Why Nature Indoors Matters

"Put human history into one week, starting Monday, and this modern world emerges about three seconds before midnight on the Sunday.”
Jules Pretty, Essex University

On average, a modern human spends 90% of their time indoors. Often, the man-made places where we live, work, study, and play are devoid of nature. Yet, we are a part of nature and as such, a connection to the natural world remains one of our fundamental needs essential for our mental and physical well-being.

For over 99% of our species history, we’ve evolved in adaptive response to the natural world. The deep knowledge of our surroundings helped us to appropriately respond to natural cues (colors, shapes, forms, light), and thus survive and thrive. Think of the red color of poisonous mushrooms (there is a reason why ‘stop’ traffic signs are red), or sharp mountain peaks (triangular shapes evoke risk) or gentle rolling hills (curvilinear shapes evoke comfort and ease).  I can go and on…

For over one hundred thousand years our successful adaptations to the natural surroundings became biologically coded into humans. We may not be consciously aware of this, but we are STILL wired to natural patterns and processes.

The deep knowledge of our

surroundings

helped us to

survive and thrive

As we all know, nature is not just green plants or animals, but colors, shapes, forms, patterns, and more. It is sounds, light, air, water, natural processes and systems. It offers multisensory experiences, not just through sight, but also through smells, sounds, and touch. That feel of the gentle wind caressing your skin, the sun’s warmth on your body, or the sounds the gentle rustling of grass on a meadow. Close your eyes and you can see it with your mind’s eyes and feel the instant calm it evokes. 

Such experiences and feelings can be (directly or indirectly) brought or simulated indoors, through the deliberate and consistent application of nature-inspired or biophilic design. 

At Sova Studio, we are on a quest to create such spaces for our Clients, and find ways to reconnect people with nature. 

In the coming posts, we will delve deeper into this design approach, and provide concrete examples and ways that anyone can use to reconnect with nature.

Thanks so much for joining us on this journey!