Living architecture: when well-being guides the project

Biophilia is no longer an aesthetic trend and has become a design guideline in contemporary architecture. The concept, which is based on the idea of ​​reconnecting humans to nature within the built environment, has been increasingly adopted by architects and developers in residential and commercial projects.

The so-called living architecture goes beyond the insertion of plants in spaces: it involves technical strategies such as maximum use of natural light, efficient cross ventilation, use of organic materials and low emission of volatile compounds, in addition to the creation of sensory environments that stimulate vision, touch, smell and hearing.

In this context, landscaping takes center stage: it stops being a complement and becomes a structuring part of the project, acting as a link between architecture, nature and the user experience. Integrated gardens, native species, vegetable gardens, internal courtyards, green walls and even water features have been incorporated with thermal, aesthetic and emotional functions. Just like the Ícaro single-story house, with landscaping designed by Ricardo Cardim and Alessandra Cardim, the goal was to provide the experience of a true natural park at home by recreating native nature.

An emblematic example of this approach is the Bosco Verticale in Milan. Designed by Stefano Boeri, the residential building houses more than 900 trees and thousands of plants distributed across the balconies, acting as a thermal barrier, pollution filter and promoter of biodiversity in the heart of the city. The project has become a global landmark in how vegetation can be incorporated into architectural structure in an intelligent and regenerative way.

If you're in the city, it's worth taking a walk tour of the Porta Nuova district and the Isola neighborhood in your itinerary, an immersion in applied biophilic architecture, with incredible perspectives of the building and the surrounding urban planning.