Introduction
The environments people live and work in have a substantial impact on their well-being, health, and overall quality of life. In particular, individuals living in urban areas experience long working hours, increased workload, and tight deadlines, leading to the development of mental and physical health problems (Yin et al., 2020). In addition, it can be argued that the adverse effects experienced by the employees of the company can translate into the poor overall performance of the organization as a whole. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that office workers spend their time in an environment that fosters their productivity as well as their health and well-being through biophilic design.
Biophilia in the Workplace
Biophilia is a concept that relates humans to the natural world and one that has been recently widely perpetuated in design. It argues that humans are intrinsically connected with nature and have an innate affinity for the living things in the natural world (Lei et al., 2022; Yin et al., 2020). The biophilia hypothesis that was first proposed in 1993 suggests that the human-nature relationship substantially affects the evolution and development of the human brain (Lei et al., 2022). Therefore, nature and objects from the natural world can positively affect the physical and mental health of individuals.
The idea of biophilic design was based on this hypothesis. It can be defined as a design that aims to “rebuild a positive relationship between the natural environment and human in the modern built environment” (Lei et al., 2022, p. 417). Biophilic design incorporates a variety of elements in order to bring the natural world into the urban, built environment. Thus, it utilizes environmental features, such as vegetation inside and outside the building (Bochart, 2022). Moreover, the human-nature connection is fostered through the recreation of natural shapes and forms and restorative patterns of the natural world (Bochart, 2022). In particular, humans respond well to a multisensory approach, and reconstructing the sight, sound, smell, and touch of the natural environment can breach the gap between nature and the built space. For example, the presence of water or natural airflow can simulate nature in a building. Natural lighting and space and utilization of colors co-occurring in nature are other prominent principles of biophilic design (Bochart, 2022). Overall, the natural world can be brought into the urban space by employing various visual and non-visual natural elements.
Benefits of Biophilia in the Office: Physical Health Benefits
The utilization of natural elements in the built environment positively impacts the physical health of individuals. According to Hung and Chang (2021), spending time in an office environment enriched with natural world features is positively correlated with improving vital signs, including heart rate and blood pressure. Research indicates that visual and non-visual connections to the natural environment replicated in the design of buildings can lower one’s heart rate and decrease blood pressure to the normal range (Hung & Chang, 2021). Biophilic built environments can lower both diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Furthermore, biophilia in an office can positively affect the muscles of the body, causing them to relax. For instance, research shows a decrease in frontalis muscle tension as well as a reduction in skin conductance levels (Hung & Chang, 2021). Hung and Chang (2021) note a meaningful increase in brain activity, blood oxygen as well as a decrease in cortisol levels. Therefore, the biophilic design reduces the physical stress experienced by individuals working in such a space and improves their vital signs. Thus, employees in a biophilic office have better physical health outcomes.
Mental Health Benefits
Biophilic design of office spaces is associated with advantages for the mental health of the individuals working in them. Experiences of nature promote emotional and psychological well-being and can reduce a variety of risk factors for different mental illnesses (Yin et al., 2020). In particular, exposure to the natural world allows attention restoration and stress reduction (Yin et al., 2020). Biophilic designs substantially impact the psychological well-being and outcomes of office employees, allowing them to quickly recover from mental fatigue and anxiety (Yin et al., 2020). The incorporation of natural features in built environments improves the overall happiness of employees and their mental engagement attentiveness as well as their self-esteem and self-confidence (Hung & Chang, 2021). Therefore, the biophilic design promotes the mental health and well-being of workers as it improves their attention and mood while reducing psychological stress and anxiety. As it prevents the development of mental health disorders, it can be argued that biophilia in the office has an overall positive effect on the life of the employees.
Organizational Benefits
The physical and mental health benefits experienced by the employees working in offices with biophilic design can translate into advantages for the workplace. Due to reduced physical and mental stress levels and increased restoration, the overall work performance and satisfaction are positively impacted (Yin et al., 2020). The elements of the natural world replicated in offices promote place attachment and reduce the desire of employees to be away from the workplace and work remotely (Hung & Chang, 2021). Biophilia facilitates better communication among colleagues, enhancing social interactions and forming a cohesive work environment (Hung & Chang, 2021). Thus, employees whose offices are built with adherence to biophilic principles are more likely to be more creative, productive, and better motivated to perform well in their duties and contribute to their organization. Consequentially, if the workforce is better motivated and better equipped to carry out their tasks, the organization profits from the set goals being achieved. In addition, the creativity of the employees whose physical and mental health is supported through workplace design can result in innovative ideas that will benefit the company and give it an advantage over its competitors.
Challenges in Biophilic Office Design
Although biophilic offices offer a variety of benefits, their development is associated with several challenges. Specifically, as most of the existing office spaces are built on non-biophilic principles, their conversion can be both expensive and challenging (Andreucci et al., 2021). In addition, the addition of natural elements into existing workplaces cannot be viewed as a biophilic design as there may be a disjunction between the added features and the spaces of the building. The spaces of the office buildings are often disconnected, severing the connection between humans and the natural world. Furthermore, the materials used in the interior of many buildings are not natural and fail to foster a connection to nature. Therefore, it is a great challenge to turn an existing office space into a biophilic office.
Conclusion
In summary, the natural world brought into the urban built environment through biophilic design can substantially impact people living and working there. Office design that incorporates the elements, shapes, sounds, textures, and smells of nature in its interior and exterior translates into physical and mental health benefits for the employees. Moreover, the improved cognitive performance, health, and well-being of workers lead to better organizational outcomes.
References
Andreucci, M. B., Loder, A., Brown, M., & Brajkovic, J. (2021). Exploring challenges and opportunities of biophilic urban design: Evidence from research and experimentation. Sustainability, 13, 4323–4347.
Bochart, S. (2022). Evolving our connection with nature: Six principles of biophilic design and biophilic design elements. Shepley Bulfinch.
Hung, S., & Chang, C. (2021). Health benefits of evidence-based biophilic-designed environments: A review. Journal of People, Plants, and Environment, 24(1), 1–16.
Lei, Q., Lau, S. S., Yuan, C., & Qi, Y. (2022). Post-occupancy evaluation of the Biophilic design in the workplace for health and wellbeing.Buildings, 12(4), 417–437.
Yin, J., Yuan, J., Arfaei, N., Catalano, P. J., Allen, J. G., & Spengler, J. D. (2020). Effects of biophilic indoor environment on stress and anxiety recovery: A between-subjects experiment in virtual reality. Environment International, 136, 1–10.