New Biophilic Landscaping Course

ACS Distance Education are proud to announce that we have recently written and released a new 100- hour course on Biophilic Landscaping.

Biophilia means 'love of nature'. Biophilic design is based around the inclusion of nature in the built environment.  But it is more than just the inclusion of plants and all things natural. Biophilic design has an underlying philosophy. That is, as humans we have evolved in conjunction with the natural environment and we have an innate affiliation to it. This strong leaning to the natural world means that we feel better when we are able to connect with it. Since industrialisation much of the urban landscape has been constructed in such a way as to isolate us from nature. However, there is now growing scientific evidence that exposure to nature and natural patterns helps with stress, fatigue, attention, concentration, productivity and general levels of wellbeing. Through providing environments where people can have strong connections with nature, biophilic design seeks to provide the physiological and psychological health benefits to people of living and working in them. 

This course examines biophilic design - what it is, and how it can promote wellbeing. In doing so it considers patterns and principles which underlie the biophilic hypothesis and also looks at other approaches to promoting healthy landscapes. Students are encouraged to use examples of landscapes, and components of them, as they work through the course and it culminates with them creating their own biophilic design. The course will be of value to those with an interest in landscape design, garden design, landscape architecture, town planning, building, and related disciplines, but it may also appeal to those with a bent towards psychology, environmental psychology and horticulture therapy.   

This aims of this course are:

• Relationship between Outdoor Environments and Human Wellbeing

• Design Considerations

• Patterns and Principles in Urban Design

• Components of the Landscape

• Providing Services to People

• Affecting the Individual

• Affecting Environmental and Climate Conditions

• Assessing and Analyzing Existing Landscapes

• Integrating Biophilic Design into Existing Landscape

• Working in/ Improving Urban Development

Students can enrol into our course at any time and courses are self paced with tutor support available when needed.

For more information on the Biophilic Landscaping course, please visit our website:

http://www.acs.edu.au/Courses/biophilic-landscaping-731.aspx