The Participation of Biophilic Design in the Design of the Post-Pandemic Living Space

During the COVID-19 process, nature has been a place of escape regarding socialization and well-being. The aim of biophilic design, which supports physical and mental health in a fair and accessible way, is to evaluate the interaction with a healthy environment and to develop design proposals in this context. As a method, post-pandemic requirements, behaviors, and spatial scales are examined through a model in terms of biophilic design, and suggestions are made for the new normal by researching biophilic elements. The biophilic design provides the potential to use nature, daylight, air, and vitality as design elements to improve the quality of spaces and support the experiences of societies. Apart from including green spaces and ecosystems in the design, biophilic design can enrich the multisensory and multidimensional experiences both individually and socially by enabling users to participate in this experience. While this approach supports sound, healthy, and safe living spaces, it will also provide for cities to be sustainable and resilient.

Influence of Environmental Factors on Urban and Architectural Design—Example of a Former Paper Mill in Nanterre

Biophilic design is developed in urban planning concepts for cities—in line with sustainable development. A case study of converting a former paper mill in Nanterre into a university campus showed what factors influence the emergence of the biophilic form. The research informs the planning and design mechanisms and directs attention to the process. As a result, the study demonstrates that biophilic elements from the place-based pattern group are directly related to in-depth environmental analysis—similar to elements from the nature-based and element-based pattern groups. Together they result in a biophilic form. The element of creation is also present in the design process but is not the primary determinant of the choice of a design approach. In part, the form is adapted to the area's environmental characteristics, which result from their interaction with objective determinants. Nevertheless, the implementation is not devoid of compositional, creative, and cultural elements—that is, it assumes the features of biophilic architecture. This fact proves that the environment can influence the creative potential in architecture and urban studies.

Activating biophilic design patterns as a sustainable landscape approach

Biophilic design elements are found around us in many landscape elements while we do not perceive them as biophilic design patterns. By developing our understanding of biophilic design as a phenomenon, we could discover simple ways to utilize landscape elements and transform them into a good biophilic design that might have positive impacts on a user’s health and well-being. Activating existing biophilic elements as an approach to a sustainable landscape has not been studied yet. Therefore, we rather analyse some international case studies in order to understand how biophilic design patterns can be implemented and see their different forms. Later, we will also go through an Egyptian biophilic design pattern case study and implement it to reach a sustainable landscape model. To summarize, the purpose of this study is to present a new sustainable landscape approach by activating biophilic design patterns in order to increase landscape efficiency.

New methods of cleaning soil from heavy metals

The purpose of the work was to study new methods of cleaning soil from heavy metals. In this work, it was proposed to extract heavy metals Cd, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Pb from soils using the method of biological purification. For this, we recommended to carry out preliminary treatment of soils with complexones and to carry out additional introduction of biophilic elements into complex compounds. The possibility of using electromechanical treatment for removing heavy metals from soils after a preliminary increase in the mobility of ions by acidification and the use of complexation reactions is shown. The experiments were carried out on the plants of sowing oat Avena sativa L. variety Yakov when grown in laboratory conditions on sod-podzolic soil with the introduction of soluble salts of heavy metals into the soil. It was noted that the largest amount of heavy metals is concentrated in the root system of plants. When growing oats in the field, the concentration of metals in the grain was assessed: Mn - 30-35 ppm, Fe - 55-65 ppm, Cu - 4-5 ppm, Zn - 30-35 ppm, Cd, Pb < 3 ppm.

THE LONG ROAD TO THE LIGHT: ON THE NINETIETH ANNIVERSARY OF T.L. BYSTRITSKAYA

Tatyana Lvovna Bystritskaya is a prominent representative of the post-war pleyade of Soviet soil scientists, who laid the foundations of functional ecological soil science in connection with the problem of bioproductivity of terrestrial ecosystems. She can rightfully be considered as one of the most signifi Russian researchers of the year-round carbon cycle and conjugated biophilic elements in natural and anthropogenic steppe ecosystems on the chernozem soils of the USSR. Tatyana Lvovna Bystritskaya is also the developer of the methodology for instrumental monitoring of “soil life” (the daily and seasonal dynamics of soil solutions using ion-selective electrodes), an international expert on black fusion soils of Eurasia and on the fusion processes unfavorable to agricultural soils, author and co-author of classical monographs on the bioproductivity of herbal ecosystems in connection with soil processes and nature management, on the genesis and evolution of soils in the opolian landscapes of Central Russia, on the vertisols of Eurasia, soil solutions of chernozems and gray forest soils in Russia and Ukraine. In November this year, Tatyana Lvovna celebrates her ninetieth birthday, and we present this publication as a humble gift on this momentous occasion.

