HouseFinder Magazine is a practical home-and-garden-magazine. We feature a selection of properties for sale and rent from leading real estate agents in Namibia and deliver in-depth articles and expert insights on property trends and news.
When we gravitate toward earthy and vibrant colour palettes, it is far more than a passing aesthetic trend. It’s merely that, within our hearts, warm terracotta tones meet the regenerative energy of olive green, deep mineral blues and rich stone neutrals. We can’t help it. Again, it is that intimate sawubona (I see you) connection. It is a subconscious return to the landscape.
Since forever, the world’s sacred scriptures have described the ultimate mystery of existence: new growth, the return of Spring, the unfolding of a bud. Across global faiths, the moment a green shoot pierces through dark, heavy soil is a divine promise, not just a seasonal event. When we add these raw, nature-inspired hues to our physical spaces, we are constructing a living sanctuary that honours the timeless cycles of rebirth and renewal.
Ultimately, our lives are steeped in nature. In Namibia this goes without saying. But what about the vertical cities where thousands of people share a building? Urban planners in Asia and Europe go to great lengths (no, heights!) to ensure that high rise buildings contain plants that attract insects and help to cool the buildings. In Bangkok, huge rooftop gardens offer the breeze through dense greenery and the stifled sounds of the city.
In Milan, Italy there is the Bosco Verticale. Translating to “Vertical Forest,” these two residential towers house a massive amount of flora that would normally require 30,000 m2 of land. The balconies support 800 trees, 15,000 perennials and 5,000 shrubs.
That any structure can even carry that weight, boggles the mind. Thank goodness, though, that urban engineers and architects manage to balance the human need for nature and habitation. We each have an innate desire to connect with soil, foliage and running water. Research by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America indicates that as little as 30 minutes of exposure to green spaces per week can reduce the prevalence of depression in urban centres by up to 7%. In Singapore, a study on exterior biophilic attributes proved that natural forms, colours and textures built into building facades boost the inspiration, attentiveness and psychological security of city dwellers.
So how do people, clustered into vertical buildings, connect with nature? Via integrated living ecosystems where residents share their high-rise space with birds and insects. These multi-storey, open-air communal parks and glass atrium courtyards allow residents to take a walk in a park, sit under real trees and feel a natural breeze hundreds of feet in the air. Many self-contained megastructures have rooftop community gardens or hydroponic farms. Residents connect with nature by growing their own food, handling soil and participating in urban agriculture. Some modern towers provide the sight and sound of moving water that help to restore attention and lower cortisol levels.
When all else fails, there is interior design: Using natural materials like unpolished wood and stone, smart lighting that mimics the sun moving through a forest canopy, or ambient natural soundscapes, may bring some connection to the heart.
Bosco Verticale in Milan, Italy