It is estimated that humans spend 89% of their time indoors, despite having an innate connection to nature dating back to the origins of human existence. Modern-day life distances itself from nature, with consequences that are not yet fully understood. Nature provides the means of survival, not only physically, but also as a mechanism for restoration, an aid in learning, and support in healing. Many current approaches to design fail to foster a union between the natural and built environments, resulting in degradation of natural systems and a compromise to human health and wellbeing. Exacerbated by recent events, Aotearoa’s health system fails to provide a successful model of care to New Zealanders. Noncommunicable disease and disability permeate the population. Projected population growth will compound these points of tension. Rapid rates of ageing are expected to heighten rates of dementia; however, a system already under strain is not equipped to manage these needs.
To address these issues, this design-led research asks: How can biophilic design principles be integrated into hospital design to enhance wellbeing and healing in Aotearoa? Moreover, how can these biophilic principles be applied explicitly to a dementia hospital to enhance patients’ holistic wellbeing and quality of life? The methodology for this research employs a range of methods and aims to provide a theoretical framework that can be applied in industry to hospital settings around Aotearoa. The framework is then tested in this thesis project at a dementia-specialised hospital. A series of experiments was applied to test design interventions, grounded in contextual literature. This thesis found that creative approaches to integrating biophilia, such as using fractals as wayfinding tools, considering circadian rhythms, and emphasising the significance of the human scale, can drive design and offer seemingly legitimate approaches to answering this research question.
