Art for Biophilic design

Biophilia means “a friendly feeling toward life.” Or as psychologist Erich Fromm said in 1964, “The passionate love of life and all that is alive.” Nowadays it’s a timely interior design trend for senior living.

Humans are hardwired with the desire to connect to nature-this friendly feeling toward life.  It’s been proven to be essential for good health & well-being, both top concerns at senior living residences and healthcare facilities.

Before we spent our time in air-conditioned comfort and stuck in traffic on the freeways, our lives had a consistent connection to the natural world, to the movements of the sun, to the seasons. 

Now that we must seek out those connections in more deliberate ways, architects and designers are meeting the need by creating structures and interiors which aim to provide us with nurturing contact with the outdoors.

Biophilic design seeks to increase the direct experience of nature via easy access to:

  natural light, plants, water, natural landscapes and ecosystems, animals, air

Being able to access nature can alleviate feelings of stress, promote better focus and facilitate recovery from mental fatigue.

It can even enhance stamina and productivity.  Good for everyone, right?

Definitely! Not only does the quality of life for residents improve, but staff members perform better at their jobs, attracting the positive interest of corporate decision makers when it comes to implementing biophilic design elements.

Those individual experiences of nature can prove more difficult with age, when lifting potted plants in the garden and visiting waterfalls is compromised by health issues.

Architects and interior designers do the major work in creating environments for senior living:  providing sunlight to warm the skin, gentle air currents from falling water features, sounds of moving water and vistas of landscapes from prominent windows.

Art consultants support the biophilic interior design plans for senior living by providing art both suggestive and reflective of nature.

·      Abstracts in natural tones such as greens with yellow and blues increase the feeling of being outdoors.

·      Certain geometric shapes, like the hexagon, suggest the structure of a beehive.

·      Wall sculptures of wood provide visual and tactile texture.

·      Extreme closeup photography of leaves evokes memories of summers in the forest.

·      Moving water can be beautifully suggested in soft abstracts.

·      Landscapes provide vistas.

Just as interior design for memory care has its special considerations, art for memory care can be specially designed to stimulate tactile and auditory experiences in ways to spark memories of nature.

8180 Art Consulting can help you select art suitable for biophilic design for your next senior living project.

Top 3 things you need to know about art for commercial environments…

1.      Why do you need art?

• Artwork adds warmth, color, texture and life to your design.  It also helps reduce sound and serves as a form of “way-finding” for your clients.   

• Have you ever gotten off the elevator and because every elevator lobby looks the same, you have no idea what floor you are on? 

• Artwork sets the tone for your facility and can establish your company’s brand and image. Additionally, adding art is the most affordable way to increase satisfaction for your client as well as patients & residents.

Need a company facelift?  Try changing your art. 

2.     “It doesn’t have to match, it just has to ‘go’.” 

• Artwork does not need to match your décor exactly; in fact, it’s usually more visually appealing if it doesn’t.  Artwork adds textural interest, excitement and beneficial contrast. 

 Look how this orange jumps off this navy wall: 

Not sure what artwork would “go,” which frame to use or where to start?  Call us!  We are experts in commercial art consulting with over 20 years’ experience. 

Let us help you take the “work” out of artwork.  We know exactly what is right for healthcare art, senior living art and corporate art.

3.      How big should the art be? 

• If you are selecting artwork for corridors, we suggest artwork you can easily view standing only a few feet away.  Sizes between 40”x 30” and 60”x 40” maximum are typical.  If the artwork is too large it can be overwhelming and difficult to view from such a close range. 

•  When placing artwork in a senior living facility, remember to avoid selecting artwork that is blurry or disorienting, even if it’s an abstract design.  Artwork needs to go at least 6” above any handrail so consider smaller groupings or a series for these areas.  The artwork will also direct the viewer down the corridor. 

Have a really large space with double height ceilings? We’ll help you find just the right thing….

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More things to know about art coming soon..