Biophilic design: the key to better homes, working environments and lives
May 15, 2025 • 3 minutes reading
The connection between humans and nature should not be underestimated. Biophilic design aims to enhance the benefits of that connection. This well-founded design philosophy seeks to bring nature into our lives for better well-being, productivity and sustainability. Many Unilin products are designed with these principles in mind.
The term ‘biophilia’ literally means love of nature. Biophilic design integrates natural elements and principles into indoor and outdoor spaces. And with good reason: the beneficial effects of nature on humans have been extensively researched. The stress reduction theory, for example, shows that a natural landscape evokes positive emotions and reduces stress.
Nature as a source of inspiration
Indoor plants, natural materials, views of greenery or water and organic shapes all contribute to our well-being. "We have spent 95 per cent of our evolutionary time scale in nature. We only recently started living in houses, so it makes sense that we feel our best in environments that reflect nature," Laurens says.
We therefore see nature as a source of inspiration in our development of interior materials. Examples are laminate flooring that imitates the look and structure of real wood floorboards, vinyl tiles that look like natural stone, and decorative wall panels with a better performance than oak planks.
"Even images of nature in a waiting room have a calming effect."
Our Unilin R&D teams take a biophilic design approach from the very start of a new product's development. This covers both the product itself and its nature-inspired design. We use reclaimed wood and recycled materials as much as possible to make our laminate floors and wall panels highly sustainable. Laminate flooring that is indistinguishable from real parquet flooring is also an ecological win, as laying real oak flooring in every building would not be a sustainable approach.
Biophilic design = win-win-win
Biophilic design in working and learning environments leads to more concentration, creativity and satisfaction. "People feel happier, are more productive and call in sick less often. These are gains on a human level, but on an economic level as well: personnel costs account for 90 per cent of a company's total costs. For every euro you invest in biophilic design, you get 2.7 euros back."
There are also tangible benefits in the healthcare and education sectors: patients recover more quickly, children learn better, and there is less bullying. Biophilic design is even said to have a positive impact on typically Western diseases such as obesity and burnout. And in the tourism sector? "People are willing to pay up to 20 per cent more for a break in nature," Laurens adds.
From plants to local ecology
Biophilic design can be categorised into three main pillars:
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To find out more about our sustainability strategy:
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