Lifestyle

The Healthful Advantages of Biophilic Design

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Does managing your stress level seem like a futile pursuit, like you’re a hamster running on a wheel and making no progress whatsoever?


There are many ways to manage stress—meditation, yoga, better nutrition, more exercise, to name a few—but you might be overlooking one big improvement in your life.

Your home.


Bringing more natural elements into your home will provide a more calming environment. Increasing your exposure to natural light, improving the indoor air quality, and connecting you with views of nature all contribute to a restorative experience.


Biophilic design connects our current “natural habitat”, which is largely human-built, with the truly natural world. This approach enables people to blend with nature, on a variety of levels. You use your senses of sight, smell, touch, and sound to connect with nature, rather than separate yourself. Hospitals and nursing homes employ biophilic design—bringing in plants, incorporating courtyard gardens—to help patients heal faster. Workplaces that reflect biophilic design report increased productivity and fewer health-related employee absences.


According to the film, “Biophilic Design: The Architecture of Life”, students in schools that incorporate biophilic design achieve higher test scores.


If you have any doubts about the benefits of the natural connection, think about living or working in a windowless room, with plain walls, and fluorescent lights. Does that stimulate your thinking and motivate your productivity? Now, envision a sun-drenched room, with a view of a scenic landscape. Imagine a container garden thriving indoors, in the natural light. You look outside your window and see a hummingbird fluttering at a feeder.


Which vision sparks a calmer feeling in you?


A biophilic home provides a wealth of healthful benefits:

  • Increase your sense of wellbeing
  • Boost happiness and contentment
  • Reduce stress
  • Elevate your mood
  • Improve cognitive functions, like concentration, memory, and problem-solving


At Epcon Communities, we recognized the value of biophilic design a long time ago, when we launched the Courtyard Collection of new home designs. Every home features a private garden courtyard that is visible from most rooms. Your home wraps around this courtyard, becoming the centerpiece. Step outside to enjoy the fresh air, the fragrance of your garden, and the satisfying experience of surrounding yourself with nature.


Our designs also incorporate the generous use of large windows, to give you the benefit of ample light streaming into your open floorplan.


Does your home give you this vital connection with nature? If not, consider a move to an Epcon community, where biophilic design is a by-product of thoughtful home design. Browse our communities located throughout the country, and contact us to learn more.