Designing “in harmony with” Nature means taking Nature as a concrete design reference.

It means designing with light, materials, perception, comfort, and the quality of the living experience through conscious, coherent, and well-founded choices. From this perspective, Biophilic Design is a design field that requires method, tools, and the ability to interpret contemporary complexity.

In this interview, we meet Anellina Chirico, an architect and former student of the MeM course “Designing According to Nature: Biophilic Design.”

Starting with a renovation project in the living area of an apartment in Cilento, Anellina explains how this approach has become an integral part of her work, helping her to interpret the space with greater precision, set more informed priorities, and translate the concept of well-being into specific design choices. Her account clearly illustrates one of the central aspects of MeM’s work: offering housing professionals a space for qualified in-depth study, where they can consolidate their skills and refine their methods.

Credits: Anellina Chirico
Rendering of the living area

MeM: “Who are you today as a designer, and what is the common thread running through your work? And at what point did you feel the need to integrate Biophilic Design into your design method?”

A.C.: “Today, I am an architect who chooses every day to practice my profession in an ethical and sustainable way. Architects are called upon to create works that look toward the future, capable of envisioning tomorrow.

Since becoming a mother, this sense of responsibility has grown even stronger. I feel a duty to make conscious choices and to help my clients do the same.

I have based my practice on the pursuit of well-being, understood not only as energy efficiency or technical comfort, but as the profound quality of the living experience. I am interested in designing spaces that regulate energy, light, air, sound, materials, and perception.

The turning point coincided with my systematic exploration of eco-sustainable architecture. I felt the need to go beyond the somewhat superficial idea that simply adding a few plants to a home was enough to speak of well-being.

Biophilic Design has provided me with a structured method, based on clear protocols, to consciously integrate our innate need to reconnect with Nature. It is not green decoration: it is the systemic design of the experience.”

MeM: “Let’s start with the brief. What was the client’s initial request, and what do you think was the real goal to be achieved?”

A.C.: “The project concerns the living area of an apartment in the center of Vallo della Lucania, in the Cilento region: over 100 square meters laid out lengthwise, with a southwest exposure in all rooms.

The client urgently needed to move into the apartment with minimal changes, capable of enhancing the spaces without invasive interventions. The desire was to make the living room more harmonious, less chaotic, and more welcoming.

Analysis revealed that the space had extraordinary potential: abundant natural light, excellent orientation, effective ventilation, and a striking view of the historic center. However, these strengths were not being harnessed. The artificial lighting felt cold, there was minimal greenery, and the finishes were inconsistent and unnatural.

The true objective was therefore not to “beautify” the living room, but to transform a bright yet cold environment into a space capable of generating a sense of protection, rootedness, and perceptual control, without losing its openness to the outside.

The project did not change the layout: it changed the quality of the experience.”

Credits: Anellina Chirico
Pre-operative stay

Credits: Anellina Chirico
Views and interaction with natural light before the renovation

MeM: “During the analysis phase, you identified very clear strengths and weaknesses. How did you translate these findings into a concrete design strategy, and what were your priorities?”

A.C.: “Like many apartment buildings from the 1960s and 1970s, the apartment features large openings to the outside and durable flooring. It also enjoys a view of the historic center, with brand-new fixtures and systems.

Conversely, the successive renovations over the years and the various owners had resulted in a home where the inconsistency and lack of uniformity in the finishes and details were evident—elements that gave the spaces a chaotic appearance.

To address these issues, I identified two sets of themes that guided the design strategy by focusing on specific problems. Top priority was given to natural, abundant light; the panoramic view, unobstructed by other buildings but somewhat disorienting; as well as optimal orientation and natural ventilation.

At the same time, it was necessary to eliminate or mitigate the critical issues. It was straightforward to address the artificial lighting, while the work on the vegetation and the inconsistent, unnatural materials already present was more complex.”

Credits: Anellina Chirico
Analysis of the current situation, including floor plan, strengths, and weaknesses

MeM: “Method and process. What principles or tools did you use to guide your decisions, and how did they help you establish priorities and consistency?”

A.C.: “The entire process was guided by the application of Bolten and Barbiero’s 10-point Protocol.

The protocol helped me avoid making arbitrary choices. Every decision had to answer a specific question: Does this element enhance the connection with nature, or is it merely aesthetic? This made the project coherent and, in many ways, even measurable.

For example, the use of cotton and raffia lighting fixtures, paired with dimmable bulbs ranging from 2700 to 3000 K, adds chromatic coherence to the design of materials and colors, but above all introduces a more soothing light tone that is better aligned with circadian rhythm regulation.

The use of linen gauze curtains to filter and modulate natural light increases control over this natural element, with a direct benefit on indoor bioclimatic comfort. Furthermore, the movement of the curtains when the air conditioner is on or when the window is open restores the perception of airflow, another natural element brought into the home.

I worked with three layers of greenery—interior, balcony, and railing—to enhance the view and screen out unwanted elements. This transformed the perception of the space from “open but exposed” to “open but protected.”

For finishes, furnishings, and accessories, I opted for natural and sustainable materials, such as linen, bouclé cotton, organic wallpaper with plant inclusions, Mediterranean scents, herbs, and breathable fabrics, so as to engage the senses of smell and touch as well. In short, I didn’t change the layout: I altered the user experience.”

Credits: Anellina Chirico
Project floor plan and main renovations to the living area

Credits: Anellina Chirico
Project mood board: natural materials, color palettes, and sensory experience

MeM: “Expected results. What change do you expect in the perception and daily use of the space?”

A.C.: “I wanted the change to be subtle yet powerful.

In daily life, warmer artificial lighting in the evening hours promotes greater relaxation. The layered exterior view complements the use of the outdoor space, amplifies its depth, and eliminates the element of “danger.”

Soft, natural materials emphasize the perception of tactile comfort, reinforcing the feeling of living in a protected space. The greenery isn’t artificial: it’s alive and active, and enhances the sense of daily vitality.

I anticipate a longer, more mindful presence in the space, greater pleasure in inhabiting it, and a slower, more restorative quality of time spent at home.

“Decisions guided by the principles of Biophilic Design, through the application of the Bolten and Barbiero Protocol, have a more solid scientific foundation. As a result, the interventions implemented by the designer are also perceived as having greater value.”

Credits: Anellina Chirico
Design perspective: light, materials, and the perceptual experience of space

MeM: “The role of MeM. What concrete and measurable benefits did the training provide for your work?”

A.C.: “The training with MeM has given me three concrete tools: a shared technical language to discuss well-being in measurable terms; a replicable analytical framework that allows me to approach every project with greater rigor and precision; and a greater awareness of how to set priorities.

In the past, I tended to focus primarily on aesthetics. Today, I start with the sensory experience.

More specifically, I make faster and more consistent decisions, and I’m able to explain to the client why even a small choice can significantly improve their quality of life.

Furthermore, working under the guidance of Bettina Bolten—an expert whose scholarly contributions I was already familiar with—was the real highlight of this course. I highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to deepen their expertise in the field and offer a more comprehensive design service.”

We thank Anellina Chirico for sharing her experience with us, which highlights how Biophilic Design, when supported by a rigorous methodological framework and structured operational tools, emerges as a design process capable of informing decisions and generating concrete, measurable value in the living experience.

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