People feel happier, healthier, and more social when they engage with nature. Their cognitive abilities go up and stress levels go down.
So why is nature so often thought to be found only “out there” in the wilderness, or perhaps suburbia?
For Timothy Beatley, a professor at the University of Virginia, nature should be found everywhere, but especially in cities. Cities must remain dense and walkable, but they can be unique, memorable places only when they merge with nature.
If well planned and designed, a city’s forests, waterfronts, parks, gardens, and streets can make out-sized contributions to the health and well-being of everyone who lives there. In his latest excellent book, the Handbook of Biophilic City Planning & Design, Beatley brings together all the established science, the important case studies, the innovative code and design practices from around the world in one place.
Even if you think you already know a lot about how best to incorporate nature into cities, there will be some interesting new facets in this book for you to explore.