Savanna Preference
Preference for people to prefer savanna-like environments that are expansive, show scattered trees, water, and uniform grasses — based on the belief that early humans evolved in such environments that thus lends a genetic disposition towards favoring such environments even artificially (parks, golf courses, overlooks).
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Origin
Proposed by ecologist Gordon Orians in the 1980s, who hypothesized that because early humans evolved on the East African savanna, we carry an innate preference for savanna-like landscapes — open grasslands, scattered trees, water features, and long sight lines. Studies show that people across cultures prefer such environments, even those who have never lived in one. Related to biophilic design.
Updated February 22, 2026