In Denmark and its neighbouring countries, the increasing longing for a deeper connection to nature is shaping everything from homes to public spaces. We explore how biophilic design manifests in Nordic living and design – from potted plants to atriums, and from TV shows to holiday cottages.
Many aspects of contemporary life have taken us further and further away from nature. We increasingly cluster in cities, much of our lives takes place online, and the natural world is not automatically seen as an integrated part of our lives. However, this trend has also sparked a countertrend where people seek to reconnect with nature in various ways: through architecture, art, entertainment and leisure activities. Here, we explore some manifestations of this yearning for nature from a distinctly Nordic point of view.
The Opera Park, Copenhagen.
In architecture and design, there is much talk of ‘biophilic design’ these years. This ‘love of life’ concept encompasses many factors, all of which focus on bringing nature into our homes and public buildings. Thus, ‘biophilic design’ can mean incorporating plants and water features in interiors, but it may also be used to describe more substantial architectural choices such as large windows that offer unimpeded views of natural settings outside. Where no natural settings are available – as is obviously often the case in city settings – views of enclosed garden spaces are a Zen-inducing alternative, leading to a resurgence in the use of atrium spaces in public buildings, apartment developments and single-family homes alike.
Bathrooms are an obvious place to connect with nature: this is where we are at our most exposed to the world
Potted plants have made a notable return to fashionable status in recent years, particularly those with architectural foliage. In Denmark, potted plants have in fact never disappeared from daily life: even during the years they were banished from fashionable interiors and the pages of interior design magazines, people would still decorate offices and homes with potted plants. Now that potted plants are back with a vengeance – and have made their way into the bathroom, too – many from the older generations are amused to have their grandchildren ask them for tips on how to care for their Swiss cheese plant!
Living walls or vertical gardening is a far more recent import in Denmark – and one of the best-known manifestations of biophilic design. As yet, living walls have established a firm foothold in Danish office and hospitality settings, where professional irrigation systems keep them low-maintenance. For further ease, they are often tended to by professional contractors. Living walls are still a relatively rare sight in private homes: here, you are more likely to come across the dried-moss versions that give you the natural look with no watering required.
Potted plants from f.ex Squarely Copenhagen have made a notable return to fashionable status, where professional irrigation systems keep them low-maintenance.
When it comes to bringing plants and nature inside, atriums are hard to beat. And they have made a serious return in Danish and Scandinavian architecture. Large atrium spaces are often found in new apartment complexes – and in existing blocks from the 1900s onwards, the rear buildings have long since been torn down to make use for green oases that are now increasingly being laid out as communal spaces for the entire block to enjoy, removing former compartmentalisations. Public buildings such as schools, libraries, and hospitals are often planned around atriums – and they have made a return in single-family detached houses too, as well as in hotels and office environments, where open, light-filled spaces enhance both aesthetics and functionality.
Atrium, Copenhagen Towers
Charlottehaven in Copenhagen offers a unique blend of hotel apartments, suites, and event facilities, providing an exclusive retreat in the city. The lush garden is a true green oasis, offering a serene escape in the heart of Copenhagen.
Atriums obviously bring in light and views of the outside to the heart of the buildings they occupy. As an important offshoot of this, they offer opportunities to create near-instant gardens and ‘natural’ settings: Because they are often relatively small in scale, investing in a few mature trees can have great impact – and because atriums are sheltered from the wind, their favourable microclimate enable both mature and young plants to establish faster. Newbuilt private homes can enjoy great views of their atriums immediately without having to wait for the development work to be completed and hedges to establish – a considerable bonus for many in an age where many do not want to wait the customary five or six years for a newly planted garden to settle in. Instant impact is obviously also a key consideration in public buildings that are intended to please and impress their visitors. And atriums certainly add wow-factor while also softening the overall aesthetic by inviting nature in. They can also establish a stronger sense of connection to outdoor green areas, as is done to great impact in Cobe architects’ ‘Greenhouse’ set in the centre of their Opera Park in Copenhagen.
Designed by Cobe architects, Copenhagen’s new Opera Park brings nature into the city centre. At its heart is the organically shaped Greenhouse, which incorporates a restaurant where diners can enjoy the year-round interest of the gardens inside and outside.
The yearning for nature is also reflected in the rising popularity of TV shows such as Alone, the American survival competition reality show that has spawned the Danish adaptation Alone in the Wilderness. As you may know, Denmark is rather lacking in proper wilderness areas, so our contestants are sent to Norway instead! The great fascination this show has exerted on viewers since its first Danish series in 2017 speaks volumes about how we dream of connecting more directly with nature – even if some of the harsher aspects of the natural world are best experienced from a comfortable armchair. In a gentler vein, new shows such as Sweden’s ‘Gränslöst fiske’ (‘Fishing without Borders’, shot along a river that separates Sweden and Finland), offer enticing scenes of spectacular landscapes and the joys of fly fishing – enough to make anyone consider a new hobby.
‘Dogma knitting’ uses only untreated wool straight from the sheep. The knitter must pull out and shape the threads themselves as they go
Biophilic design is the subject of serious study at Danish universities and at the Royal Danish Academy – Institute of Architecture and Design. At the latter, the recent project Nature-In aimed to identify ‘new, sustainable, nature-inclusive architectural devices for the transformation of our interior dwelling space’. Very interestingly, the author, Dr Carmen García Sánchez, specifically looks to Danish post-war and Japanese traditional architecture for case studies, reinforcing the link between Japanese and Danish design we previously explored in this article. Speaking of her study, Dr García Sánchez says: ‘The biophilic design paradigm is innovative, but in many respects harks back to previous architectural practices and principles, revealed in buildings throughout architectural history.’ Want to read more about the Nature-In study? Find it here: https://kglakademi.dk/da/nature-in
The wish to connect with nature is clearly evident in all aspects of modern life, from construction to crafting. So how do Nordic architects and designers incorporate this in their work? Read on for examples
