Psychoanalyst, social psychologist, and sociologist Erich Fromm first introduced the word “biophilia” in 1973, with the meaning, attraction to that which is alive. Edward O. Wilson, biologist, Pulitzer Prize winner, and New York Times bestselling author, popularized the concept around ten years later, defining it as our innate and instinctive biological desire for connection with nature. This primal desire to be close to nature is often unmet in modern life, but can be satisfied within the built environment with biophilic design, which integrates nature and its elements into interior spaces.

The benefits of biophilic design include feelings of physical and emotional wellbeing through lowered heart rates, blood pressure, stress, cortisol levels, and improved focus, cognitive function, and creativity. Nature’s multi-sensory stimulations, like sounds, temperatures, textures, and scents are an integral part of these positive effects, and all of these elements can be incorporated into a modern resort style home for an immersive and transportive experience.

Here are some of our favorite ways of bringing the beneficial presence of nature to indoor spaces with biophilic design:

Glass Walls

Floor to ceiling sliding glass walls dissolve the divide between indoors and out, and flood interior spaces with natural light and color, bringing nature right inside a house. Glass seems to expand a space beyond its physical walls, and when opened, lets in fresh air and breezes that carry in the shifting scents, temperatures, and sounds of the outdoors (like birdsong and the wind in the trees), which positively affect our mental health. Once glass walls are opened, living spaces extend into outdoor areas like backyards and pool terraces, bringing one closer to the views through a seamless flow from indoors to out.

Glass walls slide apart creating open air living rooms at our Serenity and Bighorn houses.

At our Los Tilos House each level of the home opens up to its own terrace and lounge area, providing views of the horizon line and connections with the outdoors, from anywhere on the property.

With glass walls opened, the living room at our Trousdale House transforms into a luxury indoor outdoor poolside lounge.

At our Hopen Place House, sliding glass walls in both the living room and primary bedroom open to jetliner views and the pool terrace, which is furnished with a classic standing lamp, beautiful Italian furniture, dining table, and fun, boxy chandelier.

Natural Light

Skylights, clerestory windows, window walls, and floor to ceiling glass are great biophilic design elements that add a luxurious connection to nature in resort style homes. They flood interior spaces with natural light, provide a visual connection with the sky above, and bring light down to lower levels in houses that have open central volumes. The presence of natural light indoors supports our ability to stay connected with the sun’s daily movements across the sky, informing us, even unconsciously, of the passage of time. In houses full of natural light, we can sense the colors of the sunrise and sunset, and see the deepening of evening shadows. All of this benefits our circadian rhythm, which helps to regulate our sleep. Natural light is also more comfortable than artificial light for our eyes.

To achieve the spaciousness of a two-story house within a community that requires all homes be one story high, a bright lower level was created at our Serenity House by digging down. This floor is filled with natural light from the large front and rear sunken courtyards and glass walls that surround.

In the living room at Bighorn clerestory windows and sliding glass walls let in desert light and views.

The foyer floor at our Benedict Canyon House dances with sparkling squares of light that are transmitted through the multiple skylights and ribbon windows. At Mandeville Canyon, portal windows high up in the walls create a slow moving landscape of light and shadow that changes throughout the day.

A vintage detail salvaged from the original home on the property by interior designer Livia Tomiselli of LTA+D was added to the primary bathroom skylight at our Coral House. In the spa style soaking tub one can be submerged in water and bathed in natural light for an at-home retreat feel.

Panoramic Vistas with Long Views

Long expansive views with clear sight lines can be transportive, sweeping one out far beyond the walls of a home. At Trousdale, views like this stretch throughout the entire length of the house, expanding it with a spacious feeling that’s infused with natural light.

At Bighorn, natural light and mountain views are first seen from the entrance walkway, and continue from within the central living area through the floor to ceiling glass walls of the house.

At Bundy Drive, the front door opens and one is within an open volume, spacious interior with views that stretch straight out to the expansive backyard and hills beyond.

Long reaching views are throughout this property, and can also be found in the open air family room, and from the second story level, which looks out over the atrium. From both areas views reach The Getty Center, which sits atop a distant hill.

Views of blue skies and green hills fill the floor-to-ceiling glass walls throughout our Benedict Canyon House.

Water Features

The presence of water in ponds, pools, fountains, and waterfalls adds a soothing and peaceful quality to a home, encouraging a sense of tranquility and contemplation, while refreshing mental fatigue. Water is naturally a multi-sensory element with its sound of lapping, clear blue color, and the cool air created from its microclimate. Running water produces negative ions that when breathed, can benefit metabolism and the immune system, and generate a sense of wellness and euphoria.

A riverbed style pond wraps around the dining room at our Summit House.

Entrance ponds with walkways, designed by Livia Tomiselli of LTA+D, lead visitors to the door of our Coral House.

Serenity, a resort style desert home, has a design centered around cooling water features, and installations are set throughout the property.

Streetside entry ponds feature a Richard Erdman marble sculpture.

An inner courtyard is brought alive with a modern waterfall and reflecting pool with trio of Richard Erdman sculptures.

A courtyard off of the luxury home movie theater and downstairs lounge features a quintet of fountains.

Bighorn’s entry walkway crosses a landscaped modern pond accented with fountains. The homeowner wanted to be able to see water from every vantage point in this desert home, so from anywhere in the backyard there are views of the pool, and from anywhere in the kitchen one can see both the pool and the entry ponds.

The curving line of the circular driveway at our Bundy Drive House is followed by the modern pond with waterfall edge, which can also be seen from within the home office.

Laurel Way’s iconic moat pool wraps the home in a ribbon of blue that provides a view of water from inside the house.

Illuminated pools of water flow indoors and out at our Benedict Canyon house, inviting revitalizing and calming contemplation.

At dawn and dusk still waters become mirrors reflecting the sky. With stepping stone paths across them, they can feel like streams being crossed in nature, seen here at Laurel Way and Trousdale.

Fire Features

Fire is another naturally multi-sensory element that can add warmth, color, untamed wildness, and nature’s aliveness to a home. It brings a uniquely entrancing energy to indoor and outdoor spaces, and invites both communal gathering and solo contemplation. Fire adds a sense of ceremony to any entertaining.

Terrace fire bowls and a rooftop fire pit at Bundy Drive.

At Bighorn, a custom marble fire pit on the poolside dining terrace is underlit with LED lights.

Fire pits on the backyard terrace at Trousdale are designed for get-togethers with shared intimacies.

In addition to a classic modern fire pit on the pool terrace, Laurel Way features several other fire features with striking designs, including the custom front entrance display with a flame burning from within a cool pool of water, and the L-shaped fire pit on the primary suite terrace, which wraps the seating area in a warm glow.

The modern fire pit at our Summit House extends directly from the terrace, and the built-in seating provides views of the whimsical flower sculpture, the house, and the pool.

At our Los Tilos House, fire pits on all three levels of the home invite indoor outdoor living year around.

Photo credits: Serenity, Bighorn, Los Tilos, Benedict Canyon, Hopen place: William MacCollum @maccollum / Laurel Way: William MacCollum @maccollum & Art Gray Photography / Trousdale: Jason Speth @jasonspethphoto / Coral House: Luca Girardini / Bundy Drive: Simon Berlyn @berlynmedia.

The Nature of Biophilic Design - Part I

Glass Walls

Natural Light

Panoramic Vistas with Long Views

Water Features

Fire Features

The Nature of Biophilic Design - Part II

Creating Coral House