Biophilic Interiors

Imagine walking into an entry atrium filled with trees, bushes, vines, plants, groundcovers, and an inviting walkway!

Shifting from the urban street side to the serenity of a fresh-air garden is an incredible transition from the noise and fumes of cars. The Ford Foundation Center in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, designed by Kevin Roches and John Dinkeloo of Roche Dinkeloo, was dedicated in 1967. At the time, it was the largest private foundation in the United States.

Dan Kiley, the Landscape architect, planned the public atrium to include nature as an entry. The Ford Foundation Building received critical acclaim for its design upon completion and after renovation, and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building and its atrium as city landmarks.

Today, living walls inside and treescapes and indigenous plants outside of buildings, return nature’s ecosystem, building a more resilient future.

Multi-level houses often have stairs that look out onto the backyard, front yard, or side yard. Imagine if these spaces focused on plants?!! Do you have a place in your house that looks outside?

Carefully selecting window placements that extend views of the landscape helps connect us with the outdoors when we are inside. Imagine walking down into a garden view or walking up under a tree canopy when you move from floor to floor in your house. Stairwells can offer opportunities for planting plants both inside and outside.

Bringing plants inside our homes and businesses connects us with Nature. The beauty of plants and flowers inside freshens the air, provides oxygen, and calms and quiets the inside. Having plants in our homes also fosters empathy and a sense of stewardship. When one lives in an urban area with little to no nature, bringing the plants inside improves one’s living and working environments.