Biophilic Cities

 “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

A biophilic city is a place of easily accessible and abundant nature. The city cares about, seeks to protect, restore, and grow nature. Creating a deeper connection between humans and nature, every day.

The Biophilic Cities Network partners with cities, scholars and advocates around the world to build an understanding of the value and contribution of nature within cities to the lives of urban residents. These partners cities are working to conserve and celebrate nature in all of its forms and the important ways in which cities and their citizens can benefit from biodiversity.

Singapore is a prime example of a biophilic city and has been discussed in Timothy Beatley’s and Peter Newman’s documentary - ‘Singapore: Biophilic City’. The documentary focuses on how Singapore is a biophilic city, the plans and strategies that have been put in place and how this has benefitted the residents of the city.

My favourite project within Singapore is the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, image is shown below. There is no other healthcare institution that has the same level of biophilic design. The brief for the project was to create a healing environment for the patients and the families of patients. With 3.4 hectares of land, the hospital has a communal garden which provides the hospital kitchen with organic produce. The local schools visit the site to educate the children on the benefits of the space to the patients.

Personally, the idea of living in a city like Singapore, or any other biophilic city that cares about nature and the positive impact that can have on the residents, it just sounds incredible.