Field · 27 records
Biophilia + restoration
Nature exposure, views, vegetation, natural patterns and restoration
family: Core
ND-0023 · 2021 · Meta-analysis
A synthesis of health benefits of natural sounds and their distribution in national parks
Buxton et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Natural sounds were associated with improved affect and health-related outcomes and reduced stress or annoyance across the synthesized literature.
ND-0024 · 2024 · Systematic review and meta-analysis
Effects of natural sound exposure on health recovery: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors per journal record. Science of the Total Environment
The pooled evidence supports health-recovery benefits from exposure to natural sounds, while effect sizes vary by outcome and stimulus.
ND-0027 · 1995 · Foundational theoretical paper
The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework
Kaplan. Journal of Environmental Psychology
Attention Restoration Theory proposes that certain environments support recovery from directed-attention fatigue through characteristics such as fascination and compatibility.
ND-0028 · 2016 · Systematic review
Attention Restoration Theory: A systematic review of the attention restoration potential of exposure to natural environments
Ohly et al. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B
Some measures of attention improved after nature exposure, but findings varied substantially by test and study design.
ND-0029 · 2018 · Systematic review and meta-analysis
Attention Restoration Theory II: systematic review of attention processes affected by exposure to natural environments
Stevenson et al. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B
Nature exposure showed small-to-moderate benefits for several executive-attention outcomes, with stronger signals for some measures and settings.
ND-0030 · 2015 · Experimental neuroimaging study
Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation
Bratman et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
A nature walk reduced self-reported rumination and subgenual prefrontal activation relative to an urban walk.
ND-0031 · 1984 · Comparative hospital study
View through a window may influence recovery from surgery
Roger S. Ulrich. Science
Patients with a tree view had shorter postoperative stays, fewer negative nurse notes and used fewer strong analgesics than matched patients facing a brick wall.
ND-0032 · 1991 · Experimental study
Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments
Ulrich et al. Journal of Environmental Psychology
Natural scenes were associated with faster or more complete recovery on several affective and physiological measures after stress induction.
ND-0033 · 2022 · Systematic review and meta-analysis
Effects of Indoor Plants on Human Functions: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analyses
Han, Ruan & Liao. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The review generally favored plant presence for objective human-function outcomes, with significant pooled effects for some outcomes but limited studies per meta-analysis.
ND-0034 · 2020 · Systematic review
A systematic review and conceptual framework of biophilic design parameters in clinical environments
Authors per journal record. Healthcare / built environment literature
Different user groups appeared to value different biophilic parameters, including daylight, views, natural content, refuge and environmental comfort.
ND-0035 · 2024 · Systematic review
Biophilic design in healthcare: a systematic review of health and wellbeing outcomes
Al Khatib, Samara & Ndiaye. Frontiers in Built Environment
The review links biophilic interventions with reduced stress, anxiety and pain and with some recovery-related outcomes, while evidence strength varies.
ND-0036 · 2025 · Systematic review / bibliometric review
Biophilic Design in the Built Environment: Trends, Gaps and Future Directions
Authors per journal record. Buildings
Maps a rapidly growing biophilic-design literature and identifies uneven evidence across interventions and outcomes.
ND-0058 · 2016 · Meta-analysis
Evidence for prospect-refuge theory: a meta-analysis of the findings of environmental preference research
Authors per journal record. City, Territory and Architecture
Prospect received more consistent support than refuge in interior and urban studies; evidence for complexity was mixed but often positive; mystery was less consistently supported.
ND-0059 · 2004 · Meta-analysis
Mystery, complexity, legibility and coherence: A meta-analysis
Authors per journal record. Journal of Environmental Psychology
Across the literature, relationships between preference and classic information variables were heterogeneous and often not reproducible.
ND-0077 · 2008 · Systematic review
A Review of the Research Literature on Evidence-Based Healthcare Design
Ulrich et al. HERD
The review found design-relevant evidence across infection control, acoustics, nature/daylight, ergonomics, room type and layout, while quality varied by topic.
ND-0081 · 2026 · Systematic review
Psychophysiological responses to indoor wood use: A systematic literature review of indicators, methods, and research trends
Authors per journal record. Building and Environment
Visual wood exposure is the most studied modality, with heart rate and prefrontal measures common; the field needs longer exposures and more diverse samples.
ND-0082 · 2026 · Systematic review
Effect of Wood Indoor Environments on Human Psychophysiological Responses and Evaluation Indicators: A Review
Authors per journal record. Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
Across 24 selected experiments, wood exposure generally tended toward more favorable psychological and physiological responses.
ND-0084 · 2024 · Experimental study
Multisensory nature exposure in the workplace: Exploring the restorative benefits of smell experiences
Yildirim, Globa, Gocer & Brambilla. Building and Environment
A multisensory biophilic workplace condition improved stress, mood and cognitive outcomes relative to a non-biophilic condition; olfactory pleasantness contributed to restoration.
ND-0087 · 2008 · Experimental EEG study
Investigations of human EEG response to viewing fractal patterns
Hagerhall et al. Perception
EEG responses varied with fractal dimension; a mid-range fractal dimension produced distinctive frontal alpha and parietal beta patterns.
ND-0089 · 2021 · Review
The Potential of Biophilic Fractal Designs to Promote Health and Performance: A Review of Experiments and Applications
Richard P. Taylor. Sustainability
Reviews evidence that mid-complexity fractals can be processed fluently and may support stress reduction and visual performance.
ND-0091 · 1984 · Book
Biophilia
Edward O. Wilson. Harvard University Press
Proposes an evolved human tendency to attend to and affiliate with life and life-like processes.
ND-0092 · 2014 · Framework / industry report
14 Patterns of Biophilic Design
Browning, Ryan & Clancy. Terrapin Bright Green
Organizes biophilic design into 14 patterns for practical use and connects them to selected research.
ND-0105 · 2026 · Systematic review
The effects of interior design on users' psychological health under isolated, confined, and extreme environments: A systematic review
Authors per journal record. Journal of Environmental Psychology
Identifies recurring interior-design elements associated with psychological outcomes under unusually constrained conditions.
ND-0110 · 2026 · Systematic review
A review of biophilic architectural design strategies on psychological and physiological health
Authors per journal record. Discover Environment
Synthesizes a large multidisciplinary evidence base spanning empirical studies, theory, cases and meta-analyses.
ND-0111 · 2022 · Critical review
Biophilic design in architecture and its contributions to health, well-being, and sustainability: A critical review
Authors per journal record. Frontiers of Architectural Research
Reviews proposed health and wellbeing benefits of biophilic architecture while examining gaps in evidence and application.
ND-0117 · 2005 · Field / psychophysiological experiment
Human Response to Window Views and Indoor Plants in the Workplace
Chang & Chen. HortScience
Nature views and indoor plants were associated with lower tension or anxiety across several conditions compared with no-view/no-plant settings.
ND-0118 · 2019 · Population study
Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing
White et al. Scientific Reports
Participants reporting at least roughly two hours of nature contact per week were more likely to report good health and wellbeing, with benefits associated with accumulated exposure.