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It’s in our blood to be drawn toward a roaring fire or babbling brook, because, in fact, we’re hardwired for it. “Biophilia,” coined by social psychologist Erich Fromm in 1964, describes humankind’s innate biological connection to nature.
For example, some scientists believe that because humans evolved on flat landscapes similar to the African savanna, they crave “prospect,” an unimpeded view over a distance for surveillance and planning.
Design that speaks to people’s biophilia, such as natural ventilation like breezeways or long leading lines to bodies of water, has been attributed to reducing stress, improving cognitive function, developing creativity and more.