Workplace Biophilia: Designing for the Human-Nature Connection

“Bringing nature indoors” has arguably become the slogan for biophilia, the hypothesis that takes on an evolutionary perspective in arguing that humans have an intrinsic need and desire to connect with nature.

Biophilia was popularised by Edward O. Wilson's 1984 book of the same name and is further supported by Attention Restoration Theory, which asserts that nature has an “aesthetic advantage” because it requires effortless attention when compared to other fatiguing stimuli that people encounter every day.^[1]

The principles of biophilia are applicable across all types of interior design, whether in healthcare, learning spaces, or fitness facilities. And considering that full-time employees in the United Kingdom spend an approximate 1532 hours in office settings each year^[2], the workplace is one area where it would be especially tactical to consider the integration of nature-inspired design features.

Its benefits in modern office design might include the following results and cognitive, physiological, and psychological responses:

• Increased well-being
• Reduced stress
• Increased productivity
• Increased collaboration
• Improved ability to multi-task
• Improved working memory

Numerous empirical studies have emerged over the years that have only added credibility to the hypothesis that access to nature and nature-inspired elements in the office results in positive affective reactions, and the newfound popularity of evidence-based design in the workplace combined with human-centric design and restorative environmental design have further catapulted the popularity of biophilia.

Biophilic Office Design Ideas

For some designers, biophilia and the concept of bringing nature indoors means opting for visual stimuli like nature-inspired patterns. For other designers, the approach might be more of a haptic or auditory one.

But most environmental psychologists, neuroscientists, and workplace designers are likely to agree that the impact of biophilic office design is strongest when all senses are accounted for in a holistic strategy.

Natural Materials

Natural raw materials like wood, bamboo, and stone evoke a feeling of being close to nature thanks to their association with environments like forests and parks. And when such materials are responsibly sourced or have recycled content, their use might also contribute to scoring in green building certifications.

On the flip side, processed, composite, or synthetic materials such as plastics and metals might conflict with the biophilia premise.

Needless to say, wood is one material that has long been ubiquitous across interior spaces, and long, long before the emergence of evidence-based practices in interior design. But leveraging the material beyond its unpremeditated use into a strategic biophilic office design strategy might help increase its potential.

Some strategic decisions that designers might make to take advantage of the biophilic properties of wood in workplace design include:

• Quantity
• Placement
• Scale
• Tones
• Finishes
• Interplay with natural light  

One study relying on neurobehavioral tests found that office interior environments with a generous application of natural wood were correlated with more positive perceptions of task difficulty, attention level, work setting, cognition, and productivity, when compared to the control of a concrete office environment.^[3] As part of the research setting, different wood tones were configured along the flooring, wall coverings, and ceilings.

The employees that partook in the study were more likely to opt for one of the rooms furnished with wood and notably more so when dark tones were used. When asked about their preference, none of the respondents opted for the concrete room.

Greenery

For many, the interpretation of biophilia boils down to an abundant use of greenery. After all, unlike replications, plants are one of the few literal manifestations of nature that are feasible in interiors.

Plus, thanks to their vibrancy and visual contrast against other furnishings, plants and trees can be immediately noticed in interior environments.

A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology based on field experiments found that offices enriched with plants increased productivity by a whopping 15 percent.^[4]

In another study that used brainwave activity to evaluate the effects of plants and window views on employees, windows with a view of nature along with indoor plants were found to produce the most positive response as opposed to other combinations that had city views, with or without plants.^[5]

Some placement ideas for greenery in office interiors are:

• Living walls
• Preserved lichen walls or decorative features
• Station dividers
• Potted plants
• Outdoor greenery with viewpoints from seating
• Outdoor greenery with interior-exterior continuity

That said, it is critical to understand the plants’ implications for indoor air quality and to choose the right ones for the office environment at hand. Necessary considerations include whether pets will be in the space, access to natural lighting, humidity level, temperature, and maintenance resources and budget.  

Natural Light and Window Access

Along with views of the exterior, natural light in the workplace has tremendous effects on human well-being.

