano Boeri. In Denmark, schools are being redesigned with sensory gardens and outdoor learning pods to support childhood development.
In New York, biophilic coworking spaces like The Assemblage and NeueHouse have become sought-after by entrepreneurs seeking flow-state environments. This shift is driven not only by well-being metrics but also by economic ones. A Human Spaces report across 16 countries found that employees working in environments with natural elements reported a 15% higher level of well-being and a 6% increase in productivity.
That edge matters—in talent retention, in creativity and in bottom-line performance. As businesses reimagine the post-pandemic workplace, biophilic design has emerged as a core strategy for rehumanizing office culture. It's not about adding a succulent to a desk.
It's about designing ecosystems that respect biological rhythms, nurture emotional intelligence and restore sensory balance. The result? A more energized, empathetic and mentally agile workforce. Biophilic design is a pivotal strategy for neuroplastic living.
When your environment regularly activates the brain's relaxation and reward centers, it builds new pathways for calm, focus and resilience. In essence, the space around you begins to change the space within you. We now know that environments that repeatedly evoke a state of calm and attentiveness can prime the brain for long-term shifts in perception, emotion and behavior.
This is where design becomes not only functional but transformative. A thoughtfully designed room can lower blood pressure, extend attention span and even reshape the way we interact with others. As we reimagine the future of work and wellness, one truth is becoming clear: nature never stopped being our most marvelous designer.
We just forgot how to listen..
