It is an intrinsic trait within all of us as humans to connect with nature. It has proven positive benefits for our health and wellbeing and is something that all of us seek out. When deprived of exposure to nature, our sense of wellbeing decreases. Stress levels increase and our mental health decreases. This was made evident during the lockdowns of the last few years and was something our governments recognised, providing some time for people to exercise outdoors and be exposed to sunlight and nature.
Our house designs also reflect this need to be connected with nature. “Bringing the outside in” is a common phrase used by house designers and decorators to increase our interactions with the natural environment. Even in our most urban areas, city planners work to include green spaces in close proximity to housing to maintain this connection. This can be parks, playgrounds, green corridors or waterways that are open for recreation.
New high density housing and mixed use buildings are incorporating green spaces into the building to improve “liveability” and improve the sense of wellbeing for the residents. An example of this in Sydney is Central Park Mall in Chippendale. Over 35000 plants have been incorporated into the exterior of the building, featuring over 200 rare or endangered native plants. This new development in Sydney has been recognised with many awards due to its innovative and “green” design.
