The development of Green spaces has been a hot topic since the late 1960s and is on the increase in certain cities throughout the United States and globally. So, what’s the big deal? According to an NPR health report, green spaces offer greater biodiversity, help to reduce pollution, improve city water management, Improve the thermal insulation of buildings, and overall improve our quality of life, to name a few scientific benefits.

Other important environmental sciences and design integrations include Biophilia, Urban Acupuncture, Biophilic Urban Acupuncture, and Feng Shui. Below is a quick description of each approach that has been inspiring and engineering green spaces throughout urban neighborhoods and within living and working dwellings.

Biophilia - a theory that says humankind seeks to connect with our inherent need to affiliate with nature in the modern built environment. This approach utilizes designs inspired by nature which can include formations, patterns, and shapes found in nature, colors, sounds, quality of lighting, and aromas) and integrates that into the architecture, interior design, and landscape design of buildings.

Urban Acupuncture - a social-environmental theory that combines contemporary urban design with traditional Chinese acupuncture, using small-scale interventions to transform the larger urban context.

Biophilic Urban Acupuncture (BUA) A theory that intervenes in specific urban places to help improve people’s moods, connect people to place, and help improve mental health. Biophilic urban acupuncture blends biophilia and urban acupuncture.

Feng Shui Healing - an ancient healing practice that originated from the mountain ranges of China about 6,000 years ago. The approach and language of Feng Shui have shifted to meet the needs of modern-day living and translation. Feng Shui invites a new lens of perspective in understanding how our surroundings have a profound impact on our emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being through the observation of a person’s history of a place, intentions for change, natural elemental interactions, and cycles of transformations. Feng Shui is steeped in symbolic and metaphorical languages, while at the same time it can be very practical in supporting the overall well-being of those occupying living and/or working environments.

Examples of Green Spaces in NYC

To help share real-life examples of green spaces (literally and artificially) the images you’ll see below capture views of the Little Island at Pier 55 and the Penn Station entrance between 33rd and 32nd street in New York City. For those who wish to go abroad, Singapore is the top-rated city for integrating green spaces!

Quick Feng Shui Observation: Curving pathways relate to the natural curvature of waterways to allow the energy and people to move with ease.

Quick Feng Shui Observation: Curved designs relate to Sheng Chi - life-nourishing energy. Science has also proven that our brains prefer curved designs and find them to be more appealing and emotionally soothing.

Quick Feng Shui Observation: Feng Shui encourages the integration of all five elements within our exterior and interior environments. The five elements include fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. When orchestrated in a balanced manner, the five elements modern-day theory says you help to cultivate a harmonious blend and cycle of five characteristics that speaks to the peaceful inner nature of humans.

Quick Feng Shui Observation: To have unobstructed views is said to symbolize endless possibilities.

A few ways Biophilic design can be integrated artificially into architecture is through shape, colors, visuals of nature, and lighting as you see demonstrated here in Penn Station.

Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall (originally called the James A. Farley Building, where the United States Postal Service used to be) are both going through a full revitalization process. News sources say the entire project will be Sustainable and LEED silver certified. It’s also worth noting, there seems to be a good amount of biophilic design fused into the revitalization process as well.

The image above is of Penn Station’s entrance between 33rd and 32nd street. As you travel up the escalator, you are greeted with a pretty amazing view, paired with a map of New York City.

Quick Feng Shui Observation: When able to allow more natural light into a space, do so. This helps to refresh the energy and literally energize the occupants.

Some who observe the design of this new Penn Station entryway through the lens of Feng Shui may feel this design is creating a sweeping feeling (fast-moving energy). I would have to agree and say, yes that is the feeling (having ridden the escalator up to the top). In fact, the design gave me a tiny bit of vertigo. However, compared to what this area used to look and feel like, I would personally describe this new opening as a pressure release point for the heavy, stuffed-up energy that accumulates within Penn Station to escape. Since this is a transportation hub, perhaps encouraging the energy to move up and out at a quicker pace is not such a bad idea.

This is a pretty interesting topic to explore and you’ll probably have even more appreciation when recognizing and encountering green spaces on your own. If you happen to be visiting the NYC area, please visit the above-mentioned Green Spaces. To provide yourself with a full self-guided Green Spaces walking tour along the west side of Manhattan, it’s recommended you start at Hudson Yards (where the Vessel structure is located), stroll along the High Line, and continue moving South toward the Little Island. Be sure to wear good walking shoes! You’ll for sure get in your 10,000 steps for the day.