Multiple studies show that kids need nature and nature-inspired elements for enhanced focus and stress-reduction

Question: Does biophilic design improve learning outcomes?

Answer: While evidence is still growing, biophilic design generally improves attention, test scores, and perceived learning in educational settings.  Benefits are strongest when biophilic elements are integrated comprehensively (light, views, materials, greenery, and sensory cues) rather than as minimal add‑ons.

Criteria for Inclusion: 10 peer-reviewed journal articles

LEARN Research Roundup Credit: Dr. Jeannie Haubert

Key Insights:

Biophilic design uses nature-inspired elements (light, views, materials, plants, forms) in buildings. Across school, university, and campus studies, it is consistently linked to better attention, reduced stress, and improved academic performance.

Effectiveness and Learning Outcomes

• In a 6th-grade math experiment, a biophilic classroom significantly reduced stress and improved learning, with follow‑on school application showing better test scores, fewer behavior referrals, lower absenteeism, and improved teacher retention (Browning & Determan, 2024).
• A three‑year “Bracing Biophilia” study found biophilic learning environments more effective for pupils’ attentional performance than conventional classrooms (Barbiero et al., 2021).
• A biophilic primary classroom in Egypt led to higher creative thinking scores and lower perceived stress than unmodified classrooms (Koshek et al., 2025).
• Reviews and design studies report that biophilic elements support creativity, efficiency, and learning environments, and that daylit, nature‑connected classrooms are associated with better academic achievement and standardized test scores (Browning & Determan, 2024; Sakip et al., 2024; Peters & D’Penna, 2020; Vella‐Brodrick & Gilowska, 2022).

Examples of Helpful Biophilic Features

Mechanisms: Why Learning Improves

• Attention restoration & reduced stress: Biophilic classrooms and campuses lower stress markers (heart rate, blood pressure) and are perceived as more calming and restorative, which supports sustained attention and learning (Browning & Determan, 2024; Barbiero et al., 2021; Li et al., 2025; Sakip et al., 2024; Terblanche & Khumalo, 2024; Vella‐Brodrick & Gilowska, 2022; Koshek et al., 2025).
• Enhanced motivation and place attachment: Biophilic spaces increase students’ place attachment, satisfaction, and perceived productivity, which can support engagement and persistence in learning tasks (Mahrous et al., 2023; Terblanche & Khumalo, 2024; Mousighichi et al., 2024; Koshek et al., 2025).

Limitations and Nuances

• Some studies find strong perceptual and productivity benefits but no clear change in objective test scores, especially with limited interventions (e.g., plants alone) (Li et al., 2024).
• Effects vary by intensity and quality of biophilic design; more comprehensive, well‑placed elements tend to show stronger cognitive and engagement gains (Barbiero et al., 2021; Deng et al., 2025; Chabok et al., 2025; Deng et al., 2025).
• Many studies are quasi‑experimental or single‑site, so broader generalization is still emerging (Barbiero et al., 2021; Mahrous et al., 2023; Li et al., 2024; Koshek et al., 2025).

Action Steps:

• Orient learning spaces to encourage views of nature or add elements as needed outside of classroom windows (i.e. plant trees or flowers)
• Bring nature inside when possible (i.e. plants)
• Encourage outdoor learning
• Use materials in the classroom that replicate patterns found in nature to stimulate that part of the brain (i.e. visual and auditory)

References

Barbiero, G., Berto, R., Venturella, A., & Maculan, N. (2021). Bracing Biophilia: When biophilic design promotes pupil’s attentional performance, perceived restorativeness and affiliation with Nature. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 27, 20417 – 20431. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01903-1

Browning, W., & Determan, J. (2024). Outcomes of Biophilic Design for Schools. Architecture. https://doi.org/10.3390/architecture4030026

Chabok, S., Sorourkhah, A., & Edalatpanah, S. (2025). Spatial Evaluation of Primary Schools Using Biophilic Design Elements: A Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach. Architecture. https://doi.org/10.3390/architecture5020028

Deng, H., Ismail, M., & Sulaiman, R. (2025). Exploring the Impact of Biophilic Design Interventions on Children’s Engagement with Natural Elements. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17073077

Deng, H., Sulaiman, R., & Ismail, M. (2025). Biophilic Design and Children’s Well-Being in Kindergartens in Henan, China: A PLS-SEM Study. Buildings. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15091548

Koshek, S., Moustafa, Y., & Khalil, M. (2025). Impact of biophilic classroom design on pupils’ creative thinking, perceived stress and place attachment: a quasi-experiment in the Egyptian context. Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research. https://doi.org/10.1108/arch-04-2025-0156

Latini, A., Torresin, S., Oberman, T., Di Giuseppe, E., Aletta, F., Kang, J., & D’Orazio, M. (2024). Effects of Biophilic Design Interventions on University Students’ Cognitive Performance: An Audio-Visual Experimental Study in an Immersive Virtual Office Environment. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4585084

Li, M., Jie, Y., & Xu, L. (2025). Protective and Restorative Effects of Biophilic Design in High School Indoor Environments on Stress and Cognitive Function. Indoor Air. https://doi.org/10.1155/ina/8696488

Li, K., Perrault, A., DeYoung, W., Cameron, E., Miller, C., O’Connor, A., Gu, M., & Braun, B. (2024). Impact of Biophilic Design on College Student Perception of Mental Health and Environmental Benefits: A Dose-Response Study. Building and Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.112318

Mahrous, A., Dewidar, K., Refaat, M., & Nessim, A. (2023). The impact of biophilic attributes on university students level of Satisfaction: Using virtual reality simulation. Ain Shams Engineering Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2023.102304

Mousighichi, P., Samimi, P., & Mousapour, B. (2024). Impact of biophilic design parameters on university students’ place attachment and quality of campus life. The Journal of Architecture, 29, 99 – 125. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602365.2024.2331505

Peters, T., & D’Penna, K. (2020). Biophilic Design for Restorative University Learning Environments: A Critical Review of Literature and Design Recommendations. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12177064

Sakip, S., Khair, N., & Ajis, A. (2024). THE IMPACT OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN ON COGNITIVE ABILITIES IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY SETTINGS AND URBAN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS. PLANNING MALAYSIA. https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v22i34.1648

Terblanche, R., & Khumalo, D. (2024). The impact of biophilic design in university study areas on students’ productivity. Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research. https://doi.org/10.1108/arch-10-2023-0288

Vella‐Brodrick, D., & Gilowska, K. (2022). Effects of Nature (Greenspace) on Cognitive Functioning in School Children and Adolescents: a Systematic Review. Educational Psychology Review, 34, 1217 – 1254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-022-09658-5