De onde viemos? O que somos? Para onde vamos?, 1897, Paul Gauguin, óleo sobre tela. Museu das Belas Artes de Boston
you will get better sleep for greater longevity™
if and when the sleep environment is closer to Nature
in your Bed, in your Bedroom, in your Home, and in
the Hotel Room and Bed when you sleep away from home
a Bauhaus estabeleceu a base da funcionalidade moderna,
enquanto a Bau-Biologie introduziu a ecologia e a saúde humana como a funcionalidade suprema do habitat
“László Moholy-Nagy moved to London in 1935 and quickly established himself at the heart of the avant-garde community in the newly designed Lawn Road Flats of London’s leafy Hampstead. He brought with him his belief in ‘nature as a constructional model,’ to determine functionality in art and design.
In 1937 the ecologist Julian Huxley hosted a sumptuous farewell dinner party for Walter Gropius upon his departure from London to become chair of the Harvard School of Design. The event took place at the then fashionable Trocadero, Oxford Street, with a guest list that reads as a Who’s Who of the English scene of Modernist design. Strangely, among the guests one also finds – besides Huxley – prominent ecological scientists and environmentalists, which raises the question of why they were invited.
What brought the Bauhaus designers and ecologists together was a shared belief that the human household should be modelled on the household of nature. Although some of them were inspired by biology while active in Germany, the fusion of biological reasoning with Bauhaus design took place during the process of trying to re-establish the school in London. After fleeing from Nazi harassment, Walter Gropius (who arrived in 1934 and left in 1937), Marcel Breuer and László Moholy-Nagy (who both stayed between 1935 and 1937) were able to meet regularly again as a group.
The former Bauhaus faculty moved into a new apartment complex, the Lawn Road Flats in Hampstead, which was the first Modernist residential building in London. Designed by Wells Coates, the building featured a common room (which Breuer redesigned into the Isobar Club in 1937). From his window Moholy-Nagy could enjoy overlooking a garden of “only trees, which is very peaceful, especially in London”. The list of carefully selected tenants included intellectuals and designers enjoying what Gropius described as “an exciting housing laboratory, both socially and technically”. Technically, the building was to be a true machine for living with new furniture (such as Breuer’s Isokon Long Chair) and novelties such as built-in cooking and washing facilities. Socially, the apartment complex was to promote collective life and liberate the occupants from the burden of personal possessions. Both Moholy-Nagy (1895–1946) and Gropius suffered from the language barrier (the latter spoke only “three words of English”). Yet they were able to overcome the obstacle thanks to the communal spirit of the Flats. As the building’s architect, Coates was in the midst of gatherings that soon evolved into the Modern Architecture Research Group, or MARS Group. This included notable designers such as Maxwell Fry (who collaborated with Gropius on several projects), Morton Shand and John Gloag.
One of the key debates was the role of biology in reshaping society. The MARS Group members became advocates of environmental sensitivity: “There must be no antagonism between architecture and its natural setting,” they pointed out in an exhibition manifesto of 1938. A drawing of a tree growing through a building was to illustrate that “the architecture of the house embraces the garden. House and garden coalesce, a single unit in the landscape”. This appeal reflected values and ideas promoted by environmentalists such as Clough Williams-Ellis, who thought Modernist design could save Britain from ecological destruction. Along with the professor of town planning at London University, Patrick Abercrombie, Williams-Ellis was on a crusade against unregulated development of the English landscape. Modern architecture, with its focus on light and fresh air, represented for them advancement in public health, as well as a remedy that could halt environmental destruction of past developments.”
Buildings As Our Third Skin …
… emphasizes that the built environment is an active, protective layer for human beings—similar to clothing (second skin) and our biological skin (first skin).
Because people spend roughly 90% of their time indoors, the structural, material, and environmental quality of buildings directly dictates human physical and mental health.
the third skin concept
Skin as a Filter
Just as our skin acts as a filter rather than a sealed barrier, buildings should be designed to selectively manage the exchange of air, humidity, and light with the surrounding environment.
Healthy Houses = Healthy People
The concept, heavily influenced by Bau-Biologie (Building Biology), posits that “toxic” or poorly designed houses cause “sick” occupants. A building that is damp, poorly ventilated, or made with toxic materials leads to health issues for its users.
Evolutionary Perspective
Successful shelters enable life to continue. Modern construction often neglects the biological needs of humans in favor of functionality or rapid development.
impact of building health on human health
The “health” of a building refers to its ability to support its occupants rather than causing them harm.
Respiratory & Mental Health
Poorly designed or maintained buildings with mold, poor ventilation, or high density can lead to chronic diseases, respiratory illnesses, asthma, and significant stress.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Pollutant concentrations inside buildings are often two to five times higher than outside. A healthy building prioritizes good ventilation to eliminate toxins, chemicals, and excess moisture.
Light and Energy
Natural light and proper lighting design are crucial for maintaining circadian rhythms, which regulate sleep-wake cycles and mood.
principles of a “healthy” third skin
To ensure building health contributes positively to human health, design should focus on:
Biophilic Design
Integrating natural elements into the built environment, such as natural light, water features, and vegetation, to reduce stress and improve mental health.
Sustainable Materials
Utilizing natural, non-toxic building materials that allow the building to “breathe”.
Adaptation
Buildings should be adaptable to the local environment to keep occupants comfortable without relying on intensive artificial systems.
in essence
When a building is designed and maintained to be a living, breathing extension of our natural environment, it promotes health, comfort, and productivity.
Conversely, a “sick” building, characterized by poor air quality and synthetic materials, degrades the health of its occupants.
(from Google)
