Biophilia Network
Join Pittsburgh’s new network of creative minds working together to strengthen the bond between people and the natural world.
Biophilia: Pittsburgh is the pilot chapter for a global Biophilia Network. Read on to learn about our next event!
Biophilia: Pittsburgh – Learning to Live Lightly
Location: Café Phipps
Join us Thurs., Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. for an in-person and virtual Biophilia meet-up where we will discuss how nature teaches us that everything is inter-connected. Speaker Stefani Danes will address how creating the Rachel Carson EcoVillage allows for opportunities to understand and strengthen our connections with nature and with each other. Inspired by the life and work of Western Pennsylvania’s Rachel Carson, this intentional neighborhood is striving to realize her vision for a community “where all life seemed to live in harmony with its surrounding”. This talk focuses on one of our biggest questions: What does it mean to live in harmony with nature?
Not able to join us in person? We will also be streaming the event via Zoom! Register here.
Meetings are free to attend; however, advance registration is required via email. Click the button below to reserve your spot today.
Meet the Speaker:
Stefani Danes, FAIA
Ms. Danes, a registered architect and Principal Emeritus of the firm of Perkins Eastman Architects, is currently the developer and project manager for Rachel Carson EcoVillage, a cohousing development designed for Passive House certification. Located on the Providence Heights campus adjacent to La Roche University, it combines ecological land management and construction with sustainable living practices. Stefani’s work has always bridged practice and academics. She teaches architectural and urban design in the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University and is a Research Fellow of the Remaking Cities Institute, where she conducts community-based research. Ms. Danes received her Master of Architecture Degree at Yale University and her bachelor’s degree at Princeton.
Information for virtual attendees: The Zoom meeting will begin promptly at 6 p.m. (EST), 3 p.m. (PST). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Designed as a series of posts on the Phipps blog and a hashtag for use on Twitter and Instagram, #bioPGH is a new social call-to-action for people throughout the region to more closely examine the beauty and importance of the nature around them.
The Biophilic Mind is a blog focused on presenting primary-source articles at the intersection of human health and the natural world. The Biophilic Mind aims to highlight high quality, recent research about the connections between well-being and nature.
Inspired by the Biophilic Cities initiative, the Biophilia: Pittsburgh Directory seeks to present an overview of the biophilic organizations, events, activities and projects in Pittsburgh, to aid the public in enhancing their connections to nature and discovering collaborative opportunities.
In this archive, you may access presentation materials and video recordings from previous installments of our monthly Biophilia: Pittsburgh meeting series. Additions will be made often, so visit regularly for the latest materials to deepen your Biophilia: Pittsburgh experience.
Biophilia: Pittsburgh meets monthly at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens where, over delicious small-plates and light refreshments, an expert guest speaker discusses ways of connecting people to nature and showing how these connections can improve our lives in the interest of sharing ideas and identifying opportunities.
Our Goals
• To welcome and inspire others with the concept and principles of biophilia
• To foster collaboration and learning between professionals from a wide variety of disciplines
• To communicate biophilic principles in action-oriented ways to a wider audience for exponential and regional impact
What Is Biophilia?
The term “biophilia,” which literally means “love of life,” was coined by social psychologist Erich Fromm and popularized by biologist E.O. Wilson, who defined it as “the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms.”
The implications of biophilia extend across a vast array of disciplines including design and engineering, nutrition, psychology, public health, education, biology and the humanities. Biophilia is expressed all over the world every day, through complex collaborations such as the design and construction of buildings and landscapes; and intimate, personal encounters including nature hikes and home gardening.
Photo © Paul g. Wiegman, Phipps staff
