The beauty and benefits of living with nature - Build Magazine
There is an emerging understanding of the need to consider nature when designing our cities. Nature-based design is known to improve quality of life and helps mitigate the effects of climate change
As cities worldwide face intensifying climate challenges, from devastating floods to scorching heatwaves, the imperative to reimagine urban design has never been more urgent. Nature-based design isn’t just about adding green spaces to cities – it’s about fundamentally reimagining urban environments to work in harmony with natural processes, recognising that nature is essential infrastructure underpinning human wellbeing.
The science behind nature’s benefits
Nature is a vital component of a healthy city and should be considered as critical. With the effects of climate change, flooding, drought and biodiversity loss, we need a vision to achieve healthy, resilient, biodiverse and more equitable cities for people and nature.
Recent research reveals that interacting with nature through our senses triggers measurable physiological and psychological changes in our bodies. Even brief exposure to natural environments can reduce stress hormones, lower blood pressure, improve cognitive function and boost immune system responses. These benefits occur through multiple pathways: seeing green spaces and natural shapes reduces mental fatigue, hearing birdsong induces calming and smelling natural scents like pine can enhance immune function.
Studies show that as little as 20 minutes of exposure to nature can significantly reduce stress hormone levels. More extensive research indicates that spending at least 120 minutes per week in nature provides optimal health benefits. Importantly, these effects are cumulative – they can be gained through multiple shorter visits rather than requiring long periods of immersion.
Implementing nature-based design
Nature-based design can be implemented through various approaches, from large-scale urban parks to smaller interventions like pocket gardens and green walls.Nature-based design encompasses living infrastructure such as green roofs for stormwater management and temperature regulation, strategically placed urban forests creating cooling corridors, water-sensitive design features like rain gardens and permeable surfaces, biodiversity corridors connecting green spaces for wildlife movement and community spaces that promote social interaction and wellbeing.
Global success stories
Cities worldwide are demonstrating effective nature-based solutions. Copenhagen’s Cloudburst Management Plan transforms parks into water storage during heavy rainfall. Singapore’s ambitious greening programme aims to have 80% of buildings incorporating vertical gardens by 2030. China’s sponge cities initiative uses permeable pavements, rain gardens and constructed wetlands to manage urban water flows naturally.
In London, research has shown that residents living in boroughs with higher street tree density have lower rates of antidepressant prescriptions. Toronto’s extensive urban forest study demonstrated significant correlations between tree density and improved cardiovascular health among residents.
Aotearoa New Zealand’s journey
While nature-based design is gaining traction in Aotearoa New Zealand, implementation has been slower than in some other countries. A significant milestone was reached with the Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangārei, featuring Aotearoa’s largest living roof with 4,000 plants. I led the design of the living roof project, winner of the 2023 Built Environment Green Roof Award at the World Green Infrastructure Congress in Berlin. It demonstrates how nature-based design can combine cultural values with environmental benefits.
A recent Auckland Council report analysed temperature variations across the city using climate modelling tools. It found that the city centre experiences temperatures up to 3°C warmer than rural areas at night, while being cooler during the day due to local wind patterns.
However, challenges remain. Aotearoa is behind other countries worldwide in terms of utilising nature-based solutions in the built environment. Our stormwater infrastructure and receiving water bodies are not benefiting from this. Green roofs, living façades, sustainable urban drainage and urban trees are all nature-based flood defences.
Beyond aesthetics
The benefits of nature-based design extend far beyond visual appeal. Living walls can significantly improve indoor air quality and enhance beneficial microbiomes. Even small interventions like front garden plantings can measurably improve residents’ wellbeing. Moreover, biodiverse urban spaces provide critical ecosystem services. They absorb and filter rainwater, reduce urban heat island effects, sequester carbon and create habitats for wildlife. As 100% of the economy is dependent on nature – from the food we eat to the air we breathe – embracing this interconnectedness helps solve environmental challenges holistically and sustainably.
Economic benefits
While the initial investment in nature-based infrastructure may seem substantial, the long-term economic benefits are compelling. Studies indicate that nature-based solutions can reduce healthcare costs, increase property values and provide more cost-effective stormwater management than traditional infrastructure. As an example, Philadelphia’s green infrastructure programme is expected to generate US$2.9 billion in economic benefits over 25 years compared to US$1.2 billion in costs.
The path forward
For nature-based design to gain wider adoption in Aotearoa, several shifts are needed. Regulatory frameworks must be updated to better accommodate innovative solutions, and successful pilot projects must be scaled up to demonstrate effectiveness at the city level.
Current regulatory frameworks and development practices often prioritise short-term gains over long-term sustainability. Auckland has an urban ngahere (forest) strategy that aims for canopy cover of at least 15%, but some of the mahi we’ve been doing at The Urbanist shows that we can’t achieve those targets under current regulations. Our unitary plan rules don’t require or leave enough space for nature.
The investment required for nature-based design might seem substantial, but the cost of inaction – in terms of flood damage, heat-related health issues and lost biodiversity – would be far greater. As climate change intensifies, working with nature rather than against it isn’t just an option – it’s becoming an imperative for resilient urban futures. Cities that embrace nature-based design now will be better positioned to face future climate challenges while creating more liveable, sustainable environments for their residents.