“If you wish to know the divine, feel the wind on your face and the warm sun on your hand,” Buddha said. His words seem more relevant now when, as a civilisation, the importance of moving closer to nature has become starker than ever before. From aviation to agriculture, almost every field is increasingly developing and adopting green technologies and nature-friendly measures. Architecture is no different, with Biophilic Designs being in focus. But what is Biophilic Design?
Biophilic Design: Bringing the Outside Inside
It’s a concept in architecture that aims to take the occupants of a structure closer to nature. While the idea is age-old, the term ‘Biophilic’ was coined only a few decades ago. Its main features include plenty of natural lighting, ventilation, live plants, the presence of water bodies, natural landscaping, etc. Emphasis is also laid on using natural materials and colours for construction.
Biophilic Design is believed to be an excellent remedy for stress, as staying connected to nature has a calming effect on the mind. Studies have shown that it helps reduce anxiety and stress and makes people healthier and happier on the whole. Biophilic Designs have also been noticed to increase productivity.
That’s not all; it’s also said to improve our sensory perception and stimulate the senses — be it sight, sound, smell, or touch. While natural light and lighting appeal to the eye, calming sounds in nature — like that of flowing water — are used to drown all other distracting, stress-inducing noises. Talking about the perception of smell, the damp smell of indoors and the odour of chemical cleaning agents and air purifiers will be replaced with more natural scents. Finally, to enhance the haptic sense (of touch), more textures resembling those found in nature will be used.
Like the rest of the world, India, too, is waking up to the possibilities and importance of Biophilic Designs, with many architects and developers adopting it.
Provident Housing: Paving the Right Path
As one of the most reputed names in India’s realty sector, Provident Housing has always believed in developments which enhance harmony with nature. So, it’s only natural that we have been incorporating Biophilic Designs into our projects for some time. They play a more prominent role in all our upcoming projects. Here are some of the main features of our projects:
- MLCP structures
All our upcoming projects have MLCPs – Multi-Level Car Parking facilities. They reduce not only the concrete footprint but also facilitate optimum space utilisation. With Indian cities becoming increasingly space-starved, MLCP is clearly the way forward. - Minimal intervention of hardscape for walkways
Hardscaping refers to the use of materials like gravel, wood, brick, or stone to build walkways. And, while it adds to the appeal of landscaping, we have decided to go minimal on it. Instead, there will be soft scaping with plants, shrubs, and flowering trees. This retains the area’s natural environment and promotes a bio-diverse ecosystem. Another advantage of soft scaping is that it allows the absorption of rainwater by the soil, thus helping maintain a healthy groundwater level. Water seepage is also crucial during heavy rains to avoid flooding. - Passive Recreational Spaces
What’s more relaxing than bonding with nature? No one understands this better than Provident Housing. One of the main highlights of all our projects is passive recreational spaces. These are open areas with no artificial landscaping, where you can enjoy cycling, walking, kite flying, jogging, or birdwatching in the lap of nature. - Landscaped Terraces and Pathways
Do you want to enjoy a long walk surrounded by nature at the end of a hard day? Or spend some ‘me time’ on a beautifully landscaped terrace? Sounds irresistible, right? We have left no stone unturned to bring you the best in our properties – interiors and exteriors. They are a green oasis amidst bustling cities. - Abundant Natural Lighting & Ventilation
As mentioned earlier, one of the salient features of Biophilic Designs is the abundant availability of natural light and clean air. Natural light offers countless benefits, including the production of Vitamin D, better focus, and sleep patterns. It also reduces the consumption of electricity during day hours.
Care has also been taken to plant plenty of air-purifying plants. This, along with excellent ventilation, significantly improves the air quality inside. At a time when most Indian cities, especially Metros, are reeling from poor air quality, the importance of good ventilation and clean air cannot be stressed enough. - Expansive Open Spaces
The very idea of escaping from cramped offices/classrooms and traffic jams into a beautiful home surrounded by expansive open, green spaces will instantly uplift your mood. Book/buy your dream home in any one of our properties – current or upcoming – and this experience could be yours!
Our properties are spread across vast expanses of green open spaces with multiple amenities. These include amphitheatre, cricket pitch, jogging track, meditation deck, banquet halls, parks, swimming pool, multi-purpose court, kids’ play area, sprawling lawns and cycling tracks, among others.
With the WHO labelling stress “the health epidemic of the 21st century”, and with research showing that people spend more than 90 per cent of their time indoors (at home or work), it’s high time we seriously considered the importance of a Biophilic environment in our homes and workplaces. Staying more connected with nature is the best way to safeguard our future as well as that of our planet.
