Yes, you read that correctly! Over 2000 years ago the Romans were designing homes with outdoor spaces and were also creating virtual nature walls. They had ambitions to create healthier cleaner air, wanted improved scents and less noise pollution specifically to improve health and wellbeing. I speak with Dr Patty Baker, about her research on identifying the connection between Roman conceptions of “pure air” and physical and mental health in Pompeiian gardens, and especially on the mutli-sensory approach the Romans took to ancient medicine.This is the first of a few podcasts with Patty, so be sure to bookmark the podcast or sign up to the newsletter on our website.Why was nature so important in the ancient world? Even in the Ancient Greek world, way back in the 5th century BC, the pre-Socratics believed that we were part of nature and that out health was affected by our environment. They believed that we are made from the same four elements as nature: Earth, Air, Fire and Water made up everything: humans, animals, plants. Later in the Roman period we see writers such as Pliny the Younger writing in the late 1st century AD, describing how he wants to escape the city of Rome, the pollution and noise. How he longs for his villas in the mountains, or by Lake Como, how he wants “pure air”. It is this search for what “pure air” meant to the Romans that has led Patty to research how they identified it, and for us interested in Biophilic Design in the built environment, the results are very interesting. For the Romans “pure / clear air” was green, it was perceived as a heathy colour. White air such as bright sunlight, blue also was good, such as that you find on a clear blue day. Air that moves, so not stagnant and also not smokey. Scent was good, just a mild sent, such as mountain air. Nature was divine. To revisit the Pre-socratic philosophers we are reminded that for them they believed that there were water nymphs for instance, and you didn’t want to annoy a semi-divine water nymph (if you’re bored go check out the retribution they wreak on those who do!). Maybe we could do well to feel a little more respect of our nature too.One of the key things that I find interesting is just how important the ancient world considered their environment was to their health. How they felt it had a “direct” impact on their wellbeing. For the atomists for instance, they believed that little atoms of what you saw and experienced around you actually entered into you. So for instance, the small entered your brain through your tongue, sound theory your ears. They believed that your brought your environment “into” you. So you can see already why they felt having a pure healthy environment was a key feature of a healthy life. Even Vitruvius, writing on architecture in the 1st century AD describes how you need to design buildings and spaces away from unhealthy smells, eg. sewers, fullers (who used urine), marshes, anywhere where there was stagnation and bad fetid air. This carried on through to the 4th century AD where Vegetius writing on a designing and location different spaces, this time for the military, suggests they also avoid such places for the same reasons.Looking at the archaeology of the Roman gardens in Pompeii we can see how they positioned the gardens at the back of the house, away from the noise and smells of the Main Street at the front, creating a haven to eat, live, be at peace. They decorated their walls with murals, mosaics of nature, beautiful virtual nature walls, frescos of trees, plants, water, clear skies. They often had water features in them, so the sound of running water they realised was important to them. They had shade in the form of a portico running around the edge of them creating shade. I think for those who already appreciate Biophilic Design elements we can see how garden design in the ancient world was a forerunner of elements that we aim to incorporate now. Patty describes the house of Olivia, the wife of Emperor Augu