Incorporating Biophilic Design as a Therapeutic Element in Malls in Nairobi-A Case Study of the Karen Area

Abstract

This study examines the use of biophilic design in malls in Nairobi's Karen area. According to a growing body of research, implementing biophilic design into the built environment significantly improves people's entire well-being, including their physical, mental, and cognitive health. According to reports, the prevalence of mental health issues is increasing, with Kenya closely mirroring the global trend in this area. This makes it necessary to address the problem as effectively as feasible. There is space for the built environment industry to create spaces that offer relief from the pervasive daily harsh mental distress, even though individual efforts must be made to meet these needs. The incorporation of nature through biophilic design in these spaces offers malls that incorporate nature an opportunity to draw more people to them than those that do not, offering the malls a prospect for increased revenue through high footfall. This is because people are naturally drawn to nature in any setting. The study conducts a literature review and employs the 14 Bright Green biophilic design patterns as a benchmark against which the incorporation of biophilic design will be evaluated. The usage of biophilic design in malls is investigated in this study, along with its effects on attracting shoppers, and then interventions that could be utilized to create more therapeutic surroundings are suggested. The analysis of the malls selected for the study was done quantitatively through observation, online surveys of mall frequent visitors, and focus groups with interior design experts. According to the study, while a majority of foreign nations have largely adopted biophilic design, Kenya is not one of them. It's true that efforts are being made to incorporate it, but there is room for improvement in public areas. The study discovered that while some designs were extensively utilized in these malls, others were not accorded as much attention. However, the study also discovered that the malls that correctly apply the patterns are preferred by customers for both the shopping experience and the calming effect they have on the human mind.