Including nature in learning spaces: A review on the biophilic design approach in educational architecture

The biophilia hypothesis suggests that humans, by nature, tend to establish bonds with the natural environment, and that breaking this bond causes negative physical, psychological and social effects. In this context, the necessity of biophilic design, a healing environmental approach that focuses on improving the presence of nature in the built environment and benefits both people and the environment, emerges. During the planning of learning environments, the mental and emotional states of the users are often ignored and only focused on functional efficiency. However, nature-inspired elements in the design of learning environments should be considered not only as an aesthetic input but also as a basic necessity. The role of the biophilic design approach in learning environments allows individuals to support their learning and teaching processes, develop their mental and emotional intelligence, and establish a sustainable connection with nature. In the study, the findings obtained from the architectural analyzes of 15 different learning environment projects, selected from around the world and embracing human-nature interaction, were evaluated holistically and the application areas and methods of biophilic design parameters in these projects were discussed. In this context, the aim is to investigate the concept of biophilia in learning environments, to examine learning environments that establish relationships with nature from a holistic perspective, and to set an example of what a biophilic designed learning environment should be.