Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Nature-In (New sustainable Nature-inclusive architectural devices for the transformation of our interior dwelling space: through selected case studies.)
Période du rapport: 2020-08-01 au 2023-07-31
Due to unprecedented global population growth, rapid urbanisation, transformation of urban areas and the digital revolution, human beings are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature in many parts of the world. To avoid this, new architectural design solutions at different design scales are urgently needed, to increase human contact with nature in the health and well-being promotion of primarily urban communities. This is exemplified by the UN's SDGs 3 and 11. The discipline of Interior Design offers an important alternative to large-scale nature-connecting interventions, which are not always possible due to space constraints. These circumstances provide an immense opportunity to integrate biophilic design, an emerging design discipline that reconnects people and nature through the experience of the built environment in a sustainable way, promoting biodiversity, embracing circularity, and building resilience.
Some Danish domestic buildings built in the 1950s and early 1960s have left a significant European legacy, creating a framework for the Danish quality of life. Moreover, there are significant parallels between them and influential traditional Japanese architecture. Their interiors share a remarkable connection to nature.
Dr. Architect Carmen García Sánchez´s individual research project, Nature-In, studies what are the architectural strategies and resources that connect nature and the interiors of this exemplary buildings - in Denmark and Japan - to reuse them in contemporary interior design practice in an urban context.
Nature-In is an artistic-scientific exploration across three design disciplines. Its conclusions reveal memorable and unique biophilic resources through sophisticated and original design expressions that can be models for other scenarios.
The overall objective of the project is: 1. To effectively enhance the health and wellbeing of communities through daily interaction with nature - via the experience of the domestic space - in urban areas in the EU and beyond 2. To produce new attitudes in sustainable housing practice. This is achieved through landscape, architectural interior and biophilic design approaches, as a resource to mitigate an urgent problem.
Some Danish domestic buildings built in the 1950s and early 1960s have left a significant European legacy, creating a framework for the Danish quality of life. Moreover, there are significant parallels between them and influential traditional Japanese architecture. Their interiors share a remarkable connection to nature.
Dr. Architect Carmen García Sánchez´s individual research project, Nature-In, studies what are the architectural strategies and resources that connect nature and the interiors of this exemplary buildings - in Denmark and Japan - to reuse them in contemporary interior design practice in an urban context.
Nature-In is an artistic-scientific exploration across three design disciplines. Its conclusions reveal memorable and unique biophilic resources through sophisticated and original design expressions that can be models for other scenarios.
The overall objective of the project is: 1. To effectively enhance the health and wellbeing of communities through daily interaction with nature - via the experience of the domestic space - in urban areas in the EU and beyond 2. To produce new attitudes in sustainable housing practice. This is achieved through landscape, architectural interior and biophilic design approaches, as a resource to mitigate an urgent problem.
Nature-In has progressed according to the initial plan. The action has fulfilled and highlighted the main objectives of the Career Restart Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (CAR-MSCA): the creation of strong and invaluable collaborations between scientific institutions: in Japan (School of Environment and Society, Department of Architecture and Building Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology (TITECH)) and in the European Union (the research center of excellence Centre for Privacy Studies PRIVACY, at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and Department of Design, Interior Architecture and Furniture Design, Konstfack - University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm ). Dr. García Sánchez has been integrated into highly interdisciplinary and international research environments with the support of Full Professor Dr Architect Peter Thule Kristensen and Full Professor Dr Anthropologist Kirsten Marie Raahauge, among many others from the host institution. But the support and knowledge generosity of Associate Professor Dr Architect Ryo Murata from TITECH, Full Professor in Church History Dr Mette Birkedal from UCPH, Full Professor in Architectural Interior Design Kristina Fridh from Konstfack have been particularly exceptional. Most importantly, the action has significantly advanced the academic career of the fellow Dr. García Sánchez: several beneficial synergies, effects and collaborations have been initiated, as she has become an external member of the Center for Interior Studies at the host institution, an affiliated researcher at PRIVACY, and a member of the external censor corps for the artistic programmes under the Danish Ministry of Research and Education, among many other memberships of scientific and professional societies. In addition, she has initiated a stellar career in seminars and master classes on “naturing” interiors through biophilic design. It has also enhanced her non-academic career options, as her new knowledge promises to have a very positive and original impact on her architectural practice. This will be an asset in promoting sustainability in future housing commissions or other future work.
