Have you ever noticed the pleasure and calmness while driving through the Canal Road as compared to the anxiety frustration and mental blocks while driving through the Ferozepur Road? Have you ever noticed your facial and body muscles being relaxed when you walk in a certain park as compared to racing heart beat or frown on a forehead as you walk on a busy street's sidewalk while cars moving right beside you? Have you ever noticed yourself smiling while hearing the birds chirping freely in the surrounding as compared to tension arising as you hear machinery sounds be it a car or blender at home?
Have you ever noticed why it's so different? Well, that's the beauty of Nature. That's our natural connection & pleasure associated to Allah's creations rather than to man-made creations. This innate and genetically determined affinity of human beings with the natural world (the urge to affliate with other forms of life) is known as ‘Biophilia’ according to a theory of the biologist Edward O. Wilson. A great amount of research has been done that proves the great benefits of nature on human life.
According to the Wingspread Declaration on Health and Nature: "Whether a city park, a community garden, a tree-lined street, or wilderness—nature in people’s daily lives reduces stress, renews the spirit, connects people to each other and increases physical activity. In short, humans are part of nature, our connection with nature is a fundamental human need, and we believe that access to nature is a basic right."
But what is being done in our cities due to this industrial revolution and technology focused design projects? Roads expansion is being done rapidly, high-rises and other buildings (with no connection to our local climate) being built on various locations, resulting into concrete buildings and roads replacing our farm lands. With passing time, our green life is being destroyed, work places getting busier and urban life stresses increasing with all types of pollution and health deficits. And as nature is being destroyed, so does our health. It has great effect on our mental health utmost.
These images below illustrates the immense destruction being caused by industrial revolution to our nature and how it should be dealt with urgently. Source: Pinterest
Mood and anxiety disorders are clear signs of disconnection with nature and constantly consuming technological stuff. Natural environment have certain elements and even vitamins that are essential for our health like vitamin D in Sunlight at particular hours. Spending time out in nature and deeply connecting to it while observing changing seasons, varying colors of daylight and cloud forms, inhaling fresh air, enjoying natural views, listening to rain pour and birds chirp and seeing other creatures and human beings all have deep and healthy effects on human health. But it takes intentional effort to do so nowadays. In past, Architecture and urban planning incorporated nature and animals into the building and now we only see buildings and technology. Stress is an outcome of distancing oneself from nature.
“Research suggests that green places can help address a wide range of direct physical and mental health benefits, including increasing physical activity and cardio-metabolic health; reducing mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and stress; increasing cognitive functions like attention and memory; providing a platform for social interaction and community activities that build social capital. Furthermore, green spaces affect other environmental factors that in turn improve health outcomes, such as reducing violent crime; improving air and water quality; and building resilience to flooding.” (The Case for Healthy Places by Project for Public Spaces)
So, just switch off devices once in a while in a day and just go out in nature and spend time silently. This is being used as a therapy worldwide known as Eco therapy. You will notice that your blood pressure will lower as you see nature and feel nature. Nature reduces physiological and psychological stress. Our brains are at guard but when we go out in nature we get a break to relax, that is a therapeutic aspect of nature. Thus, parks and community gardens and tree-lined streets are essential for a happy city life. Go out and utilize that gift of nature. We must also incorporate natural features to our homes and bring life to our neighborhoods and our personal life. We are organic beings; we can survive better in that environment. We can survive better with other humans and creations in nature. And the plus point is people are more caring and generous when close to nature.
So, let’s be committed to conserving our natural habitat in our city and advocate towards creating balance between nature and technology for the well being of our people and citizens of Lahore. Let’s bring liveliness and better management to our parks and community places and even to our homes and porches to create places where we can escape from our daily stresses and connect with nature and other human beings on a deeper level. Let’s make our city and our homes a happy place to live in.
Here's an artistic clip by Shafia Aslam encouraging you to spend time in Nature and to get curious and inspired and to build more of Indigenous Architecture that incorporates local materials in balance with nature.
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