Considering the existing and future consequences of climate change, (unpredictable weather, flooding, droughts, bush fires, supply - demand conflicts, projected deterioration in oil supply and a worldwide economic system that proves to be vulnerable to instabilities) resilience resonates perfectly as the ultimate aspiration for cities across the globe. It started out with a great effort towards adaption to catastrophes and threats, then we saw language shift from ‘resistance’ to ‘resilience’, which in turn opened up the floor to consider a wider scope of shocks and stresses cities are inevitably facing in the not-so-distant future, such as sea level rise and extreme weather. Resilience is not solely important for the macroscale of cities and countries, it is also crucial for the microscale of neighbourhoods, houses and people.At the scale of the individual, the people of Belfast need to efficiently and successfully adapt to the likes of hotter summers, storms, new diseases and future downturns. We can encourage motions to endorse resilience for the Urban neighbourhood and individuals, to allow them to adapt and take advantage of climate change strategies resulting in enhancement of their living environment and overall well-being.
Biophilia refers to ‘love of life’ or ‘a passion for life’ according to Erich Fromm[1], the Swedish psychologist who first used the term first in 1964 to describe the homosapien attraction to nature. The expression was then celebrated by scholar Edward O. Wilson in the 1980’s, who described biophilia as ‘the urge for humans to affiliate with other life’.[2]More recently, the biophilia hypothesis has been integrated into architecture and urban design, enhancing the performance and welfare of people. Biophilic design improves both physiological, emotional and mental health, which is particularly imperative as people in the UK spend an average of 90% of the day indoors[3].There is a growing appreciation for frequent connection with nature from architects and designers in an increasingly urban environment. The world’s population has more than quadrupled since 1950, more than half of us are living in an urban environment now, and according to ‘Our World in Data’ it is projected that by 2050, more than two thirds of us will migrate to urbanity[4]. This dense way of living is a relatively new concept for cities and a challenge that architects and planners must step up to.Even the Coronavirus pandemic seems to be probing the question, is quarantine proving how important biophilic cities are?
Biophilic cities are cities that bestow an intimate daily relation with nature, while also stimulating an awareness of this nature. Beatley and Newman contend that biophilic cities are also sustainable and resilient cities, and that;
“Achieving the conditions of a biophilic city will go far in helping to foster social and landscape resilience, in the face of climate change, natural disasters and economic uncertainty and various other shocks that cities will face in the future.”[5]
Moreover, it is not merely direct connection with greenery that has a progressive response, research by Ivarsson and Hagerhall[6] dictates that there are strong human reactions to various natural forms. They argue that people respond both mentally and physically to natural patterning and spaces in nature, providing relaxation and lower stress levels. This applies specifically to the fractal patterns of nature (patterns that continuously repeat smaller copies of themselves, called self similarity) and especially those with “high randomness and mid to low fractal dimension[7]”.
We, as architects, must question the movement of making cities biophilic in order to make them more resilient. How can biophilic design and urban biophilia result in urban resilience in Belfast? How can the hypothesis be applied to assist Belfast environmentally, economically and socially in the long term? It is argued that the introduction of biophilic architecture to our urban planet can promote a plethora of benefits. Below are just some of the proven positives from biophilic architectural research by Jana Soderlund and Peter Newman;
Environmental benefits
• water management
• reduction in water pollution
• carbon reduction
• phytoremediation
• improved biodiversity
• urban heat island effect reduction and reduced energy consumption
• increased livability enabling a higher density and reduced footprint
Socio-psychological benefits
• Improved mental health
• Reduced stress
• Attention restoration
• Increased wellbeing
• Decreased violence and crime
• Faster healing rates in hospitals
• Greater altruistic behaviour
Economic benefits
• increased worker productivity
• health and healing
• increased retail potential
• decreased violence and crime
• increased property value and employee attraction
Sample Cities:
Singapore
Singapore has been coined a model architype of a biophilic city, with the government putting forward money for parks and nature space, all linked through 200km of park connectors. With the dense urban environment, this approach seeks to balance the scales to cope with a growing population. Tree planting, community gardens, green roofs and green walls are all contributing to the scheme.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam have not had the advantage of ‘waiting it out’ when it comes to the effects of climate change. As a predominantly low terrain country, Holland has been the leader of dealing with flooding and the challenges it brings. Their approach to Biophilic design in the form of green roofs and sponge gardens are significantly aiding stormwater reduction by utilising plants for absorption of rain water. Green roofs are particularly appealing as they potentially utilise previously unused or underused areas so they do not compete with public space. These steps have made the buildings cooler, the air cleaner and most importantly the gutters and storm drains drier.
Tokyo
The act of Shinrin Yoku or “Forest Bathing” in Japan is considered a form of nature therapy, and is the simple act of being in nature for health and wellbeing. This has been practiced in Japan since the 1980s, and we only have to look at Tokyo to see the care and efforts taken in their urban greenery. Japan benefit greatly from their efforts, and carbon sequestration by urban street trees can be significant in reducing a city’s CO2 level, with each 50 m2 crown of trees sequestering 4.5–11 kg of carbon[8]; thus, it is likely that biophilic architecture can also demonstrate carbon sequestration.
Several cities have also been involved in the ‘Biophilic Cities Project’, a global research initiative led by Professor Tim Beatley at the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture. Along with Singapore, other cities that are part of this project include San Francisco, Oslo, Helsinki and Capetown.
Along with the positives, there will be some challenges with the promotion of biophilia in Northern Ireland. It will require substantial and continuous investments in social and governmental infrastructure. We will need a plan to avoid gentrification and displacement in targeted neighbourhoods around the city, something that The High Line project in New York failed to action, which could perhaps promote community involvement. Physical design, at the level of the building, neighbourhood, city, and region, will take us part-way to achieving our biophilic goals. To implement and integrated movement towards biophilia, we will need new planning standards and incentives, along with education reaching out from schools and to individuals. The scale of how much connection to nature is needed in cities is not yet presented, however it is becoming increasingly difficult for architects, urban planners and developers to ignore the value of biophilic architecture.
[1]Biophiliafoundation.org [2]Ecologyandsociety.org [3]U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1989. Report to Congress on indoor air quality: Volume 2. EPA/400/1-89/001C. Washington, DC [4]Our World in Data
[5]Beatley, Newman. (2013) Sustainability Journal: Biophilic Cities are Sustainable, Resilient Cities.
[6]Ivarsson CT, Hagerhall CM (2008) The perceived restorativeness of gardens – Assessing the restorativeness of a mixed built and natural scene type. Urban For Urban Gree 7: 107-118.
[7]Hagerhall CM, Laike T, Taylor R, et al. Human eeg responses to exact and statistical fractal patterns; 22nd International Association People - Environment Studies (IAPS) 2012 Jun 24 - 29; Glasgow: UK
[8] Akbari H (2002) Shade trees reduce building energy use and CO2 emissions from power plants. Environmental Pollution 116, Supplement 1: S119-S126
