Biophilic building design focusses on integrating the natural world and built environments, allowing a building’s occupants to connect with nature. The design principles behind biophilic design involve incorporating environmental features – natural features such as plants – as well as shapes and forms that are reminiscent of nature, such as curves and natural colour, and evoking nature in other elements such as airflow. Natural materials play a large role in biophilic design concepts, as they help integrate the two worlds.
Cladding materials in biophilic design not only make use of natural resources but can be installed as a ventilated system to enhance the environmental performance of a building, complementing its design. The result is a project that not only visually entwines with nature but improves the holistic sustainability of a building. The use of sustainable cladding materials through ventilated systems can reduce a building’s carbon footprint, improving energy efficiency and thermal performance. Fairview’s cladding range, which encompasses natural-look metal cladding and earthy, natural materials, can all be worked seamlessly into biophilic design.
Matching the right cladding products with biophilic design patterns
Recent studies on biophilic design have identified 14 biophilic design patterns – attributes of buildings that contribute to an overall biophilic design, providing psychological, physical and cognitive benefits to occupants. Examples of biophilic design patterns include visual connections with nature, non-rhythmic sensory stimuli, access to thermal and airflow variability, as well as biomorphic designs and a material connection with nature.
With a variety of biophilic cladding products on offer, Fairview’s products can be modified to work effectively with these design concepts and provide architects with the ultimate biophilic facade that evokes a harmony between the natural and built worlds.
Visual connection to nature
A biophilic built environment should provide visual cues that create a sense of connection to the natural world – whether these be views, light or natural colours, textures or other elements. Visual connections to nature have been proven to improve the mood, concentration and productivity of a building’s occupants. Cladding expert Fairview provides natural materials and natural-look materials, which evoke this visual connection.
Terracotta cladding (Argeton)
Argeton is a terracotta cladding system, which inspires a visual connection to the earth. Made from natural clay and available in earthy tones such as red, brown and orange, Argeton is reminiscent of clay, soil and the natural world in its rawest form. The natural ‘baked earth’ aesthetic of terracotta cladding dates back to ancient times, and gives people a comforting sense of nature within their own space.
Argeton terracotta cladding adds earthy tones to this biophilic facade
Solid aluminium cladding with woodgrain finishes (Stryüm)
Another example of cladding materials suitable for biophilic design patterns is natural look cladding such as metal, which recreates the look of natural elements. Solid aluminium cladding, such as Fairview’s Stryüm, utilises a unique powder-on-powder finishing technology to mimic the texture and colour of wood, the building material most commonly associated with nature. This unique finish – recently introduced to Australia from Europe – is realistic and gives the aluminium cladding a real visual connection to nature. Solid aluminium cladding systems such as Stryüm provide shading and create a dynamic multisensory experience, adding a sense of depth and dimensionality to a facade. The non-combustibility of prefinished solid aluminium, as well as the durable finish, which reduces the need for refinishing, adds a further element of sustainability.
Stryüm prefinished aluminium cladding replicates different varieties of wood for a real visual connection with nature
Non-rhythmic sensory stimuli
In biophilic design, non-rhythmic sensory stimuli are variable, ever-changing connections with nature that occur when we experience an attention-grabbing moment, such as a change in lighting as the sun moves behind the clouds, or the rustle of trees. These brief connections with nature can refresh and enrich a person’s mind, improving their overall concentration. Fairview’s range of cladding products invokes non-rhythmic sensory stimuli through texture variations, light and shading, and patterns.
Brick facade system (Smartbric)
Brick facade systems are a classic way of adding non-rhythmic sensory stimuli to a building design. Fairview’s brand new brick slip cladding system, Smartbric, allows large-scale brick facades to be created easily and seamlessly, providing endless opportunities for biophilic projects. The nature of bricks means their texture will vary from brick to brick, with the transition between smooth and rough creating a dynamic, engaging experience. The colour and pattern of brick also provides a non-rhythmic visual experience, as within every batch of bricks or brick slips, there will be natural variation from light to dark, and numerous shades and tones. This variation in colour, along with the natural imperfections and irregularities present in the brick, adds to a visually interesting, engaging experience. The randomness of the brick pattern means every arrangement can vary, and brick patterns are not predictable or repetitive. The result is a facade guaranteed to draw attention, and engage passers-by or occupants with multiple sensory events occurring with every glance. A brick facade system such as Smartbric is the ideal way to play with visual movement and texture, evoking nature with ephemeral sensory changes.
Smartbric brick slips make use of natural variations in colour, shade and texture within natural brick for a stimulating sensory experience.
Thermal and airflow variability
Thermal and airflow variability refers to the ambient qualities of a space – that is, the temperature, airflow and humidity, and how they can be controlled to replicate comfortable feelings found in the natural world. Ventilated facade systems are an excellent way to provide thermal and airflow variability for maximum occupant comfort, as well as energy efficiency and reduced power usage for a sustainable project overall.
Ventilated facade system (Genesis)
Fairview’s ventilated compressed fibre cement cladding system, Genesis, adds thermal efficiency and airflow variability to a building. Known as a double-skin facade or a rainscreen, the Genesis system creates an air cavity behind the facade to facilitate airflow and allow the building envelope to breathe. This provides temperature control, preventing the building from overheating or becoming too cold, therefore, maintaining a connection with comfortable natural temperatures. Genesis’s rainscreen system has also been cleverly designed to increase the reflection of external noise, preventing it from penetrating the building and causing distraction or noise pollution. Fibre cement cladding not only evokes nature visually, but can evoke it by passively influencing the temperature and airflow of the entire building.
Summary
Biophilic design patterns involve incorporating natural elements, as well as evoking a sense of nature in the visual and multisensory elements of a design – even down to temperature and the day-to-day feel of the interior. Fairview’s range of cladding products, from natural materials such as terracotta, fibre cement and brick to wood-look solid aluminium, offers a wealth of possibilities for bringing biophilic designs to life.
Image: Genesis is the ventilated rainscreen cladding system that promotes thermal and airflow variability for a more biophilic atmosphere inside a building
