Nature + Design

REFLECTION

Having just returned from Morocco, I was struck by the abundance of sacred geometry, and the influence of nature in design. 
 
First, I heard stories of the weavers that revealed how rug patterns reflect the surrounding landscapes often being woven from the homes of rural women as they looked out at nature.   Even the rugs I first thought of as contemporary I later learned reflected the desert where shale and quartz live together creating an interesting visual dynamic. 
 
Moroccan pottery often has a soft creamy patina much like the softness of the earth.  Traditional homes built from the deep red soil and natural fibers seamlessly blend into the landscape and, when no longer needed return to the earth. These are truly sustainable structures: small windows and overhangs to protect from the hot sun while remaining in harmony with Mother Earth.
 
When I think about designing with nature I think about patience, effort, grace, gratitude, and abundance.  The earth’s energy is patient.  Rocks form, trees and plants grow, and shells weather over many years and willingly allow sentient beings to borrow these resources for shelter, function, and art.  When we hold reverence for the truth, we inherently feel gratitude and see abundance.   Just think of the beauty of quartz stone, the minerals, soils, and elements embedded within it, creating veining, color, and strength!  The earth’s elements are our best friends in design. 
 
Infusing nature into our spaces – whether through materials like stone, wood, and clay, or living elements such as plants, succulents, and water features – transforms how we feel in our bodies. Even mimicking of patterns found in nature be they a microscopic organism or a vista, changes the way we feel in our body.   Studies have shown elements of nature calm our nervous system. Nature lowers stress hormones, activates our parasympathetic nervous system (relaxes us) encouraging us to be in the present moment.

In addition to nature, architectural features used like organic shapes, light and space, restorative patterns, establishing areas of refuge. Finally, a personal favorite, the concept of closing down or reducing the scale of a space to open up or expand which inspires a sense of awe.  These concepts are often understood as Biophilia, an academic framework developed to understand the benefits and methods of Nature + Design.