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You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which
are based on Reading Passage 2 on pages 5 and 6.
Biophilic Design
A
Biophilic design, a movement related to green architecture, has gained much
momentum within the building community in recent years. The premise of
biophilic design seeks both to avoid or minimize harmful impacts on the natural
environment, and equally importantly, to provide and restore beneficial
contacts between people and nature in the built environment.
B
People have a psychologically developed need to commune with nature but this
has frequently been neglected. All too often, architects have put creative
originality before the needs of the people who have to live and work in their
futuristic constructions, with scant regard for emotional, as well as
practical, considerations. Biophilic design does not advocate tree houses or
cave-dwelling, but it does provide the nature-based features that maximize
human functioning and health. Though not technically a biophilic design,
Fallingwater – the stunning house in rural Pennsylvania designed in the 1930s
by Frank Lloyd Wright – arguably speaks to the human soul much more than the
boxlike blocks of flats designed by his contemporary Le Corbusier.
C
In the modern world, much of our built environment is obstructing the age-old
connection between humans and nature. The rates of technological progress are
far exceeding rates of psychological evolution, leaving us ill-equipped to cope
with our lifestyle, which in turn leads to increased stress. Because biophilia
attempts to integrate basic and current needs, it can alleviate the
difficulties caused by the brain's constant attempts to function in a modern
environment it has not yet evolved to handle. For example, one crucial element
of the natural landscape to human health is sunlight. We are evolutionarily
programmed to respond positively to sunny areas over dark or overcast ones, and
sense that they will foster restoration, improve emotional well-being and
promote health.
D
Because of its tremendous impact on human psychology, biophilic design plays a
vital role in healthcare and healthcare delivery. The current healthcare system
contains many flaws, especially in its physical spaces. Hospitals, clinics, and
offices are high-stress environments for patients, visitors and healthcare
professionals alike. One well-known study looked at the impact of nature on
patients after surgery. One group had a view of a tree; the others had a window
looking onto a brick wall. The first group had shorter hospital stays, received
fewer negative comments from the nurses, required fewer analgesics, and had
slightly fewer post-operative complications.
E
As a consequence of this and other studies, nature and nature-based design have
been integrated into the physical design of many hospitals. For example,
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in New Hampshire boasts an atrium
design, illuminating the entire facility. Natural elements also permeate the
building, including wood, stone, and numerous live plants. While DHMC was built
to incorporate these qualities, other hospitals have had biophilic features
added to existing structures. The application of biophilia's concepts to
interior design in hospitals has increased substantially as administrators have
witnessed patients' positive responses to nature.
F
Many existing buildings contain biophilic elements, but only a few have been
built with the specific idea of biophilic design in mind. One such building is
the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies at Oberlin College, in
Ohio. The director of Oberlin's Environmental Studies Program, David Orr,
explained the building's goals were 'to create not just a place for classes but
rather a building that would help to redefine the relationship between
humankind and the environment – one that would expand our sense of ecological
possibilities'. The Lewis Center is sustainable in a broader sense than in the
typical application of the word. It harnesses solar power, utilizes both active
and passive air systems, and monitors the weather to adapt to conditions. The
Center's 'Living Machine' treats wastewater by combining traditional wastewater
technology with wetland ecosystems' purification processes, producing water
that can be used in the toilets and for irrigation. In their design, Orr and
his team of architects engineered a healthy and comfortable space for students,
while ensuring the surrounding environment was undamaged.
G
Another example is the University of Guelph-Humber building in Ontario, Canada.
It contains a centrally located bio-wall, vertically spanning the building. The
wall is covered in dense foliage which not only connects people to nature on
the inside of the building, but also functions as a new filtration system
prototype. The wall purifies the air and has the potential to fulfil the building's
fresh air intake requirements. This is another example of how biophilic design
principles can be applied in a variety of contexts. These examples prove that
the built environment need not interfere with biological human needs to commune
with nature, nor with existing ecological systems
H
Ancient architects built for their cultures, which were almost always more in
touch with the earth than Western society of the present. They mimicked
nature's forms, producing magnificent structures with which we are still awed –
though biophilic design is a novel concept, they certainly employed some of its
recommendations. Today, we can add another layer to this tradition and ensure
maximal benefit for our planet and ourselves.
Questions 14–19
Reading Passage 2 has eight paragraphs, A–H.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A–H, in boxes 14–19 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
14 a description of how rapid change has a negative effect
on people
15 a reference to an architect whose designs were uncharacteristic of biophilia
16 a definition of the two main aims of biophilia
17 a positive claim about early forms of architecture
18 a reference to the fact that many architects are too focused on innovation
19 a description of features which conserve energy in a biophilic design
Questions 20–24
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 20–24 on your answer sheet.
20 In the modern world... ...advancements are happening so
quickly that
21 humans are unable to adjust to them. Biophilia can help us deal with the ...............
current lifestyles.
22 ...caused by the difficulties of our
23 People instinctively feel more comfortable in places which have plenty of ...............,
something which is necessary for health and well-being.
24 An experiment designed to test the effect of nature on patient recovery
times found that those who could see a ............... made a faster recovery.
There is a biophilic design feature in the University of Guelph-Humber building
which improves the quality of the ................
Questions 25 and 26
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Write the correct letters in boxes 25 and 26 on your answer sheet.
Which TWO of the following statements does the writer make
about the Adam Joseph Lewis Center at Oberlin College?
A It was the first educational establishment designed with
biophilic principles.
B It is beneficial for both students and the environment.
C It has established new concepts for classroom design.
D It aims to inspire new ways of thinking about the environment.
E It provides solar power to other buildings in the surrounding area.
14. C
15. B
16. A
17. H
18. B
19. F
20–24
20. stress
21. brain’s
22. sunlight
23. tree
24. air
25–26
25. B
26. D
PASSWORD: REALEXAM2026
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