Why do we love parks, gardens, and yards so much? At least in part, because it’s hard to feel stressed when you’re basking in sunlight or burying your nose in a flower. We know this instinctually. When life feels easy, we say it’s a walk in the park.

So why not bring those good, park-like vibes to the places that challenge us the most?

That’s what designers, artists, and architects seem to be thinking as they reinvent airports, courthouses, correctional facilities, and other typically tense spaces. They’re beginning to weave trees, daylight, natural materials, and living walls that calm humans in otherwise tense and uncomfortable locations.

Consider airports, which are notoriously stressful, whether due to fear of flying, anxiety about missing a connection, or getting through security without sacrificing one’s oversize toiletries. When crafting a plan for Portland International Airport (PDX), the research and consulting firm Terrapin Bright Green, identified the gnarliest pain points and then remedied them with plants. This is biophilia, or using nature to enhance human wellness, in action. Says Bill Browning, a partner at Terrapin, “Different biophilic measures result in different outcomes. Some enhance cognitive performance. Some reduce stress. Some encourage more social behavior.”

How this plays out at PDX: As travelers head toward the security lines, they pass under expansive skylights filtering daylight through a wood lattice that creates speckled, tree-like shadows. Below, full-size living trees rise from large planters, their understory planted with ferns. The effect is deliberate: a walk through an Oregon forest before confronting TSA.

There’s science behind this. Research from the University of Oregon and others shows that exposure to certain fractal patterns common in nature can lower stress. Dappled light, branching forms, and layered plantings quiet the prefrontal cortex into what psychologists call “soft fascination,” a state associated with reduced heart rate and blood pressure.

Above the security screening area, there’s a massive digital wall displaying nature scenes — mountains, forests, open range — from across Oregon. The footage, which never moves faster than walking speed, is calibrated not to overstimulate. At the post-security “recomposition” zone, trees and plantings surround the benches. Instead of perching in a fluorescent corridor, travelers repack their bags “in the forest.”

The movement isn’t limited to architecture alone. Public art at the reimagined John F. Kennedy International Airport includes large-scale natural imagery and organic forms, such as a monumental flowering hand sculpture intended to evoke care and connection. Across transit hubs, schools, and even open streets initiatives, plant-driven installations are reframing how public space feels.

Courthouses and correctional facilities are other high-pressure environments turning to biophilia..

“Spending time in nature and connections to nature can effectively de-escalate high-pressure environments,” says Jennifer Jackson, principal and community practice studio leader at JLG Architects, who works on civic buildings including courthouses and public safety facilities. 

In spaces serving people who are grappling with trauma, addiction, anxiety, or depression, access to daylight, views of greenery, and natural materials can support both mental and physical health. Secure outdoor courtyards, green roofs, and landscaped walking paths offer moments of respite. “Biophilia and trauma-informed design often work hand-in-hand to prioritize comfort, dignity, and a sense of control,” notes Jackson. 

Hospitals have long leaned into this research. Studies dating back to the 1980s showed that surgical patients with views of trees recovered faster and required less pain medication than those facing brick walls. What’s new is the extension of these principles into correctional and civic systems historically designed around surveillance and control.

Let’s look at one last stressful spot: schools. A bit of green in the classroom can be an easy salve for developing brains, with exposure to nature having a calming effect.

That doesn’t mean schools need to install old-growth forests in hallways. When talking about biophilic design, Browning points to low-cost interventions that “punch above their weight,” such as nature-based motifs in floor and wall treatments, material choices that reflect local ecologies, and improved daylighting strategies. That’s how, when anxiety is ambient, nature becomes not a luxury but a powerful and accessible tool.