Observing the World from a Place of Shelter: The Symbiotic Balance of Prospect and Refuge
Lake Shore Drive Residence, Chicago. Maximising views while ensuring privacy
With a continuing rise in mental health challenges globally, it’s important to understand how our living spaces profoundly affect our psychological and physical wellbeing. This understanding is central to trauma-informed design and biophilic design, both of which are deeply embedded in Symbiotic Living's principles, where creating safe and healing environments with a connection to nature is paramount.
J.A. Appleton's 1975 theory, outlined in "The Experience of Landscape," emphasises that our inherent preference for certain aesthetics – stemming from our hunter-gatherer past where vigilance and shelter were key to survival – is driven by our need for opportunity (prospect) and safety (refuge). This balance isn't just about enhancing our mood; studies reveal that natural views (prospect) can lower blood pressure and reduce stress hormones, while secure, comfortable spaces (refuge) encourage relaxation and better sleep.
This inherent longing for both connection and security is evident in our holiday choices, where we often prioritise hotel rooms with expansive natural views (prospect) or secluded retreats offering a sense of sheltered intimacy (refuge) – a need that underscores its crucial importance in our everyday lives within our personal spaces. The optimal sense of calm and wellbeing arises from environments that offer a balance of both prospect and refuge.
At a time when global statistics reveal a significant rise in mental health challenges, intensified by increased social isolation, economic pressures, and blurred work-life boundaries, the need for supportive home environments has never been greater. Our homes must be more than mere structures; they need to be sanctuaries that actively nurture our mental and emotional wellbeing by satisfying our core need for both openness and protection, ultimately improving our physical health.
Prospect: The Comfort of Connection
Beyond simply elevating our mood, the visual connection with nature, or "prospect," offers tangible physical benefits. It helps regulate our sleep-wake cycles, improving sleep quality and overall wellbeing, and even indirect exposure to natural light aids Vitamin D production, vital for bone health and immunity. Furthermore, daylight boosts alertness and cognitive function, and studies link viewing nature to lower blood pressure and stress hormones – all factors Symbiotic Living considers in designing restorative spaces.
This crucial element of "prospect" can be thoughtfully achieved through design:
Expansive picture windows framing dynamic garden views.
Skylights offering an ever-changing canvas of the sky.
Strategically positioned windows providing glimpses of distant trees or the lively rhythm of the street.
Glass doors allowing visual connection between interior spaces.
The clever use of mirrors to extend sightlines and create a feeling of spaciousness.
By embracing biophilic principles and strategically designing spaces to maximise our visual connection with the outdoors, Symbiotic Living creates environments that actively support both our mental and physical health.
Prosopect and Refuge
Refuge: The Security of Sanctuary
Simultaneously, the sense of home as a secure oasis provides vital "refuge," fostering feelings of safety and calm that yield significant physical benefits. Well-designed refuge spaces can minimise the body's stress response, leading to lower heart rate and blood pressure, as well as reduced stress hormones. This promotes muscle relaxation, easing tension and associated physical discomfort.
Furthermore, the calming atmosphere cultivated in areas of refuge, particularly bedrooms, contributes to improved sleep quality, fundamental for overall physical health. By reducing chronic stress, refuge indirectly supports a healthier immune system and facilitates physical recovery by providing a tranquil and supportive environment – all important considerations in trauma-informed design.
Symbiotic Living thoughtfully incorporates "refuge" through elements such as:
A reading nook tucked away with soft cushions and layered throws.
The comforting enclosure of a high-backed sofa in a living space.
A built-in banquette in a dining area offering a defined and supportive space.
Bedrooms designed with canopy beds or substantial headboards creating a sense of secure enclosure.
Intimate zones created by thoughtful furniture arrangement within larger open-plan layouts.
The ability to control lighting levels to establish a secure and calming atmosphere.
By meticulously considering a diverse range of design elements, from expansive views to intimate enclosures, Symbiotic Living crafts spaces that resonate with our deepest psychological needs for both exploration and security. This intentional approach, central to Symbiotic Living's philosophy, aligns with the growing understanding of how our environment impacts our well-being and the creation of spaces that inherently foster healing and a sense of safety.
Examples of How Symbiotic Living Has Applied the Theory of Prospect and Refuge:
Ocean Front Residence, East Coast, USA - Harmonising with Nature: Protected and Secure
At Symbiotic Living, we applied an evidence-based approach to the interiors of a new-build property in a scenic location in East Coast, USA. This 'forever' home was conceived as both a refuge and a prospect: a sanctuary for its occupants as they age in place, while celebrating its breathtaking natural surroundings.
We designed the living spaces to offer unobstructed ocean views (prospect), while ensuring privacy from public beach access (refuge). Communal areas within the home offer opportunities for gathering, while the private spaces offer time for retreat and renewal, allowing for regulation and a sense of calm. The arrangement of the house designed by our project partner HEDs Architects, inverts the traditional, placing living areas upstairs to maximise views and light, while bedrooms downstairs offer added privacy and refuge, promoting restorative sleep and security.
Our design also features a bespoke screen to emulate forest bathing, enabling the occupants to be immersed in filtered light, connecting with the landscape while maintaining privacy.
Unobstructed ocean views from the living spaces
Downstairs bedrooms offer added privacy and refuge
Lake Shore Drive Residence, Chicago, USA - Urban Sanctuary: Connecting with Nature in the City
The design of a Lake Shore Drive residence in Chicago exemplifies a nature-based approach within an urban setting, addressing the fundamental needs for comfort and security. Located adjacent to a popular park and across from a highrise, the design challenge was to maximise views of the natural surroundings (prospect) while ensuring the occupants' privacy (refuge).
We strengthened the connection between the main open spaces and shifted the primary orientation towards natural light, enhancing prospect.
A split-level living/dining room with high ceilings opens towards the park, capturing expansive views above the tree line.
In contrast, the private spaces are nestled within the building's sculptural volumes, offering a sense of being enveloped by the tree canopy, creating intimate and secure areas. A roof terrace, strategically concealed behind an angled parapet, provides a secluded outdoor retreat offering refuge with controlled prospect.
Private spaces enveloped by the tree canopy
A strategically concealed roof terrace
Conclusion
The principles of prospect and refuge, central to Symbiotic Living Design and Architecture, become increasingly vital as we deepen our understanding of how our environment impacts our wellbeing. By understanding and applying these principles, as demonstrated in our work, we can create spaces that not only enhance our daily lives but also contribute to our long-term mental, physical and emotional health, fostering environments that promote healing, safety, and wellbeing for all.
Prioritise Your Wellbeing
Contact us today to discover how Symbiotic Living Design and Architecture can integrate the principles of prospect and refuge to create environments that nurture your wellbeing.