Architecture and health

An approach from biodiversity and biophilia

Miriam García, founding partner of LANDLAB, participates in the debate session of the VIII Congress of Architecture and Health organized by the College of Architects of Catalonia.

Within the framework of an enriching debate moderated by Benedetta Rodeghiero and with the participation of Rocío Cota and Itziar González Virós, fundamental issues relating urban ecology, social cohesion, and territorial planning in times of uncertainty were addressed. The central focus of the conversation was the health of landscapes and urban environments, understood not only in physical or aesthetic terms but from an ecological and emotional perspective: biodiversity and biophilia as tangible and intangible indicators of collective well-being.

This approach suggests that the spaces we inhabit—streets, squares, parks, and neighborhoods—are a direct reflection of the health of the communities that care for them. Where life flourishes—vegetal, animal, and human—an active and resilient network of social and environmental bonds is evident. In this sense, the quality of an environment is not measured solely by its infrastructure, but also by the emotional and functional connection that people establish with that place.

It was also emphasized the importance of developing tools capable of capturing this integral dimension of neighborhoods. Tools that are not limited to physical or economic parameters, but that integrate neighborhood perception, care flows, collective memory, and ecological dynamics. Understanding the territory from this complexity allows for envisioning fairer and more sustainable urban policies.

Finally, the debate projected into the future, addressing the viability of a paradigm shift in the face of current challenges: the climate crisis, geopolitical instability, and the increasing possibility of energy scarcity. Faced with this scenario, rethinking our environments as living and collective systems, capable of regenerating and sustaining themselves from proximity, cooperation, and respect for natural cycles, becomes not only desirable but urgent.

The Congress, which is held biennially, has achieved the objective of providing an overview of the relationship between buildings, the city, and the health of those who live and work, disseminating existing knowledge in this field, provoking debate, and raising awareness on this topic. Organized by the College of Architects of Catalonia (COAC), the Architecture and Sustainability Group of the College (AVES), and the Association of Geobiological Studies (GEA), it has been a true success in terms of audience and content delivered.