Biophilia
Emiliano Flores
Biophilia is a phenomenon that describes our innate tendency to seek connection with the natural world. For thousands of years, humans have coexisted with plants, animals, and natural materials that have played an important role in our evolution. Research suggests that losing our connection to these primal elements is detrimental to our physical and mental health. Before modern civilization developed, people spent most of their time outdoors immersed in nature. But as populations increased and urban areas grew, our cities became a new type of habitat we created for ourselves. Buildings became more enclosed, darker, and separate from the outside world, weakening our connection to the environment we evolved in.
Biophilia reminds us that the natural world is an essential part of who we are as species. The presence of plants in our daily lives is crucial for our wellbeing and could be easily adapted into our urban ecosystems. Nature and architecture can work together to break down the walls between inside and outside.
Houseplants have been a key element for human connection to the natural world. The goal of this book is to bring attention to biophilia and emphasize the natural beauty of plants through color, illustration, and typography. The reader is invited into the world of plants, and enticed to make these diverse species a part of their home.