Project description
A closer look at Danish and Japanese nature-based interiors
There is something unique about post-war Danish and traditional Japanese buildings. Their interior spaces have a remarkable connection to nature. The EU-funded project Nature-In will study this connection to understand how to integrate nature in interior spaces. Specifically, the project will conduct a case study analysis to present the first synthetic overview. It will identify which devices are used in these cases to link their interiors with the surrounding nature. It will bring together architectural research and practice to provide a catalogue of potential sustainable practical devices and recommendations for integrating architectural devices of the buildings studied and society in building practice. The project’s overall goal is to boost the health of communities through daily interaction with nature in urban areas. The findings will open a new branch of architectural design and make a big impact on advancing EU knowledge on nature-based solutions.
Objective
Nature-In is an interdisciplinary research project that will unfold and analyse the underlying forms of knowledge behind exemplary postwar-Danish and traditional-Japanese buildings which stand out for their interior space connection to Nature, which remains unexplored, to inform us of a sustainable contemporary interior design practice.
To maximize the contact with Nature in the health and wellbeing promotion of populations, design strategies are urgently needed. Despite the increasing interest in this global concern, there exists limited knowledge and research into “how to integrate Nature with our dwellings’ interior space”. There is a lack of architectural small-scale solutions for achieving this and also limited research into the ways these solutions can enable their integration. To bridge these gaps, I will conduct a case-study analysis to present the first synthetic overview, revealing what devices are used in these case-studies to link their interior space with the surrounding nature. With the involvement of a network of international experts, a methodology that links architectural research and practice, and a link to my own practice, I will provide a catalogue of potential sustainable practical devices and recommendations for integrating architectural devices of the buildings studied and I will influence researchers, design practitioners, policy-makers and society in building practice. The main aim is to effectively enhance the health and wellbeing of communities through daily interaction with Nature in urban areas of the future, an urgent challenge at EU and Global level.
Nature-In is very original and innovative in terms of objectives, how it is conceived and how it will be conducted. It will open a new research branch of Architectural Design and a new phase in the Biophilic Design’s implementation for the built environment. Moreover, it will make an important contribution to the EU-knowledge base on Nature-Based Solutions, a significant step for the EU.
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
1435 Kobenhavn
Denmark