Being cooped up indoors earlier this year wasn’t great for the health of Americans, and for very good reason. We humans are pre-programmed to be at our best, physically and mentally, when regularly exposed to nature. Routine contact with the natural world fills us with renewed energy and vitality, and can even imbue us with a glass-half-full optimism.
Among ways architects and builders are responding is by embracing biophilic design. Natural materials, views, lighting and other elements are prioritized in buildings of biophilic design, instilling occupants of these buildings with health-affirming connections to nature.
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One Steuart Lane, San Francisco
This 20-story tower is being built on San Francisco’s elegant waterfront avenue, directly along the city’s famed Embarcadero and perched between office buildings of leading brands. Once unveiled in spring of next year, its 120 luxe residences will feature 40-foot wraparound terraces, most of them affording wide-open views of the bay and the bridge from their private outdoor living spaces. The Skidmore, Owings & Merrill-designed tower will also offer a second-story “sun terrace” with plenty of nature’s finest greenery.