Biophilic Urbanism Across Scales
Enhancing Urban Nature Through Experience and Design
D.C. Lefosse (Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS), TU Delft - Environmental Technology and Design)
M. Naghibi (TU Delft - Urban Design)
Sitong Luo (Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS), Wageningen University & Research)
Arjan van Timmeren (TU Delft - Environmental Technology and Design)
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Abstract
As urban density increases and cities expand, there is a decrease in urban livability, which is closely linked to social, economic, and environmental crises. To address these negative impacts, biophilic urbanism (BU) promotes human–nature interactions and their associated benefits. However, knowledge gaps remain regarding its effectiveness across different scales. This study explores how BU contributes to improving livability in the built environment and to renewing urban landscapes. Using Amsterdam as a case study, we first identified biophilic experiences by analyzing them through quantitative, qualitative, and spatial distribution metrics. We then investigated designs that foster biophilia by applying BU tools aimed at enhancing interspecies connections and leveraging ecosystem services. Our findings, in the form of maps, provide evidence-based insights to benefit everyday life using nature in settings at different scales, along with design solutions to renew urban planning, focus on human and environmental well-being, and involve citizens in spatial transformations and maintenance processes. Finally, we advocate for BU as a holistic model that uses natural capital as a key strategy for making cities more equitable, sustainable, and resilient.
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