Vanessa Champion

I set up the publishing company Journal of Biophilic Design (orginally called Argenta Wellness) to help bring nature closer to people, to help us reconnect to our living world. I have always loved living close to nature, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin, the soft breath of a light breeze lifting my hair, the salt spray on my lips from the sea, listening to bird song and just being. It was after chance comment from a colleague who uttered the word “biophilia” a few years ago that really got my attention. My background is entrenched in languages, communication and detailed research, in fact I started life as an academic, specialising in Ancient Greek and Latin of all things at UCL, so you can imagine my brain immediately clicked the meaning of “biophilia” - “the love of life, or living things”. I went off and researched this phenomenon and discovered that many designers quote E.O.Wilson’s seminal book from the 1980s. What they miss I think, is that his concept wasn’t just about using nature elements inside but actually respecting nature and getting involved in nature however we can.

My own professional life has taken me into many walks of life and has given me much responsibility and experience, working in a variety of offices, environments with varying (and sometimes unbelievable) stress levels not just in the City of London and around the UK, Paris and elsewhere in Europe but also in Africa, India and further afield. Always nature has been my escape, it has been my tonic, my “home” on the go. I sometimes joke that if I’m out with friends or colleagues and I go missing, I am either in a bookshop or sitting under a tree…

My professional life has allowed me to establish a multi-media company, (www.vanessachampion.co.uk) creating visual and written content using photography, audio and film. I also ran a specialist London Newspaper. I am now combining all of this into what The Journal of Biophilic Design stands for, to help unite us with our natural world.

Using high definition photography, video and audio to help give a new perspective, a new view, some space, life and air to as many people as possible whether they are at home, in hospital, co-working, sitting in a boardroom or just need some “time out” to help them make another day with a better point of view and mindset.”