Needs and activities
We identify what the place must allow people to do, including moments of focus, exchange, rest and care.
BIOMA method / People / Place / Living systems / Verification
A clear process
for complex relationships
The BIOMA method translates listening, site reading and biophilic research into design decisions that can be explained, developed and verified.
01Premise
A method, not a style
Biophilia begins by reading relationships
not by adding a visual language
Every place contains climatic, ecological, spatial and cultural conditions. Every group of people brings needs, routines and different sensitivities.
The BIOMA method holds these aspects together and makes the reasons behind each design decision legible.
02Listen
01 / People and expectations
We begin with those who will inhabit the place
Perception and preferences
We examine comfort, sensory load, desired degrees of openness and the relationship with natural elements.
Shared objectives and scope
The client shares priorities, budget, timing and constraints. Together we define the brief, responsibilities, deliverables and exclusions, distinguishing essential outcomes from desirable qualities and unresolved questions.
03Read
02 / BIOMA LOCUS
The place is observed before it is transformed
Physical conditions
Light, air, water, acoustics, materials, dimensions and existing systems are read together.
Living systems
Soil, planting, habitat, seasonal change and maintenance reveal opportunities and limits.
Context and identity
History, use, local knowledge and the wider landscape help make the project specific to its setting.
04Compose
03 / From evidence to form
Strategies become a coherent spatial system
Scenarios and client decisions
We present alternatives with their trade-offs, indicative costs, constraints and implications for use. The direction is agreed before the appointed design documents are developed; decisions and revisions remain documented.
Integrated design
Architecture, interiors, landscape, light, material and planting are coordinated rather than added in sequence.
Verification criteria
Expected qualities are linked to observable conditions and, where appropriate, agreed indicators.
05Deliver and care
04 / From intention to use
The project continues through detail, delivery and time
Details and responsibilities
Decisions, interfaces, exclusions and maintenance requirements are made explicit.
Construction
Where included in the appointment, we review samples, details and site changes against the design. The responsibilities of the professionals involved are explicit.
Use and adaptation
Care guidance and any agreed post-occupancy checks support adaptation. A design objective is never presented as an outcome already achieved; not every commission includes all stages.
06Design tools
From place to decisions
A clear record of why choices are made
BIOMA LOCUS
An integrated reading of the place brings together conditions, traces, flows, potential and constraints before a design direction is selected.
BIOMA ATLAS
An internal tool for comparing objectives, strategies and evidence. It supports professional judgement rather than making decisions, and is not software sold to third parties.
Project Passport
The project record makes decisions, responsibilities, maintenance requirements and available results legible, with a level of detail appropriate to the appointment.
07Evidence
Proportionate evidence, transparent claims
Distinguish what we expect
from what we observe
Starting conditions
The baseline records the initial conditions, missing data, limitations and qualities to protect.
Decisions and checks
Strategies are linked to objectives, evidence, risks and responsibilities. Where evaluation is agreed, indicators, methods, timing and criteria are defined in advance.
Learning from use
Observation can inform corrective actions and future projects. Technical data, user experience and ecological conditions remain distinct; a general research finding does not prove an outcome in this project.
08Questions
Frequently asked questions
A rigorous method
clearly explained
How do sustainable, biophilic and regenerative architecture connect?
Sustainability guides decisions on reuse, resources, materials and durability. Biophilia concerns relationships between people and nature. Regenerative intentions address the vitality of the place, including soil, water and biodiversity, with objectives to be checked over time. The method coordinates these perspectives without turning them into certifications or guaranteed benefits.
How does the client participate and what do they receive?
The client shares needs and constraints, agrees priorities and reviews alternatives at defined stages. Deliverables and records of decisions follow the appointment. Analyses, concepts, technical drawings and checks vary in depth by service; not every commission includes all stages.
What is the BIOMA biophilic design method?
An adaptive process connecting human experience, living systems, place identity, resources and performance. It makes objectives, decisions and responsibilities clear, from initial listening to any agreed checks in use.
Does biophilic design mean adding plants?
No. Planting is one possible strategy. The design also considers daylight, air, water, materials, views, orientation, shelter, sensory variation and relationships with the landscape.
Can the method guide work on existing buildings?
Yes. It can inform renovations, interiors, workplaces, hospitality, restaurants, retail and gardens. Analysis and deliverables are calibrated to the scale and scope; other collective spaces are considered individually.
How are data and evidence used?
We describe starting conditions, identify data gaps and relate strategies to objectives and risks. Research informs professional judgement. Instrumental measurements and post-occupancy evaluations are included only where relevant and agreed.
Does the method impose an architectural style?
No. It develops a response to people, climate, memory, budget, maintenance and the particular character of the place.
FROM METHOD TO PLACE