Reclamation of disturbed lands affected by periwinkle mining

General data about processes of creation and formation of stocks of amber in the territory of Ukraine are presented. Background for the problem of illegal amber mining was specified. Illegal amber mining using motor pumps led to destruction of the soil and also to sharp deterioration of water-physical properties. it is also accompanied by the loss of many available biophilic elements and water-soluble organic compounds, in addition loosing a main substrate for soil microorganisms. There was analysed a traditional methods of soil reclamation and after that it was noticed that those methods is inefficient and, for the most, impossible to make it. The Urgent need to adopt the law of Ukraine "On land reclamation" was argued. I emphasize the need of gradual differentiation of legal terms, such as land plot «ground», «land plot » and also «soil». It was given an important attention of land reclamation. The main methods of land reclamation that have been negatively affected by amber mining have been studied. I proved that the choice of the direction of use of ex-used deposits should be based primarily on the ecological and economic feasibility of reclamation.

Extreme fractionation of selenium isotopes and possible deep biospheric origin of platinum nuggets from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Platinum-rich nuggets offer an opportunity for understanding how precious metals accumulate. We analyzed the selenium (Se) isotopic composition of Se-rich (102–103 μg g–1) platinum-palladium (Pt-Pd) nuggets from a recent placer deposit in Minas Gerais, Brazil, for which a biogenic origin has been inferred. We obtained Se isotopic values with a relatively narrow range (δ82/76SeNIST3149 = –17.4‰ to –15.4‰ ± 0.2‰, two standard deviations [2 SD]). The Pt-Os age of the nuggets is 181 ± 6 Ma (2 SD). The data indicate that the nuggets did not form in the recent placer deposit, but by replacement of hydrothermal vein minerals at ~70 °C and at least 800 m below the surface. The high abundance and extreme isotopic composition of Se as well as the presence of other biophilic elements like iodine, organic carbon, and nitrogen within the nugget matrix are consistent with a microbial origin. Although abiogenic reduction of Se oxyanions cannot be ruled out, the nuggets plausibly record Se-supported microbial activity in the deep biosphere.

Problems of agroecological assessment of soil fertility

The paper proves the need to clarify the agroecological assessment of soils, taking into account the migration of substances, the non-exchange fixation of biophilic elements by the soil, the relationship between the properties of soils, the intensity and speed of soil-forming processes, and the manifestation of the law of decreasing fertility. It is shown that on well-cultivated sod-podzolic soils of the Moscow region, the losses of elements with high water and ground water averaged 19.3 and 6.9 kg/ha of N-NO3, 0.7 and 1.2 N-NH4 in the crop rotation. Losses with surface-runoff waters were: nitrogen-2.2 kg / ha, potassium-7.0; calcium-11.0; magnesium-6.0; phosphorus-0.9 kg / ha per year. When the Ca/K ratio in the soil solution of this soil was 0.44±0.03 and 2.7±0.1, the content of water – soluble iron was 57.9±7.4 and 5.3±0.7 mg/l, respectively; manganese-2.3±0.4 and 1.1±0.2 mg/l. It is shown that plants consume biophilic elements from different soil horizons, which must be taken into account in the balance of biophilic elements. It is shown that the optimal soil properties differ depending on the hydrothermal conditions of the territory, the combination of soil properties. It is proved that in order to choose the optimal crops for growing on certain soils, it is necessary to take into account the alienation of energy with the crop. Keywords: SOIL FERTILITY, FERTILIZERS, BALANCE, ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY

'Kiwiburn- a ‘Biophilic festival’: Considering mind-body-environment connections to nature in blended festivalscapes'

This article considers biophilic blended festivalscapes through an examination of relevant academic literature and secondary sources, whilst examining ‘Kiwiburn: New Zealand’s regional Burning Man event’ as a case study. A ‘biophilic festival’ can be understood as a festival that uses nature to construct or influence the embodied experiences of participants through their emotional responses, in a way that enhances positive mind-body-environment connections and promotion of biophilia. Examining Kiwiburn through the limitations of a literature review is an attempt to initiate a conversation about biophilia in connection to contemporary festivals. Kiwiburn provides a useful example of how biophilic festivals can be structured to foster sustainability, through mind-body-environment relationships. This article will be considering what principles and design features built into Kiwiburn are intended to drive positive ecological perceptions and practices within its participants; and, whether these biophilic elements have the potential for extension into the everyday lives of festival participants in broader society.