A Day of Inspiration and Connection
The Biophilia Summit 2024, held online on June 6th, was a resounding success, bringing together a vibrant community of nature enthusiasts, experts, and innovators. With a diverse lineup of speakers from around the world, attendees were treated to a day filled with inspiration, learning, and deep connection to the natural world. Whether you missed the event or want to relive the highlights, this recap will take you through the key moments and insights that made this summit truly special. Stay tuned for more highlights in part two!
Keynote Highlights: Thought-Provoking Perspectives
The summit featured captivating keynote speakers, each bringing unique insights and perspectives to the stage. Attendees were left buzzing with ideas and eager to dive deeper into the discussions. A big thank you to all of the speakers for making the day so successful. Here’s a brief overview of their contributions:
Kirsti Luke: Embracing the Land and Storytelling
Kirsti Luke opened the summit, joining us from New Zealand, with a compelling presentation on the Living Building Challenge project, “Te Uru Taumatua.” Kirsti shared how the building was meant to capture the Tuhoe peoples’ connection to the land and their unique history. Her talk emphasised the importance of storytelling even in our buildings and how this project was able to create hope for the community.
“The land is our Earth Mother,” Kirsti told the attendees, “How we treat, how we feel, how we behave in front of our mother, with our mother – that standard and strength of connection is exactly the same relationship and set of behaviours that you enact and that you operate with Land. So if you wouldn’t do it to your mother, you do not do it with Land.”
Oliver Heath: The Health Benefits of Biophilic Design
The second keynote by Oliver Heath focused on the benefits of Biophilic Design in building projects, shedding light on the various health benefits. In one memorable case study, Oliver spoke about how the concepts of refuge and prospect were built into a project designed for children on the autism spectrum.
“Biophilia is an evolutionary design ethos,” noted Oliver.
Miles Richardson: Reconnecting with Nature
After our biophilic lunch break, where we encouraged everyone to get outside, we heard from Miles Richardson, who discussed the need for reconnection and the failing relationship between humans and nature. Miles shared results from his research, including how there are fewer and fewer references to nature in art, songs, and writing, and how feelings of nature connection are tied to pro-environmental behaviours. He then shared insights from his Biophilic Design Guide.
Drea Burbank: Biodiversity and Indigenous Land Protection
Later in the afternoon, Drea Burbank joined us from the Colombian Amazon to tell us about biodiversity credits, indigenous land protection, and the journey of Savimbo. Drea introduced the biodiversity unit, which considers area, time, and integrity to measure and monitor biodiversity protections. Her contagious enthusiasm prompted attendees to think deeply about the rights of nature.
“Six percent of the population owns 80% of the biodiversity,” emphasised Drea, urging the audience to respect, listen to, and value indigenous wisdom and practices.
Get Involved: Purchase the Recording or Sign Up for Our Next Event
Purchase the recording of the Biophilia Summit 2024 to access a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. To deepen your understanding beyond the summary, visit the registration page.
We invite you to join us in our mission to foster a deeper connection with the natural world. Apply what you’ve learned and take the next step in your journey.
Register for the upcoming Biophilia Camp and Bar Camp to continue your exploration and engagement with nature.
For more details and to sign up for our future events, visit the registration page.
This was our amazing program.
SCHEDULE
[All times are CEST / UTC+2]
WELCOME + INTRO
10:00 – 10:10
Carlo Battisti – Living Future Europe
Welcome & Introduction
PLACE + ARCHITECTURE
10:10 – 10:40
Kirsti Luke – Tuhoe Te Uru Taumatua
Place-Based Relationships
10:40 – 11:10
Oliver Heath – Oliver Heath Design
Biophilic Design in Practice: The Good, the Bad, and the Flourishing
11:10 – 11:25
Deborah Early – The Art of Awareness
Explore Inner and Outer Landscapes
11:25 – 11:40
Fiona Grey – Bioliving by Design
The Enduring River: A Narrative of Nature’s Power and Human Connection
Moderation: Amit Anafi
11:40 – 11:55
BIOPHILIC BREAK
NATURE
11:55 – 12:10
Caroline Pidcock – Pidcock
Handprints of Good Design
12:10 – 12:25
Sonja Donauer-Dums – CEO and Co-Founder, Alpine Genius Think Tank
Biomimicry-Inspired Leadership: Unveiling the Blueprint for Thriving, Future-Ready Organizations
12:25 – 12:40
Maria del Pilar Porras Villarreal – Living Structur
The Red Mangrove Initiative
Moderation: Maria del Pilar Porras Villarreal
12:40 – 13:00
Martin Brown – Living Future Europe
Meditative Connection with Nature (Track from Lil Jon) to Lead into Lunch
13:00 – 14:00
BIOPHILIC LUNCH BREAK + MURAL
14:00 – 14:10
Martin Brown – Living Future Europe
Introduction
FUTURE GENERATIONS
14:10 – 14:40
Miles Richardson – Professor of Human Factors and Nature Connectedness, University of Derby
Fixing Our Failing Relationship with Nature
14:40 – 14:55
Rokhshid Ghaziani – Senior Lecturer, University of Portsmouth
Re-thinking Biophilic Design for Primary Schools: Exploring Children’s Preferences
14:55 – 15:10
Kaitlyn Gillis – Senior Advisor, Sustainability + Social Impact, hcma
Love of the Wrong Nature: Can Biophilic Design Ever Be Harmful?
Moderation: Carly Butler
15:10 – 15:40
Olivia Ahltorp – Music Producer, Composer, and Artist
Music & Storytelling for Change
15:40 – 15:55
BIOPHILIC BREAK
TOOLS
15:55 – 16:10
Isabella Bhoan – Head of Landscape Architecture, Weston Williamson + Partners
LIM – Landscape Information Management
16:10 – 16:25
Jo Petroni – Owner, Listen to Your Land & Permarchitecture; Program Manager, Sustainable Design, WerkWell Project Services
Regenerative Patterns: A Guide to Shaping Our Future Places
Moderation: Nicole Craanen
16:25 – 16:50
Drea Burbank – Founder & CEO, Savimbo
Biodiversity Credits
FUTURES
16:50 – 17:30
Angela Loder – President, Greening the City
Panel Discussion with Elizabeth Calabrese (Principal Architect, Educator of Biophilic Design), Caroline Pidcock (Pidcock), Ludovic Pittie (Director, Head of Landscape – WSP)
CLOSING REMARKS
17:30 – 17:40
Carlo Battisti, Martin Brown – Living Future Europe
