Biophilic Design
Read Biophilic Design and check the IELTS Reading answers. Biophilic design, a movement related to green architecture, has gained much momentum within the building community in recent years. The premise of biophilic design seeks both to avoid or minimize harmful impacts on the natural environment,…
Passage preview
Biophilic design, a movement related to green architecture, has gained much momentum within the building community in recent years. The premise of biophilic design seeks both to avoid or minimize harmful impacts on the natural environment, and equally importantly, to provide and restore beneficial contacts between people and nature in the built environment.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- alleviate verb
To make suffering, deficiency, or a problem less severe
International aid efforts aimed to alleviate the famine in the region.
- commune verb
To share one's intimate thoughts or feelings, especially when the exchange is on a spiritual level
Many poets sought to commune with nature to find inspiration for their work.
- foster verb
To encourage or promote the development of something (typically something regarded as good)
The program was designed to foster innovation among young entrepreneurs.
- harness verb
To control and make use of natural resources, especially to produce energy
Engineers are finding new ways to harness tidal power for electricity generation.
- mimic verb
To imitate or copy the appearance or behavior of something, often for a specific effect
Synthetic materials can now mimic the properties of natural skin.
- momentum noun
The impetus and driving force gained by a moving object or a developing process
The campaign for renewable energy has gained significant momentum in recent years.
- permeate verb
To spread throughout something; to pervade or penetrate every part
A sense of uncertainty permeated the financial markets following the announcement.
- premise noun
A previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion
The research is based on the premise that economic growth leads to social stability.
- prototype noun
A first, typical or preliminary model of something, from which other forms are developed
The company revealed a working prototype of their autonomous vehicle.
- scant adjective
Barely sufficient or adequate; limited in quantity or quality
The proposal paid scant attention to the potential environmental side effects.
Answers with explanations
- 14. C
The prompt looks for the **negative effect** of **rapid change**. Paragraph C explicitly describes how rapid technological progress exceeds psychological evolution, leaving humans **ill-equipped to cope** and directly leading to **increased stress**, which is the negative effect sought.
- 15. B
We need an **architect** with designs lacking biophilic traits. Paragraph B contrasts Frank Lloyd Wright's nature-connected design with the un-biophilic, **box-like blocks of flats** created by his contemporary **Le Corbusier**, identifying him as the specific architect in question.
- 16. A
The statement asks for the **two main aims** of biophilia. Paragraph A explicitly outlines these two premises: first, to **minimize harmful impacts** on the environment, and second, to **restore beneficial contacts between people and nature**.
- 17. H
The question asks for a **positive claim** about **early forms of architecture**. Paragraph H discusses **Ancient architects** and makes the positive claim that they produced **magnificent structures** because they were more in touch with the earth and mimicked nature.
- 18. B
We need a reference to architects prioritizing **innovation**. Paragraph B states that architects often prioritize **creative originality** (a synonym for innovation) over the practical needs of people living in their futuristic constructions.
- 19. F
The prompt seeks features designed to **conserve energy**. Paragraph F describes the Adam Joseph Lewis Center, detailing how it **harnesses solar power** and uses **active and passive air systems**—both clear examples of energy conservation features.
- 20. technological
The sentence requires an adjective describing rapid advancements humans can't adjust to. Paragraph C states that **technological** progress is exceeding our psychological evolution, leaving us **ill-equipped to cope**. The word 'technological' fits the grammatical and contextual requirements perfectly.
- 21. stress
The sentence requires a noun representing a negative consequence of our lifestyles that biophilia helps with. Paragraph C explains that our inability to cope leads to increased **stress**, and biophilia attempts to **alleviate the difficulties**. 'Stress' is the correct answer.
- 22. sunlight
The blank needs a noun describing what makes people feel instinctively more comfortable. Paragraph C states that humans are **evolutionarily programmed to respond positively** (feel comfortable) to areas with **sunlight**.
- 23. tree
The blank requires a singular noun that patients saw to make a faster recovery. Paragraph D details a study where patients with a view of a **tree** had **shorter hospital stays** (a faster recovery) compared to those looking at a brick wall.
- 24. air
The sentence requires a noun representing what the Guelph-Humber building's biophilic feature improves. Paragraph G discusses the building's bio-wall, explicitly stating that it functions as a filtration system and **purifies the air**.
- 25-26: BD
The text states two key points matching the options about the Lewis Center. First, it was engineered as a **healthy space for students** while leaving the **environment undamaged** (Matches Option B). Second, its goal is to **redefine the relationship between humankind and the environment** (Matches Option D). Options A, C, and E present ideas not found in the source text.