Nature, people and place : informing the design of urban environments in harmony with Nature through the Space/Nature Syntax

Munro, Karen and Grierson, David; Azeiteiro, U.M. and Akerman, M. and Leal Filho, W. and Setti, A.F.F. and Brandli, L.L., eds. (2017) Nature, people and place : informing the design of urban environments in harmony with Nature through the Space/Nature Syntax. In: Lifelong Learning and Education in Healthy and Sustainable Cities. World Sustainability Series . Springer, Cham, pp. 105-125. ISBN 9783319694740 (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69474-0_6)

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Abstract

The Biophilia Hypothesis holds that there is a connection between humans and Nature which is innate: that when this connection is provided the human mind performs at peak, and when it is absent the mind is in a state of deterioration. Increasingly research supports the Biophilia Hypothesis: studies show that a connection to Nature provides psychological, physical, and emotional benefits. Concurrently, the world’s urban population is rapidly growing and is expected to reach 70% of the world’s total by 2050. Thus a dichotomy emerges: how do we maintain this vital and valuable human connection with Nature in an increasingly urbanising world? Building on previous preliminary publications, this article will update the findings of a novel, cross-disciplinary methodology called Space/Nature Syntax as developed and applied at Arcosanti’s “urban laboratory” in the Arizona desert. The findings, which support relationships between visual connectivity to Nature and certain social interactions, present a unique understanding of the influence of Nature on human interaction with people and place. It will also present how informed design can fulfil the biophilic need and allow for the essential human/Nature connection to thrive, taking steps towards understanding how cities can be built in harmony with Nature.

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