Biomimicry and Biophilic Design: Strategies to Support Sustainability and Enhance Well-Being of Community Centre Users

​This paper explores the potential applications of two related strategies, biomimicry and biophilic design, within the context of redeveloping an existing building into a community centre. Biomimicry is explored as a tool to help achieve sustainability targets set by the Living Building Challenge, while biophilic design is studied as a way to help enhance the well-being of the community centre users. The conceptual framework followed in this study merges the Living Building Challenge with the theoretical framework of Life Centred Design. The methods utilized to gather data include a literature review, interviews with design/architecture professionals and administrative staff of two community centres, as well as surveys completed by parents as potential community centre users. The results of this study indicate the availability of a substantial amount of resources to support integration of both, biomimicry and biophilic design strategies, in a community centre setting. Some of the major obstacles, such as the limitations imposed by the existing building envelope, are discussed. Finally, preliminary programming and conceptual approach to the design of a community centre facility are presented.