Dr. García Sánchez has conducted fieldwork throughout varying seasons in Denmark and Japan to document understanding in nature transformations multi-sensory perception as a core research strategy. Via a set of publications, international lectures, an exhibition, and teaching activities, among other activities, presented and displayed the first synthetic overview of what design resources are used in the selected case-studies to link their interiors with nature.
Nature-In provides a catalogue of sustainable practical design strategies, resources, recommendations and inspiration for implementing the nature-inclusive architectural resources of the buildings studied into building practice (some of the publications are still in progress). It , therefore, brings together architectural research and practice.
Furthermore, the Nature-In successful communication programme has made the research useful for researchers, design practitioners and students, policymakers and society. It has greatly arisen the fellow´s visibility and stimulated the interest and debate about nature-inclusive design across different sectors.
Dr. García Sánchez has conducted fieldwork throughout varying seasons in Denmark and Japan to document understanding in nature transformations multi-sensory perception as a core research strategy. Via a set of publications, international lectures, an exhibition, and teaching activities, among other activities, presented and displayed the first synthetic overview of what design resources are used in the selected case-studies to link their interiors with nature.
Nature-In provides a catalogue of sustainable practical design strategies, resources, recommendations and inspiration for implementing the nature-inclusive architectural resources of the buildings studied into building practice (some of the publications are still in progress). It , therefore, brings together architectural research and practice.
Furthermore, the Nature-In successful communication programme has made the research useful for researchers, design practitioners and students, policymakers and society. It has greatly arisen the fellow´s visibility and stimulated the interest and debate about nature-inclusive design across different sectors.
1.- The findings open up a new branch of architectural design and have a great impact on the advancement of the EU's knowledge on nature-based solutions, in this case solutions that interact with nature.
2.- The methodology used will be useful for investigating the subject in future scenarios, such as other case-studies connected to nature.
3.- Focusing on interior design, Nature-In activates a new phase in the study of novel small-scale design strategies to increase communities' contact with the natural environment, going beyond the state of the art in this field. It represents a new step for the creation of nature-inclusive dwellings and cities in the EU; an important task of the EU (R&I) policy agenda on Nature Based Solutions and Re-Naturing Cities. The research promotes the understanding of the healing power of human daily interaction with nature.
4.-Nature-In helps to understand the healing power of daily human interaction with nature. As such, it has a transformative role, producing life scenarios and ideas for wellbeing and health and environmental protection as well. It has influenced and continues to influence architects, communities, policy makers and society to positively change their behaviour.
5.- It presents important design insights that: 1. Contribute to the improvement of architectural education, research and practice. 2. Represent an opportunity for the building industry to embark on new collaborative research projects, opening up a research market with commercial potential. 3. May advance urban policy to improve health and well-being in urban areas.
6.- In addition, Nature-In enriches and transforms the understanding of some post-war Danish domestic buildings and the impact that traditional Japanese architecture had on them, deciphering a hidden part of its complexity and contributing to the intercultural exchange.
The action provides a solid basis for the fellow to plan her further research project.
2.- The methodology used will be useful for investigating the subject in future scenarios, such as other case-studies connected to nature.
3.- Focusing on interior design, Nature-In activates a new phase in the study of novel small-scale design strategies to increase communities' contact with the natural environment, going beyond the state of the art in this field. It represents a new step for the creation of nature-inclusive dwellings and cities in the EU; an important task of the EU (R&I) policy agenda on Nature Based Solutions and Re-Naturing Cities. The research promotes the understanding of the healing power of human daily interaction with nature.
4.-Nature-In helps to understand the healing power of daily human interaction with nature. As such, it has a transformative role, producing life scenarios and ideas for wellbeing and health and environmental protection as well. It has influenced and continues to influence architects, communities, policy makers and society to positively change their behaviour.
5.- It presents important design insights that: 1. Contribute to the improvement of architectural education, research and practice. 2. Represent an opportunity for the building industry to embark on new collaborative research projects, opening up a research market with commercial potential. 3. May advance urban policy to improve health and well-being in urban areas.
6.- In addition, Nature-In enriches and transforms the understanding of some post-war Danish domestic buildings and the impact that traditional Japanese architecture had on them, deciphering a hidden part of its complexity and contributing to the intercultural exchange.
The action provides a solid basis for the fellow to plan her further research project.