Biophilic design

It’s claimed that we, as humans, spend up to 90% of our time indoors. As a species, we evolved to live outside where our senses developed. Over time, that connection with nature has been lost somewhat and we’ve become a distracted generation with screens and noise, resulting in our senses becoming overloaded. Biophilic design can help bridge that gap.

In this month’s LMC news round-up, Katrina highlights projects that are championing biophilic design as well as events that have taken place this month featuring panels discussing the movement.   

The shortlist for the RIBA International Prize 2026 was revealed this month with four projects from around the globe making the cut.

One of the projects embracing biophilic design principles is the Green Field Factory of Karupannya Rangpur Ltd in Bangladesh.

The rug making factory features extensive planting allowing shade and filtered ventilation, internal water pools cooling the air and landscape views. Designed by Nakshabid Architects, workers are choosing to spend their time here out of work hours due to the inviting environment.

The winner will be announced at the RIBA Stirling Prize event on 15 October 2026.

The Postgraduate student selected for the AJ Student Prize 2026: University of Wolverhampton was announced this month. Coree Bridgen’s project ‘The Death of the Department Store: And the Afterlife of the City Centre’ is set within the empty Beatties store in Wolverhampton. Coree’s vision is to reconnect fragmented neighbourhoods with a design involving biophilic design principles to encourage social interaction and to reconnect with nature.

With the country-wide issue of declining high streets, this project addresses the issue of urban regeneration that impacts us all.

NeuroPlaces - the UK’s first B2B exhibition and conference dedicated to neuroinclusive and accessible design solutions, launched at Shoreditch Design Week this month.

The Journal of Biophilic Design hosted a panel discussing the growing evidence linking nature-inspired design to wellbeing, stress reduction and cognitive performance. The panel included Oliver Heath from Oliver Heath Design who explored the growth of biophilic design and how it goes beyond the simple addition of plants. It involves a much broader, sensory-led approach to create spaces that can support our diverse needs.

“New York – the concrete jungle where dreams are made of,” according to Alicia Keys. However, Cities Alive on the 30 September – 3 October 2026 aims to discuss future proofing the Big Apple (and others) with green infrastructure. With cities around the world facing conditions such as extreme heat, flooding and declining ecosystems, the conference brings hundreds of experts together to share new research, design practices and products that can help shape the designs of the future to be more resilient in the face of these challenges.

Keynote speakers include Bill Browning of Terrapin Bright Green discussing new insights in biophilic design.