Welcome to episode 52 of the Green & Healthy Places podcast in which we discuss the themes of wellbeing and sustainability in real estate and hospitality today.

I’m your host, Matt Morley, founder of Biofilico healthy buildings and this time around I’m in Perth, Western Australia talking biophilic urbanism and biophilic cities with Dr. Jana Söderlund.

Jana did her PhD on biophilic design as an emergent social movement. She has an honours degree in environmental science and has spent her career as a sustainability consultant, environmental educator, tutor, lecturer, and presenter. 

Currently she is a Director of Green Roofs Australasia, Director of Design by Nature, and an Adjunct Research Fellow at Curtin University as well as chair of Biophilic Cities Australia, with a role on the global Biophilic Cities steering committee.

We discuss the history and origins of the biophilic design concept. the biophilia hypothesis, applying biophilia at an architectural and even urban planning scale; how biophilic design incorporates benefits for people and planet, wellbeing and sustainability; the multiple benefits of installing green roofs on urban rooftops; public-private partnerships in urban level interventions; the benefits of biophilic design in schools and prisons, as well as the importance of beauty in biophilic design.