Living Buildings: How Biophilic Exteriors Are Making Cities Less Soul-Crushing
Living in my tiny Chicago studio has made me hyperaware of how much our built environment affects our mental health. When I’m stuck staring at that brick wall three feet…
Crafting Biophilic Patterns for More Natural Living Spaces
NEW_TITLE: # How I Started Seeing Nature’s Patterns Everywhere (And Why My Apartment Looks Way Better Now) I was walking along Golden Gardens Beach a few months ago – you…
How Office Design Actually Affects Kids (And Why I Care About Your Workplace Too)
I’ll be honest – I never thought much about office design until I became obsessed with creating better environments for my kids at home. But once you start noticing how…
What I’ve Learned About Building Nature-Connected Neighborhoods (And Why Every Parent Should Care)
You know what hit me the other day while I was watching my kids play in our backyard? They were completely absorbed building fairy houses under the Japanese maple I…
What I’ve Learned About Sound in Biophilic Design – Beyond Just Plants and Natural Light
When most people think about biophilic design – and I include myself when I first started reading about this stuff eight years ago – we picture houseplants, big windows, maybe…
Learning the Hard Way: Why Some Design Approaches Work Better Than Others as You Age
After thirty-eight years in the same house, I’ve lived through enough design trends to make your head spin. I remember when everything was harvest gold and avocado green, then came…
What I’ve Learned About Cities That Actually Work With Nature Instead of Against It
You know, after thirty-eight years in the same house, I’ve watched our suburban neighborhood change in ways that don’t always make sense. More pavement, fewer trees, houses built right up…
What I’ve Learned About Bringing Nature Indoors After Thirty-Eight Years in the Same House
When I first heard the term “biophilic design” about five years ago, I’ll admit I thought it sounded like another fancy architectural trend that would eventually fade away. But after…
I Tested Traditional vs. Biophilic Design in My Home Office – Here’s What Actually Works
When I started tracking my productivity metrics six years ago, I had no idea I’d end up deep in research about architectural design principles. But when you’re spending 8-10 hours…
Why Bringing Nature Indoors Isn’t Just Pretty – It Actually Matters
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about something that struck me during a recent doctor’s appointment. The waiting room was one of those typical medical office spaces – fluorescent lights…
Finding the Right Professional to Bring Nature Into Your Home
When I sit in my greenhouse these days, watching my wife tend to her winter herbs and listening to the small fountain I installed last year, it strikes me how…
Data Point: Why a 130-Year-Old Banister Changed How I Think About Workspace Design
I’ll be honest – before I started optimizing my home office, I thought architecture was just about making buildings look nice. Then I read some research about how physical environments…
Data-Driven Green: How I Measured the Environmental Impact of My Biophilic Home Office
When I started optimizing my home office for productivity a few years back, I was mainly focused on personal metrics – focus time, task completion rates, mental fatigue levels. What…
What I’ve Learned About Biophilic Design Certification at My Age
I’ll be honest – when I first heard about formal certification programs for biophilic design a few years back, my initial reaction was skeptical. Here I was, a retired engineer…
What I’ve Learned About Smart City Planning That Actually Includes Nature
Living in the same house for nearly four decades gives you a front-row seat to how communities grow and change around you. What started as farmland beyond our back fence…