Bio-energetic architecture is a bridge between 'human well being , built environment and nature'. It facilitates to create spaces that promote good health, happiness and harmony for all those who inhabit them. Design intervention in such a 'holistic , humane and nature centric manner' promises to herald a paradigm shift in the current 'architectural design consciousness'.
For a better understanding of it's application, let's take a closer look at following facts:
1. Perched at the end of second decade of this century, we see stress has become a middle name for many and instances of cancer , tumour , autism , alzheimer’s, infertility , mental and physical disorders have increased despite advances in mainstream medicine. People are increasingly turning to alcoholism and intoxication to be happy and relaxed . Inner peace and outer harmony have become elusive to most in our 'technologically advanced and civilized' society.
2. We have surrounded ourselves with unprecedented amounts of electric and magnetic fields (all the gadgets around us, computers, electrical lines etc.) , radio field radiations ( cell phone communications, television and radio broadcast, GPS etc.) and a plethora of unnatural static fields (computer, cell phone, LCD screens and interiors made of synthetic new age materials). Every time we enter a ' wi-fi ' zone or move around in a city where our cell phone works, we immerse ourselves in an ocean of radiations. Whenever technological shift takes 2G to 3G onto 4G and finally 5G , IoT ( Internet of things)- this ocean of radiations becomes denser with new frequency bands of electromagnetic fields.
Historically, these fields did not exist naturally in such intensities ever on our planet. So over a long period of time, with the process of evolution, human body has aligned to the natural levels of earth and cosmic radiations, magnetism and even miniscule amount of radioactivity which is naturally present in earth's environment. Then suddenly in a very short span of time, say over past three- four decades, owing to a geometric rise in technical advancements, we find ourselves surrounded with environmental conditions ( especially the invisible radiations) of which human body and mind has no prior conditioning.
3. As architects, engineers and building trades people, we are mostly trained along technical , aesthetical, functional, sustainable and economic lines. Biological aspects are almost completely ignored. In the past, this may have worked because only natural building materials were used and adverse health effects due to buildings were negligible ( and of course all the electromagnetic and static fields were absent completely!) Numerous connections between health, illness, and living environment have already been researched and made freely available. Yet too little of this knowledge is known to the public or to educationists and policy makers. Perhaps this is why the biological impact of our built spaces and planning strategy is never ( or rarely) considered in architectural design, urban planning and our everyday living.
4. An average person is likely to spend over 90% of his life inside artificial structures. So it matters very much what the walls, ceiling, and furnishings of this indoor living environment are made of. In last two decades, building industry invented and introduced numerous building materials, systems and technologies to either address the growing demands of time , space and economy or to achieve better performance or strength and at times even to be sustainable and save natural resources. As a result, many new materials that are alien to nature and artificially synthesized have become part of our life and surrounding environment. Use of natural materials like wood, stone and earth in their natural form is declining with every passing year. Human bodies, which were adapted to living in natural materials and natural air has been put into a completely synthetic environment with air conditioning! This modern way of building causes serious interference with biological systems. As a consequence, building-related diseases and sick building syndrome are increasingly on the rise. Simply because we are unable to adapt to this fast changing ' artificial' living environment.
5. We are all 'electrical beings' and each moment there is communication happening within millions of cells in our body through a network of electrical impulses. Even our 'thoughts' are nothing more than electrical impulses and like any electrical body , we too emit a 'force field ' around ourselves which is termed as 'Bio-field' by some scientists. Extensive research has shown how our bio field is greatly influenced by the fields of nearby organisms, biosphere, environment , earth energies and cosmos, especially the electromagnetic and geo-cosmic rhythms. Therefore, identifying and harmonising these subtle energy fields and neutralising any detrimental effect these maybe creating in our auric fields ( bio-fields) to achieve a 'benign bio-environment' becomes all the more essential.
While all aforementioned have immense impact on well-being of users of a space , however, these are hardly recognised as critical ingredients of a good architectural or interior design exercise. It seems only logical to look at how architecture can aid in restoring health and happiness on the planet. Bio-energetic architecture is a step in this direction.