First Name:
Joni
Last Name:
Ray
Major Department:
Sustainable Development
Thesis Director:
Jim Toub
Date of Thesis:
May 2013
This thesis examines the relatively new topic of biophilic design and its applications in modern urban environments with emphasis on street art. Through mass urbanization populations have been removed from the natural systems that humanity developed and evolved in; which creates a sense of placelessness. Biophilic design seeks to correct this problem by reconnecting those populations through reintroducing nature back into urban environments through cross-disciplinary applications. Street arts' role in biophilic design is significant due to its versatility and ability to reach large audiences. Examining the need for biophilic design, from the general well-being of urban populations to humanity as a whole, as well as its applications around the world in architecture, sustainability, organic design, and street art; shows that it can decrease placelessness and tie communities together with the natural environments around them. The implications of street art are also examined through its history and in the street art installation on Howard Street in Boone, NC, which highlights the salamander species of the Southeastern United States.