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The Story

This Biophilic Interior Design website provides information about biophilic design and how it can be a design driven approach to integrating a variety of nature-based features. Originally based on Stephen Kellert's 74 design features, the features have been undergoing extensive testing for interior design and for their reliability and validity. 


Biophilic design is not prescriptive; it's descriptive of the many options available and this website shows the wide variety of attributes one can ascribe to design features. Up until now it has been an elusive concept to design with, however with this website it is more pragmatic. This site has a new knowledge repository specifically developed for helping biophilic design in practice, research and education. It started with the development of the Biophilic Design Matrix (BDM), which can be used as an design/assessment tool for either a proposed design or built space.

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The BDM is linking the growing research base directly to each of the 54 biophilic interior design attributes, as requested by practitioners during the cognitive testing and development of the BDM. The current research identified shows that some attributes have a robust evidence base, but many have little specific research support. This website hopes to be a resource for students and practitioners to create interiors that consider human needs for health and wellbeing and it can help inspire researchers to continue to explore these unique attributes and their impact on people. The aim is to benefit evidence-based interior design integration of nature.

Green Plant

TOOLKIT

Available tools

Steven Kellert, professor of social ecology, began to operationalize Biophilic Design 2008 and proposed 6 elements categories and 72 design specific attributes


Operationalizing Biophilic Interior Design

Beth McGee has been conducting a scientific & rigorous instrument development for Interior Design application that has resulted in currently:

6 elements categories

54 interior design specific attributes

Including research to empower designers to thoughtfully integrate biophilia

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BID-R REFERENCE

Full list and definitions of biophilic design features available for designer consideration & custom application

BID-Q QUICK REFERENCE

The Biophilic Interior Design Checklist of features for quick visual reference

ASSESSMENT TOOL

Ask me for a custom link to an online survey format for the Biophilic Design Matrix as a design assessment tool 

 

RECENT RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

For more BID-M information and related research:

2022 McGee, B., Jin, X., Park, N.-K., Ball, S. & Carr. A. Designers’ Perceptions of Biophilia and Testing of the Biophilic Interior Design Matrix in China. International Journal of Architectural Research. Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 517-535. doi:10.1108/ARCH-10-2021-0279

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2022 McGee, B., and Park, N. K. Color, light and materiality: Biophilic interior design presence in research and practice. Interiority 5 (1). https://doi.org/10.7454/in.v5i1.189

 

2021 McGee, B., and Park, N-K. Beyond Plants: Biophilic Design as a Pedagogical Tool. The International Journal of Design Education 15 (2): 209-228. doi:10.18848/2325-128X/CGP/v15i02/209-228.  

 

2021 Andreucci, M. B., Loder, A., McGee, B., Brajković, J., & Brown, M. (2021). Exploring regenerative co-benefits of biophilic design for people and the environment. In C. Catalano, M. B. Andreucci, R. Guarino, F. Bretzel, M. Leone, & S. Pasta (Eds.), Urban Services to Ecosystems (Vol. 17, pp. 391–412). Springer International Publishing. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75929-2_21

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2019 McGee, B., Park, N.-K., Portillo, M., Bosch, S., & Swisher, M., DIY biophilia: Development of the Biophilic Interior Design Matrix as a design tool. Journal of Interior Design, 44(4). doi:/10.1111/joid.12159 

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2017 Weinberger, N., Butler, A. G., McGee, B., Schumacher, P. A., & Brown, R. L. Child life specialists’ evaluation of hospital playroom design: A mixed method inquiry. Journal of Interior Design, 42(2), 71–91. doi.org/10.1111/joid.12097 

 

2015 McGee, B., & Marshall-Baker, A. Loving nature from the inside out: A biophilia matrix identification strategy for designers. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 8(4), 115–130.  

doi.org/10.1177/1937586715578644

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