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Kevin Nute, an architecture professor at the University of Oregon, says we spend too much time indoors and that architects should find more ways to bring natural elements into their designs. He has put his ideas into an e-book, 鈥�Vital: Using the Weather to Bring Buildings and Sustainability to Life.鈥�

鈥淎s human beings our ancestors were primarily outdoors in an ever-changing environment and physiologically we’ve hardly altered,鈥� he said.

Humans need contact with nature in order to reduce stress and maintain balance, Nute said. He contends that it is possible, even in a high-rise, to include more natural elements, and points to the work of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who wrote the foreword to 鈥淰ital.鈥� The e-book also includes photographs of some of Kuma’s work.

Kuma in his foreword states that humans have attempted in the past 鈥渢o create ideal indoor comfort conditions by insulating ourselves from the outside world 鈥� I believe weather-based indoor animation strategies described in this book will be an important part of that change.鈥�

Nute, who met Kuma about 10 years ago, has served as a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo and last month gave a lecture at the university’s Kuma Lab.

Nute said his research has overlapped and been inspired by Kuma, so he approached him for access to some of his sites.

鈥淚 went to him, looking for examples of the elements 鈥� sun, light, wind and rain 鈥� being deliberately used to activate indoor spaces,鈥� Nute said. 鈥淚 wanted access to the buildings in order to film them because it is very difficult in Tokyo to get access unless you have a connection.鈥�

Kuma helped Nute access two of his designed spaces: the updated in Tokyo and the , a villa guest house overlooking the small coastal city of Atami. Nute’s book includes photos of both.

The Baisoin Temple was built more than 350 years ago, and Kuma’s design for overhauling the original structure included a slanted black wall covered with deep-ribbed metal louvers meant to be reminiscent of bamboo, according to the Kuma and Associates website.

Kuma’s massive redesign of the 11-story temple features a funeral temple on the top floor overlooking a 4-inch-deep reflecting pool, Nute said.

鈥淗e successfully managed to bring (evidence of) natural change into this extremely urban building,鈥� he said.

The Water Glass House also brings nature inside, according to Kuma’s website. A glass guest house seems to float over 鈥渁 layer of water that gently covers the building edges 鈥� The water surface stretches further out and unites with the surface of the Pacific Ocean.鈥�

Corey Martin, principal at architecture firm Hacker, which is working with Kuma on the design of the Portland Japanese Garden expansion, said he believes in the concept of bringing nature into architectural design.

鈥淭hat is my life goal, especially in an urban environment,鈥� he said.

Martin cited the example of Field House, an office building planned in Northwest Portland. It will have a green roof, multilevel terraces and cables spiraling up the building’s exterior to encourage vine and foliage growth.

鈥淭hat whole project is about that,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淚t’s fundamental to our existence. It’s healthier, it’s inspiring and if you do that, you are connecting to what it means to be a person on the planet.鈥�

Matt Piccone, sustainability expert at SERA Architects, agrees with the concept of being connected to nature 鈥� even inside a building.

鈥淚t’s important to constantly be aware of systems around us so we are more engaged in the environment,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he more (natural) systems we are connected to the more aware we are.鈥�

Piccone pointed to the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building. Its restoration was designed by SERA in collaboration with Cutler Anderson Architects of Bainbridge Island, Wash.

鈥淚t’s all about connecting to natural systems and bringing people outside,鈥� Piccone said. 鈥淲e did a lot of studies about daylight to improve health, and actually cut holes in the ground floor so light gets down to the basement 鈥� and you can see vines growing in with kind of pocket gardens.鈥�

But Nute said his ideas go even further, and his notion of animation includes the changing light of reflections off water features and the movement of air through a building 鈥� bringing the natural world indoors.

鈥淚n a word, it’s the weather,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ne thing about the atmosphere is that we don’t control it 鈥� it’s wild 鈥� and it’s what we are seeking.鈥