Biophilic Sound Design in Action:
The Google Mass Timber Project, Healthcare Applications and Beyond
At Coupe Studios, we’re always excited to explore the ways sound can transform environments and experiences. Recently, Maximum Flavor Media tapped Coupe for a video announcing Google’s new mass timber constructed building. We immediately saw the powerful possibilities of creating a biophilic soundtrack that blends the natural with the innovative—just like the building itself.
What is Biophilic Sound Design?
Biophilic sound design reconnects humans to nature through the intentional use of natural sounds and organic elements. Scientific research shows that biophilic soundscapes can reduce stress, improve focus, and even enhance creativity. Compelling studies show that listening to nature-inspired sounds can lower cortisol levels, helping people feel more relaxed and centered in their environments. This design philosophy is rooted in biophilia, the innate human connection to nature, which has been shown to improve overall well-being in built environments.
Google’s Mass Timber Building: A Soundtrack That Mirrors Its Construction
Google’s mass timber constructed building represents a step forward in sustainable architecture, combining natural materials with cutting-edge design. Our soundtrack mirrors this ethos. We incorporated natural sounds native to the building’s region and paired them with wooden, organic instrumentation that complements the building’s timber structure.
Inspired by a recent serendipitous conversation one morning at our Boulder studios between creative legend Alex Bogusky and Coupe ECD Eric Singer, we integrated binaural beats designed to stimulate alpha brain waves. This can help promote relaxation and focus, making the space feel more inviting and harmonious. When we take these principles beyond video content and into the real world, we’re creating soundtracks that have a real, quantifiable benefit for people in those spaces – in offices, hotels, hospitals and other places we humans take shelter.
The Science Behind Biophilic Sound Design
Biophilic soundscapes aren’t just about aesthetics—they’re about improving how we interact with our environments. Research suggests that nature-inspired soundscapes can increase feelings of tranquility and even boost cognitive performance. This makes biophilic sound a powerful tool in spaces where people need to recharge or stay focused, like workplaces, healthcare facilities, and educational environments. Whether in physical spaces or digital environments, biophilic sound design is about more than just creating pleasant audio. It’s about fostering a deeper connection to the world around us and improving our overall well-being. By blending the organic with the innovative, we’re redefining how sound can shape our experiences and environments.
Beyond Google: Expanding Biophilic Sound Applications
Our work with Google is just the latest example. At Coupe Studios, we’re applying biophilic sound design in a variety of other contexts:
Sonic Chapel: We’re developing a mobile sonic chapel that immerses visitors in biophilic soundscapes tailored to specific times of day, aligning with natural ultradian rhythms to help people recharge and find moments of calm.
Healthcare and Wellness: We’re creating sound installations for hospitals and spas to reduce stress and promote healing, helping to transform these spaces into sanctuaries.
Agricultural Innovation: Using sound frequencies that have been shown to promote plant health and yield, we’re exploring ways to enhance crop growth while reducing the need for pesticides.
Virtual and Mixed Reality: Through our partnership with Spatial Matters, we’re bringing biophilic sound design into the digital realm, crafting immersive environments that bridge the gap between the natural and virtual worlds. Stay tuned for more upcoming news on this partnership beyond this topic…