An example of Biophilic Design in a modern setting for an interior office fit-out.
About Biophilic Design
Biophilic design derives its name from “biophilia,” a term that captures the human tendency to connect and interact with other living organisms in nature. Biophilic design pushes people to reimagine their workspaces from mundane cubicles with fluorescent lighting to spaces encouraging productivity through natural elements like sunlight, plants, and more.
But why are most companies incorporating interior office fit-outs with this type of design? Well, it’s more than a philosophy as research shows that biophilic design actively promotes cognitive function, physical health, and psychological well-being.
Biophilic Design Benefits for Your Office’s Interior
By integrating elements like natural light, greenery, and other nature-inspired features in your interior office fit-outs, this design approach has been shown to positively impact physical and mental well-being, which is vital for workers attending their offices every day.
A few of their known benefits are:
1. Increase Productivity
The presence of plants and a biophilic design in office spaces has been specifically linked to improved concentration and creativity among employees.
Workspaces with natural elements achieve a 15% higher well-being score and a 6% increase in productivity compared to offices lacking such elements, according to a global study.
This shows that incorporating greenery and nature-inspired elements can enhance cognitive function, leading to a more focused and innovative work environment.
2. Reduce Stress
The University of Central Arkansas stated in its feature article that biophilic design “has the same mental effect on well-being as being outdoors in real natural environments”. This includes images featuring nature, plants, mountains, and even outdoor landscapes.
If you’ve seen an interior office fit out that’s thoughtfully designed, it’s more than just aesthetics. Having a presence of nature in the form of water, breeze, scents, light, shadows, etc. provides a refuge for people’s minds, enabling them to think clearer and maintain a logical perception.
For example, lively-looking areas vibrant with color can positively affect an employee’s mood. Even a small touch of green can go a long way in reducing stress among employees.
3. Promote Better Air Quality
When discussing biophilic design, many envision the incorporation of living architecture into both indoor and outdoor spaces. The inclusion of plants indoors not only elevates the aesthetic appeal of the interior environment, but also enhances air quality.
Strategically placing living architecture has proven effective in reducing thermal costs by providing shade. It also mitigates direct sunlight, which can lead to glare and heat accumulation. This allows your employees to refresh their minds and think more creatively.
How to Achieve a Biophilic Design in Interior Office Fit-Outs
Add Indoor Plants
Incorporating plants in the interior office fit-out is in line with the biophilic design. They’re a great source of oxygen, especially when it gets stuffy. The green both catches and relaxes the eyes, especially after a long day of typing away.
However, not all plants find the office a habitual environment. Here are a few that you can add to office desks:
- Orchid
- Snake Plant
- Jade Plant
- Rubber Plant
- Dracaena Marginata
- Yucca
More Natural Light
A well-lit environment can enhance mood, reduce eye strain, and contribute to increased alertness and productivity among occupants. Finding a commercial office space that offers big windows can supply this type of benefit. If you’re already a tenant with a space that isn’t well-lit, you can always opt to open the blinds in the morning and cover them up with something sheer to soften the lighting.
Include Natural Elements
Among the six aspects of biophilic design is to include earthy colors to reconnect individuals with the natural environment features.
It doesn’t mean to completely change the color branding but to include materials that mimic/resemble them in the office setting.
This could mean changing the flooring to something brown, like oak wood, or incorporating fixtures made from organic materials like bamboo.
Get an Expert to Achieve a Biophilic Design in Interior Office Fit-Outs
As the awareness of the built environment’s impact on human health and the planet grows, biophilic design continues to gain popularity as a holistic and forward-thinking approach to architectural and interior design.
Prioritizing employee well-being emerges as optimal, especially with recent (Y)our Space survey results. Amenities for leisure and development like a gym, a mental health well-being space, and a healthcare facility are among expected employee demands in the next three years. All this contributes to a more enhanced work-life balance that the biophilic design advocates for.
Amenities and services companies expect employees to demand in the next 3 years globally, according to (Y)OUR SPACE 2023.
Consulting with a project management team or a fit-out contractor is crucial for crafting a bespoke fit-out that prioritizes overall company well-being. From functionality, and biophilic design aesthetics, to the workforce’s needs, everything is accounted for and considered.
Contact us to learn more about Santos Knight Frank’s project management services today.
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