Dealing with the issue of buildings showing characteristics of sick building syndrome, could result in
occupants suffering negative side effects. Healthy living is a primary need for society. Everyday pollution
in society has led to these negative outcomes of physical and psychological well-being of space users.
When investigating factors such as natural light, colour, fresh air, visual contact with water and nature or
noise pollution, it is found that exposure to such natural elements positively influences human behaviour,
health and productivity in a live, work and play environment.
This dissertation is aimed at developing an understanding conducted under the hypothesis of how
architectural environments, through the theory of environmental psychology: a study of the relationship
between natural environments, affect human behaviour and well-being. A healthy environment requires
regular contact with nature promoting physical and psychological benefits, crucial to an individual’s
health and happiness. By reducing sick building syndrome, it could increase performance and improve
overall health and well-being.
Occupants of the chosen case studies completed questionnaires through distribution and structured
interviews personally conducted, focusing on a qualitative method. Assessing and evaluating the aims,
objectives and key questions and understanding of how Biophilic Architecture influences human
behaviour and well-being was obtained.
Case (Alexander Forbes and Nedbank Ridgeview) and precedents studies (Prisma Nürnberg and Khoo
Teck Paut Hospital) were investigated through Edward, O. Wilsons’ Biophilia hypothesis theory of mans
affiliation with nature and incorporating it into building forms, showing how architectural design can
evoke human behaviour through natural design elements. Architectural design is about humanity’s ‘sense
of place’ (concept of Genius Loci) in nature and where the natural environment fits into the physical
environment. Biophilic designs’ sensory rich world affects human health, productivity, emotional,
intellectual and spiritual well-being, as well as reducing stress levels and eases pain.
Biophilic Architecture could be the solution through a link of natural and physical environments,
positively influencing human behaviour and well-being. Futuristic sustainability should have the
combination of biophilic design and low environmental impact, resulting in a restorative nature based
design: a true result of a positive psychological environment, a ‘sense of place,’ people want to
experience, that is healthy, nurturing, and delightful to its occupants, improving the experiential quality of
architectural space. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/11123 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Blom, Marjorie. |
| Contributors | Ogunsanya, Lawrence Babatunde. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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