A survey based on a poll of 1601 employees showed that access to natural light and views of the outdoors are considered to be top office “perks”.^[7] And 73 percent of those surveyed indicated that the more time they spent behind the screen, the more that they desired a visual break.

Natural light plays a leading role in the human sleep-wake pattern (or the circadian rhythm), and access can help influence wakefulness and sleep patterns. It has additionally been associated with physical health, engagement and cooperation, and happiness.^[8]

Unsurprisingly, the leading well-being building certification WELL includes daylight across its “Right to Light” feature as well as in other lighting-related sections.

These natural light building requirements include:^[9]

• Healthy sunlight exposure: At least 55 percent of the space receives at least 300 lux of daylight for at least 50 percent of operating hours each year.
• Lease depth: 75 percent of the area of all regularly occupied spaces is within 7.5 metres of view windows.
• Glare avoidance: All computer screens at desks located within 4.5 metres of view windows can be oriented within a 20-degree angle perpendicular to the plane of the nearest window.
• Automated sunlight control: Shading devices that automatically engage when light sensors indicate that sunlight could contribute to glare at workstations and other seating areas.

It goes without saying that in addition to its influence on the circadian rhythm and well-being, a reliance on natural light also has the added ecological and cost benefit of a reduced need for artificial lighting.

Natural Shapes, Forms, and Patterns

Research has shown that the human responses associated with biophilia do not need to be literal components of nature. Design features that are reminiscent of natural landscapes, forms, patterns, and organisms can potentially achieve similar responses. This remains applicable whether they are presented in the form of replications, simulations, or abstractions.

For existing spaces that cannot be retro-optimised for access to daylight and views, nature-inspired design features can be some of the simplest and most feasible changes that can be taken on as part of biophilic office design efforts.

Some examples of biophilic design features are:^[10]

• Arches, vaults, and domes
• Shells and spirals
• Botanical motifs
• Oval and tubular forms
• Animal motifs
• Fluid, sinuous, curvilinear forms

These can be explored across ornamental features such as paintings of flowers – or functional interior architecture elements, like arches and staircases.

One reason such nature-inspired efforts might be effective, according to the social ecologist Stephen Kellert, is because they “evoke sentiments that tap into our inherent responses to the patterns, movement, light, shape, and space encountered in nature.”^[11]

A study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that individuals prefer exterior and interior structures that exhibit nature-like visual patterns. According to the authors, they might unconsciously rely on “naturalistic aesthetics” to process and organize their context.^[12]

And in terms of form, a study published in 2013 compared curvilinear to rectilinear forms to see the effect of contour on beauty judgments and approach-avoidance decisions. Findings showed that participants were more likely to consider spaces as “beautiful” if they had curved contours instead of sharped-angled ones.^[13]

Biophilia in Human-Centric Design

The ideas presented above are only a selection of the many, many possibilities that designers can consider in biophilic office design. In the book Dimensions, Elements, and Attributes of Biophilic Design, the authors provide a framework based on 70 attributes which are divided as follows:

• Environmental features
• Natural shapes and forms
• Natural patterns and processes
• Light and space
• Place-based relationship
• Evolved human-nature relationships

At their very essence, biophilic design elements should be relaxing and effortless sensory stimuli – much like they would be in nature. A strategy for the context, and a holistic one at that, is key to avoid any irritating overstimulation.

Justin Treacy, Principal of Corporate Interiors at Perkins & Will, insists that the applications of biophilia can be explored more than they currently are in human-centric design. Treacy currently leads Perkins and Will's new studio in Dublin and has worked on some of the largest and most innovative workplace projects in Ireland.

“If you had asked me ten years ago anything about biophilia or planting, I was totally anti-planting of any sort. Usually, it was something that happened after you had designed these amazing spaces,” he says.

“We're transitioning into being more mindful about how we use plants in buildings – and I think you could push it even further. I'm not suggesting that we have snow-capped mountains in the office, but moving towards an idea of really embracing landscape and environment.”

For more about biophilia and human-centric design in the workplace, watch the free on-demand webinar “The Art of Human-Centric Design: What are the missing pieces in the puzzle of workspace design?”.