Imagine walking through a serene forest. Few things are more soothing than the different shades of green leaves, gently curving streams, and soft sound of birdsong found in a natural environment. What if you could bring that soothing experience to your website? You can. Itโs called Biophilic Design.
Biophilic design is a design philosophy most commonly applied to architecture. This philosophy is rooted in a sense of humanityโs innate connection to nature, a concept known as โbiophilia.โ Biophilic architecture seeks to kindle this connection by incorporating colors, structures, and objects from the natural world into designs.
The Seattle Spheres are a great example of this kind of design. Not only are they massive conservatories filled with living plants, but even their architecture is biophilic. Notice how the glass panels that make up the domes are supported by an interwoven metallic frame that looks more like a membrane or a spiderโs web than anything normally called โarchitectural.โ
However, biophilic design is not just useful in architecture. It can also be applied in a digital setting. Using design elements inspired by nature, you can elevate your website and make it stand out from the competition.
Applying Biophilic Design Elements To Websites
1. Natural Textures
Natural textures are at the heart of biophilic design. In the digital world, this can be done by using background images, borders, and buttons that mimic the look and feel of natural materials like wood, stone, or water. High-quality close-ups of wood grain and natural objects can bring natural textures into your web design.
2. Organic Shapes
There are zero straight lines or perfect squares in the real world. Incorporating non-linear shapes and forms into the design of your layout can be a great way to apply biophilic design. Consider using wavy lines for dividing sections. Perhaps design a curved flow that guides the reader down an asymmetrical path as they scroll through the page. Round out the corners of your buttons and consider less traditional shapes to create that organic quality.
3. Green Color Palettes
Green is the primary earth tone. Use it throughout your website to evoke the tranquility and freshness of nature. You might incorporate green fonts, buttons, and background colors. Or you might even opt for a green logo. However, itโs important to remember that green, natural color palettes can include other colors. Sandy browns, stone greys, and watery blues all work well in a biophilic design.
4. Natural Light and Shadow Effects
When we experience a space, itโs the lighting, more than any other element, that impacts the emotion that experience creates. Whether itโs the deep blues and oranges of an early dawn, or dappled, yellow sunlight falling onto a path, lighting is a major part of what makes nature so calming. Consider incorporating natural light and shadow effects to add depth and dimension to your design. You could implement gradient effects to suggest the subtle shifts of daylight. Or, you could use shadow effects to make elements pop out.
5. Imagery of Natural Scenes
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Although you canโt create biophilic experiences in the digital world that people can touch or feel, you can show them nature through powerful imagery. Incorporate high-quality images or videos of natural landscapes, plants, and water features. Images of people in natural environments can work okay, but the best way to create that sense of connecting with nature is to focus on organic natural landscapes and objects.
6. Incorporate Sound
Sound is another significant part of our experience of nature. Some web designers interested in biophilic design will offer an optional sound feature that plays soothing ambient nature sounds like birdsong, flowing water, or rustling leaves to enhance the sensory experience. You could also provide a video of natural environments, allowing visitors to see and hear them at the same time.
7. Change With The Seasons
As the seasons change, so can your website! Modifying your websiteโs design to incorporate different colors and elements as the seasons change can be an excellent way to apply biophilic design principles. However, this should be done with caution; you donโt want to be doing a full re-brand every 4 months! Instead, simply focus on certain elements like images and key objects.
8. Biophilic Design in Content
Powerful, descriptive words can also be highly effective in biophilic web design. Use language and storytelling that emphasizes connections with nature and the natural world. Using analogies (like the one in our intro above) and metaphors that connect to nature, you can incorporate a biophilic approach into your written content as well. Some great words to use in your web copy for this include:
- Leafy
- Floral
- Verdant
- Rooted
- Revitalize
- Blossom
- Murmur
- Breezy
Ready To Take Your Web Design To The Next Level?
Incorporating biophilic design elements into your website can create a soothing and engaging user experience. Take the first step toward a more nature-inspired website by implementing some of these biophilic design principles today. Let’s bring the calming essence of nature to your digital space!
