Building for Life : Designing And Understanding the Human-Nature Connection

Kellert, Stephen R.

ISBN 10: 1559637218 / ISBN 13: 9781559637213

Published by Island Press, 2005

Seller Inventory # 3498805-n

Synopsis:

This is a definitive examination of how the inter-relationship between nature, architecture, and design is essential to human well-being. "Sustainable design" has made great strides in recent years; unfortunately, it still falls short of fully integrating nature into our built environment. Through a groundbreaking new paradigm of "restorative environmental design," award-winning author, Stephen R. Kellert proposes a new architectural model of sustainability. In "Building for Life", Kellert examines the fundamental interconnectedness of people and nature, and how the loss of this connection results in a diminished quality of life. This thoughtful new work illustrates how architects and designers can use simple methods to address our innate needs for contact with nature. Through the use of natural lighting, ventilation, and materials, as well as more unexpected methodologies - the use of metaphor, perspective, enticement, and symbol - architects can greatly enhance our daily lives. These design techniques foster intellectual development, relaxation, and physical and emotional well-being. In the works of architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero Saarinen, Cesar Pelli, Norman Foster, and Michael Hopkins, Kellert sees the success of these strategies and presents models for moving forward. Ultimately, Kellert views our fractured relationship with nature as a design problem rather than an unavoidable aspect of modern life, and he proposes many practical and creative solutions for cultivating a more rewarding experience of nature in our built environment.

About the Author: STEPHEN R. KELLERT is the Tweedy Ordway Professor of Social Ecology at the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He is the author of six books, including Kinship to Mastery (Island Press, 1997), The Value of Life (Island Press, 1996), and The Biophilia Hypothesis (Island Press, 1993), edited with E. O. Wilson.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Building for Life : Designing And ...
Publisher: Island Press
Publication Date: 2005
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: New