Biophilic Urbanism Across Scales: Enhancing Urban Nature Through Experience and Design

Deborah C. Lefosse (), Maryam Naghibi, Sitong Luo and Arjan van Timmeren
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Deborah C. Lefosse: Environmental Technology and Design, Department of Urbanism, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BL Delft, The Netherlands
Maryam Naghibi: Urban Design, Department of Urbanism, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BL Delft, The Netherlands
Sitong Luo: Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions, 1018 JA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Arjan van Timmeren: Environmental Technology and Design, Department of Urbanism, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BL Delft, The Netherlands

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-25

Abstract: As urban density increases and cities expand, there is a decrease in urban livability, which is closely linked to social, economic, and environmental crises. To address these negative impacts, biophilic urbanism (BU) promotes human–nature interactions and their associated benefits. However, knowledge gaps remain regarding its effectiveness across different scales. This study explores how BU contributes to improving livability in the built environment and to renewing urban landscapes. Using Amsterdam as a case study, we first identified biophilic experiences by analyzing them through quantitative, qualitative, and spatial distribution metrics. We then investigated designs that foster biophilia by applying BU tools aimed at enhancing interspecies connections and leveraging ecosystem services. Our findings, in the form of maps, provide evidence-based insights to benefit everyday life using nature in settings at different scales, along with design solutions to renew urban planning, focus on human and environmental well-being, and involve citizens in spatial transformations and maintenance processes. Finally, we advocate for BU as a holistic model that uses natural capital as a key strategy for making cities more equitable, sustainable, and resilient.

Keywords: urban nature; urban landscapes; biophilic urbanism; biophilic benefits; design tools; leftover spaces; ecosystems services; citizen science (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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