From Soil to Space
- The Jenny B Project
- May 30
- 2 min read
From Soil to Space: What Regenerative Biophilic Design Can Learn from Regenerative Farming
In recent years, regenerative farming has gained mainstream attention as a powerful way to heal the earth. It goes beyond sustainability—actively restoring soil health, increasing biodiversity, and drawing down carbon from the atmosphere. But what if we applied this same mindset to the way we design our buildings and interiors?
Enter regenerative biophilic design—a growing movement that blends the principles of regenerative thinking with the emotional, psychological, and ecological benefits of biophilic (nature-connected) spaces. Just as regenerative farming rejuvenates land, regenerative biophilic design aims to restore people, ecosystems, and the built environment.
Regenerative Farming: A Quick Recap
At its core, regenerative farming is about giving more to the land than we take. Practices like cover cropping, no-till planting, rotational grazing, and composting help:
Rebuild healthy soil
Promote biodiversity
Improve water cycles
Capture atmospheric carbon
It’s a living, dynamic approach that adapts to the unique needs of each ecosystem.
Regenerative Biophilic Design: Nature as a Partner
Biophilic design is already known for its benefits—bringing elements like plants, natural light, water features, and organic materials into built environments. But regenerative biophilic design pushes it further. It doesn’t just include nature—it partners with nature to actively heal and regenerate.
Key principles include:
Designing for ecological benefit, not just aesthetic appeal
Restoring local ecosystems through thoughtful integration of native plants and water systems
Creating spaces that promote human wellbeing—reducing stress, improving air quality, and reconnecting us with the natural world
Thinking in systems—designing buildings as part of larger environmental and social networks
Shared Themes Between the Two
Here’s where regenerative farming and regenerative biophilic design align:
Beyond Sustainability: Sustainability seeks to minimize harm. Regeneration seeks to restore and improve. It's a proactive, hopeful approach.
Systems Thinking: Both disciplines look at the whole—whether it’s a farm’s ecosystem or a building’s role in its community and environment.
Diversity and Resilience: Just as regenerative farms benefit from diverse crops and wildlife, regenerative design encourages varied forms of life and interaction in spaces—leading to more resilient environments.
Connection and Care: Both require a mindset shift—from extraction to stewardship. They remind us we’re not separate from nature, but deeply embedded within it.
Healing Through Design:
Most people recognize the need to regenerate our soil. The next frontier is to regenerate our spaces. When buildings and interiors move from sterile and static to living and life-giving, we create environments that support both human and planetary health. Regenerative biophilic design isn’t just a trend—it’s a transformation. It's how we make our spaces part of the solution. Let nature lead, and design will follow—with purpose, beauty, and life.
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