Wangui Venessa Mwangi introduces herself as a multifaceted lover of nature and artist, “I’m a multi-curious person. Curiosity grounds me back to nature.” She is also a professional interior designer at the State Department of Public Works. This is a career she’s had since she was fresh out of college and one she dreamt about when doodling artwork in her notebooks in high school, and watching MTV Cribs.
Biophilic design is a concept used within the building industry to increase occupant connectivity to the natural environment through the use of direct nature, indirect nature, and space and place conditions. Before becoming a biophilic designer, Wangui Mwangi worked as a lead researcher on biophilia and climate action for the Kenya Green Building Society. She is also a Bioleadership Mycellium Fellow which is a worldwide movement that tries to accomplish human progress by working with nature. Wangui graduated with a degree in art and design from Kenyatta University in 2018 and has been working as an interior designer since then.
Interior design, however, is a very engaging and technical position. When Wangui realised she had a knack for art and drawing, she could easily apply it to her surroundings. A calling, you could say. Back in her day, interior design wasn’t offered as a major but under her Art and Design degree from Kenyatta University, she managed to study it. Many people assume that being an interior designer means you just arrange things around a room, a misconception that bothers her, “It’s annoying. Interior designers aren’t decorators. Design also includes safety, engineering, and functionality.” Something she appears to have learnt when she finally joined the industry.
Her first role was with an Italian design firm, “What I envisioned and what I found on the ground are different. It’s creating concepts, deeper understanding of how we connect with our spaces.” Interior design contains a lot of detailed and technical drawings. It’s a science as well as an art. It’s a niche intersection between architecture and engineering that marries surroundings to what a client needs and wants. This passion for transforming surroundings and a bone-deep love for nature led her to pursue a more specialised form of design—biophilic design.
What is biophilic design?
“Biophilia is an innate love for nature,” Wangui enthuses. By definition, it’s the concept of increasing connectivity to nature when building and designing spaces. Wangui explains further, “Humans evolved primarily in nature. This information and relationship we have acquired is stored in the body during the evolutionary process.” Wangui believes this is why biophilic design incorporates all the elements of nature: fire, water, earth, and wind. Biophilic design also encourages harmony with nature even when you’re indoors. It engages all senses: touch, smell, sight, hearing, and taste.
As a philosophy, Wangui believes biophilic design should be a way of the future even when it was part of our past as humans. But most importantly, it’s a way to combat climate change. In her TEDx Talk from August 2023, Wangui spoke about how beneficial biophilic design is, not just for tackling climate change, but interpersonally as well.
“There’s so much potential for rekindling human connection with nature in urbanisation,” Wangui told Potentash. With the exponential growth of urban development, there’s a great opportunity for upcoming buildings to incorporate biophilia at the onset of the design process.
The benefits of biophilic design
One of Wangui’s favourite things to do is to commune with nature. “When you go to Karura and walk through the forest, it creates this moment of zen. I feel more relaxed, and creative and it reduces my anxiety. Biophilic design tries to bring that indoors, in our spaces.” Buildings with biophilic design have natural light, plants, water features, and outdoor rocks. It’s energizing. Staying in an area with such elements reduces fatigue. “Even think about where people love to hang out in offices, they go to the benches where there’s a garden or flowers,” Wangui adds. Biophilia encourages more socialising, and boosts productivity.
“In a residential, biophilic design creates spaces where people can exercise safely. You can take a walk under trees,” Wangui states. Urban design that incorporates biophilia ensures that people can directly interact with nature. In turn, this has great benefits for the environment.
Because of increased plant life and a merge of urbanisation with nature, biophilic design leads to boosted biodiversity. Well-designed structures will encourage more birds, butterflies, and other essential fauna for the continued thriving of a microenvironment. Buildings that include fountains or other water features install recycling infrastructure. “Biophilic designs can also generate microclimates,” she adds. This purifies the air people are breathing and makes it easier for the existing ecosystem to continue thriving. “But it’s not an easy thing to accomplish,” she warns.
The downsides of biophilic design
“You find that the costs can be really high,” Wangui explains. Biophilic design may require complex structures that are expensive to maintain. “You’ve seen buildings that add a fountain feature that is now dry because they used a complex system but abandoned maintaining it.” Many clients can have features installed without considering long-term needs for them. But Wangui insists this is a mistake, “Biophilic design doesn’t have to be complex. But then you also don’t want to see cartoonish designs.”
