Renaturation collection by 13&9 Design and Fractals Research, employs natural fractals for an approach to commercial design deeply grounded in science, design and wellness. FAQ
“My twenty five years of experiments have led to the ‘fractal fluency’ model, which declares that human vision has become fluent in the visual language of nature’s fractals and can process their features efficiently, creating an aesthetic experience accompanied by a decrease in the observer’s physiological stress-levels.” Dr. Richard Taylor
Q | What is a Fractal?
Q | What are the benefits of fractal-based designs?
A | Fractals are intricate patterns found in nature that repeat at different scales. They are the building blocks of many natural forms—like trees, clouds, coastlines, and even broccoli—where smaller parts resemble the whole. Q | What is the origin of our visual connection to fractals, and how do they benefit us today? A | For millions of years, early humans were surrounded by natural patterns—trees, rivers, clouds, and mountains—now known as fractals. These self-repeating forms signaled familiar, life-sustaining environments. Over time, our visual systems evolved to process them effortlessly, a trait known as fractal fluency. This deep familiarity may have helped early humans feel safe, calm, and focused—conserving energy and reducing stress. Today, that instinct remains. Neuroaesthetic research shows that simply viewing fractals can ease mental fatigue and reduce physiological stress by up to 60%, even in just seconds. Q | What is “Fractal Fluency?” A | Fractal fluency is our brain’s natural ability to quickly recognize and process fractal patterns. Our eyes process these patterns effortlessly, in fact our visual system is wired for these patterns, seeing them boost focus, pattern recognition, and memory—especially when the fractals are of medium complexity. Q | What does D-Value mean? A | Fractal dimension, or D-value, measures how visually complex a fractal pattern is. A simple line has a D-value of 1, and a fully filled shape has a D-value of 2. Fractals fall between these values—the more detailed and intricate the pattern, the closer the D-value is to 2. The Renaturation Collection has values between 1.7-1.74, an optimal range shown to deliver the greatest wellness benefits to the broadest population, including those who may be neurodiverse or more sensitive to environmental stimuli.
A | Research shows that fractal-based patterns can reduce stress by up to 60% with less than a minute of exposure—even when viewed peripherally. These patterns positively influence brain health, promote healing, and enhance overall well-being. They also support cognitive function, including focus, pattern recognition, and memory, with measurable benefits observed across all ages—even in infants as young as 10 months. Fractal-based designs offer a powerful tool for creating environments that not only feel better, but also help people perform and recover better.
Q | What is the connection between biophilia and fractals?
A | Fractal-based designs—developed and tested by 13&9 and Fractals Research—provide scientific validation for the well-documented benefits of biophilic design. They help answer the core question: What is it about nature that triggers these remarkable effects? The answer is fractals. Q | Why should fractals matter and why integrate them into the built environment? A | While our ancestors benefited daily from ‘fractal bathing’ in nature, today we are disconnected from those benefits, spending 90% of our time indoors often looking at screens. Fractal-based designs reconnect the built environment to nature and reintroduce the calming, and cognitive benefits of natural fractals to its occupants. The result is a healthier, more inclusive environment that supports mental clarity, balance and overall wellness. Q | What does renaturation mean (the name of the collection)? A | Renaturation refers to the process of nature reclaiming man-made or developed spaces—a concept rooted in ecological restoration. In the context of the collection, it symbolizes bringing the benefits of nature back into the built environment by integrating natural patterns that promote well-being, calm, and connection. Uniting biophilic design, art and science, Renaturation reimagines place as a state of wellbeing, reconnecting the built environment to the rhythms of nature and offering subconscious cues to thrive as we are meant to – in harmony with nature itself.
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