ENHANCING USER EXPERIENCE IN INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE THROUGH BIOPHILIC DESIGN: A CASE STUDY OF URBAN RESIDENTIAL SPACES
Authors:   Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Kayseri, Türkiye, Khanzadeh Masoumeh 
Published: April 2024

This study aims to investigate how applying biophilic design principles to interior architecture—especially in urban residential contexts—can improve the user experience while accounting for the influence of different user profiles. It has been demonstrated that using natural components and patterns in constructed settings has a good influence on people's health and sense of connection to the natural world. The impact of numerous biophilic design elements on occupant well-being, productivity, and emotional connection to their living environments will be thoroughly examined. These include natural light, vegetation, water features and natural materials. University faculty and their families are the sole residents of Kayseri Nuh Naci Yazgan University Faculty Residences in Turkey a unique urban living community. Located at the corner of the university, this space offers individualized accommodation alternatives, creates a close-knit community and provides a distinctive living environment that meets faculty members' academic needs by guaranteeing easy access to educational resources. 54 residential units are participating in the study. Respondents are academic staff members that reside and work in the residences of Nuh Naci Yazgan University. The study centers on their housing experiences and they are its primary subjects. Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered using a combination of in-depth observations, questionnaires and interviews in addition to random sampling. The study closes a crucial knowledge gap regarding the application of biophilic design in urban settings, given the current state of growing urbanization. This study is significant because it may help design more environmentally friendly and psychologically stimulating urban living environments. The results of this study can help architects, designers and urban planners create healthier and more user-centered urban places, which will ultimately improve the quality of life in urban settings, by examining how biophilic design affects user experiences. Using a case study methodology, the study was focused on NNYU Residences as a particular urban living environments as its study subjects. Observations, surveys and interviews was used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data to investigate users' opinions about the integration of biophilic design elements in their surroundings. This study has multiple main objectives. It seeks to comprehend how consumers interpret biophilic design elements, evaluate how the design affects inhabitants' well-being, investigate sustainability issues and offer useful advice for designers and architects. According to this study, biophilic design enhances sustainability and user satisfaction in urban residential environments. This has significant ramifications for urban planners and architects. Nonetheless, the case-study methodology and possibility for participant bias are two of the study's shortcomings. Also, because interior architecture is the study's primary focus, related bioinspired fields are not included. To learn more about these topics and how they contribute to biophilic design in interior products, future studies should investigate them.