Biophilic design is a science and an art. Some applicants treat it as a casual project. Wangui explains, “You’ll see people fill a space with artificial plants, artwork that doesn’t merge well with the space, or overuse.” Some admirers of biophilic design take it to a maximalist extreme. “It’s chaos. Too many fractal shapes or repeating too many patterns.” From her explanation, it sounds like Kikuyu gothic went cottagecore.
Existing biophilic designs can also be improved. “Look at the expressway,” Wangui explains. The pillars stand bare for the most part. Wangui suggests they could have used climbing plants that can flourish in that environment.
Wangui is unimpressed by some attempts at biophilic design that don’t consider the Kenyan spirit. “When I walk in Nairobi, I don’t want to feel like I’m in London. Design should make us feel like we belong.” When people don’t consult with experts like Wangui, they end up with landscapes and offices that become dead spaces. “Design should be sustainable, functional, less complex and make it cyclical so it runs through the building.”
The rewards of interior design
Wangui believes her first job will always be among her most gratifying. “Seeing your drawings actualised fills you with awe. When you see your designs come alive, it’s so rewarding.” When she moved from the Italian firm to the State Department of Public Works, one of her favourite jobs is an ongoing project with a learning and resource centre, “We renovated one of the floors. People were doubtful of black—which signifies dominance. We did black on partitions, colour blocking, and wood accents, and plan to install nature-based wallpaper, intentional furniture, and adding curves. The client loves it, guests are taken their first on a visit.”
But as much as design is fulfilling, it does become challenging. As with any other client-based services, timelines can make completing jobs more difficult. “When the timeline is too short, you keep having to correct mistakes because the job was rushed.”
The future of design
For Wangui, design isn’t just about seeing a job well done. She’s hoping to collaborate with other experts like doctors, scientists, and researchers to create more holistic designs for all spaces humans occupy. She envisions a future where there’s cohesion with experts to create spaces where people do better. Hospitals with better natural light and relaxing environments, classrooms that are engaging, or offices that are inspiring.
Modern life requires industrialisation and urbanisation. But for Wangui, this doesn’t mean that people abandon their connection to nature. “Biophilic design is about balance, and creating harmony with the existing environment.” She looks to the past to inform where she sees design headed, “Our ancestors lived biophilically. African tradition had a balanced indoor and outdoor relationship. There was an element of the spiritual.”
This mirrors how modern life is embracing technology. While traditional Africans designed their homes around community, modern life has more individualised units. This doesn’t mean that smart spaces can’t have harmony with nature. “Tech also makes it easier to blend emotional and sensory design. Bringing out joy and relaxation with scents and music.” One institution she admires is the Ankole Grill which has chosen a theme that blends culture and modernity.
Technology also makes waste management easier. “Having circular design leads to zero waste,” Wangui states. A core element of biophilic design is ensuring sustainability, “Regenerative design means the building can generate its own energy, and purify air. Another future of design is products that are bio-mimicked.” These are skeuomorphs of natural counterparts like how the Beijing National Stadium looks like a bird’s nest.
How do people get into design?
A passion for interior design is the first step to becoming an accomplished designer. Wangui has encountered apprentices in the field who seemed to be going through the motions, surprised by how involved design is. “This is why you need to be intentional about the school you want to get into,” she advises, “Get mentors in the industry, go to property shows, immerse yourself in the industry. Remember it’s not just décor.”
Wangui has transitioned from a generalised interior designer to a biophilic design expert with an affinity for infusing African aesthetics into her designs. “Revamping traditional culture with the buildings like using Maasai beaded separators that hang from the ceiling. We have also been inspired by Hausa architecture for some buildings.”
But not everyone can afford to hire biophilic designers. Wangui has advice for people who want to transform their spaces even when they’re restricted, like at an office desk. “Adding flowers and plants can transform your space. You can repaint the ceiling to a warmer colour, add artwork, and change the blinds from rollups to verticals for a better ambience. You can also get a diffuser.” It doesn’t matter what kind of budget you have. Wangui has a Udemy course where she explains the patterns of biophilic design and how you can integrate it on a zero, minimal, or high budget.
For those who want to specialise in their career in design, they need to embrace continuous learning. “This is an evolving field. You can also enrol for professional certifications and virtual training.”
Wangui believes that design, when well done, can greatly improve people’s quality of life. As more people embrace sustainability measures, they can include a design principle that maintains aesthetics while grounding us back to our natural roots.
Find more of Wangui Mwangi’s work on LinkedIn, Houzz, her TEDx Talk, and her Udemy Course
Check out:
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