David Grierson

Nature, People and Place: Informing the Design of Urban Environments in Harmony with Nature Through the Space/Nature Syntax

The Biophilia Hypothesis holds that there is a connection between humans and Nature which is innate: that when this connection is provided the human mind performs at peak, and when it is absent the mind is in a state of deterioration. Increasingly research supports the Biophilia Hypothesis: studies show that a connection to Nature provides psychological, physical, and emotional benefits. Concurrently, the world’s urban population is rapidly growing and is expected to reach 70% of the world’s total by 2050. Thus a dichotomy emerges: how do we maintain this vital and valuable human connection with Nature in an increasingly urbanising world? Building on previous preliminary publications, this chapter will update the findings of a novel, cross-disciplinary methodology called Space/Nature Syntax as developed and applied at Arcosanti’s “urban laboratory” in the Arizona desert. The findings, which support relationships between visual connectivity to Nature and certain social interactions, present a unique understanding of the influence of Nature on human interaction with people and place. It will also present how informed design can fulfil the biophilic need and allow for the essential human/Nature connection to thrive, taking steps towards understanding how cities can be built in harmony with Nature.

Linking space and nature syntaxes: the influence of a natural view through observed behaviour at Arcosanti, Arizona, USA

The world’s urban population is rapidly growing, now exceeding its rural population, and is expected to reach 70 % of the world’s total by 2050. Research in environmental psychology increasingly supports the Biophilia Hypothesis which holds that our connection with Nature is innate. Thus, how do we maintain a human connection to Nature in an increasingly urbanising world? The research explores the boundary between built and natural environments, specifically how proximity, initially through visual connections, to Nature affects how people use social spaces. Case study work is being undertaken at Arcosanti urban laboratory in the Arizona desert. Through development of a Space/Nature Syntax methodology applied within a uniquely compact urban form, this research attempts to understand how maintaining an instinctive bond with Nature can enhance social interactions and inform future design choices within built environments. Initial results support relationships of varying strengths between spatial connectivity, visibility of Nature, and types of social interactions. This paper explores the potential of the cross-disciplinary Space/Nature Syntax methodology as a design and analysis tool, projecting where social interactions within a built space could be influenced by visibility of Nature; where informed design can allow for the essential human/Nature connection to thrive.