New
Terrapin Report
14+ Patterns of Biophilic Design
Improving Health and Well-Being in the Built Environment
Building the future through research and innovation
Drawing from the latest cross-disciplinary research, we are reimagining standard practices in the built environment. Collaborating with researchers in diverse fields ranging from psychology to materials science, we publish reports, white papers, and articles to engage the community and inform our clients’ projects. This work brings together human wellbeing, the built environment, and the life sciences to create innovative solutions for a changing world.
Reports
New
Terrapin Report
Biophilic Design with Wood
in British Columbia
Terrapin Report
The Economics of Biophilia, 2nd ed.
Why designing with nature in mind makes financial sense
Terrapin Report
The Nature of Wood
An exploration of the science on biophilic responses to wood
Terrapin Report
Working with Fractals
A resource for practitioners of biophilic design
Terrapin Report
Lavorare Con I Frattali: Un Toolkit
Una Risorsa per i Professionisti della Progettazione Biofilica
Terrapin Report
Nature Inside
A Biophilic Design Guide
Terrapin Report
Malibu Rebuilder Guide
Recommendations for a Fire-Resilient, Resource-Efficient and Affordable New Home
Terrapin Report
The Nature of Air
Economic & Bio-Inspired Perspectives on Indoor Air Quality Management
Terrapin Report
An Ear for Nature
Psychoacoustic Strategies for Workplace Distractions & The Bottom Line
Terrapin Report
The Economics of Biophilia, 1st ed.
Why designing with nature in mind makes financial sense
Terrapin Report
Midcentury (un)Modern
An environmental analysis of the 1958-1973 Manhattan Office Building
Terrapin Report
Tapping into Nature
The Future of Energy, Innovation, and Business
Terrapin Report
Biophilic Design Case Studies
Terrapin Report
Biophilia & Healing Environments
Healthy Principles For Designing the Built World
Terrapin Report
Bioinspired Innovation Case Studies
Terrapin Report
I 14 Pattern della Progettazione Biofilica
Migliorare la Salute e il Benessere nell’Ambiente Costruito
Terrapin Report
14 דפוסי תכנון ביופיליים
שיפור הבריאות ותחושת הרווחה בסביבה הבנויה
Terrapin Report
14 Patrones de diseño biofílico (en español)
Mejorar la salud y el bienestar en el entorno construido
Terrapin Report
14 Modèles de conception biophilique (en française)
Améliorer la santé et le bien-être dans l’environnement bâti
Terrapin Report
Économie de la biophilie (en français)
Concevoir avec la Nature : un atout économique
Report
Human Spaces 2.0
Biophilic Design in Hospitality
Report
Green Rowhouse Manual
Greening NYC’s Historic Buildings
Report
Cultivating Clean Energy
The promise of algae biofuels
Report
Battery Park City Authority Guidelines
Improving the urban experience
Report
Guide to Green Embassies
Eco-Diplomacy in Operation (2nd Ed.)
Report
Greening the Building and the Bottom Line
Increasing productivity through energy-efficient design
New
Contribution
Biophilic Design and Climate Change
Performance Parameters for Health
Contribution
Environments for Aging – Digging Deeper
Taking a holistic approach to biophilic design can help support seniors' specific health issues
Contribution
The Impact of Biophilic Learning Spaces on Student Success
Contribution
Springer Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology
Sustainability in the Built Environment: Biophilic Design
Contribution
HR People + Strategy
Linking Theory + Practice: Healthier Workplaces, Happier Employees
Contribution
Landscape Architecture Frontiers
The Role of Biophilic Design in Landscape Architecture for Health and Well-being
Contribution
IJAR Special Issue: Complexity, Patterns and Biophilia
Biophilic Design Patterns: Emerging Nature-Based Parameters for Health and Well-Being in the Built Environment
Contribution
Midcentury (un)Modern
CTBUH Journal, 2014 Issue 1
Contribution
Knowledge from Data in the Built Environment
Implications for sustainable design
Contribution
The Tall Buildings Reference Book
Chapter 12: Sustainability and Energy Considerations
Contribution
Biophilic Design
The theory, science, and practice of bringing buildings to life, Chapters 22 & 23
Blog Features
Recent articles from our blog that describe our work and ideas
Gaudí and Wright: Two Very Different Approaches to Biophilic Architecture
Gaudí & Wright: Two Very Different Approaches to Biophilic Architecture Many folks probably know that I am a huge Frank Lloyd Wright fanboy and have visited several of his buildings around the US. His work continues to inspire generations of designers and contains many examples of biophilic design. I am also a fan of Antoni […]
RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Fractal Fluency | Richard Taylor, University of Oregon
Complexity and Order, as one of the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design, is an analogue experience of nature. It deals with the finding the balance between a lackluster environment and an overstimulating one. Within nature, fractals are nested, mathematical patterns repeating at increasingly fine size-scales—consider tree branches, capillary riverbeds, fire flames, and crashing waves. These […]
Architecture Issue Addresses Outcomes of Biophilic Design for Schools
A special issue of Architecture entitled, “Biophilic School Design for Health and Wellbeing”, Terrapin’s Bill Browning teamed up with Jim Determan of Craig Gaulden Davis Architecture to explore the results from the yearlong study of biophilic measures in a sixth grade mathematics classroom in Baltimore. Those results influenced the design of the new Bethel-Hanberry elementary […]
PDX—When a Project is Better than it’s Exceptional Renderings
Every once in a great while, a completed project is even better than the architectural renderings. When that happens, it is an absolute thrill. This delight and joy is what we experienced when walking through the newly rebuilt terminal core of Portland Oregon’s PDX International Airport. PDX has for many years been the top-rated airport […]