Unique Ways to Incorporate Biophilic Design into Your Modern Office

It is well documented that including plants in our daily life improves our health and happiness.  From increasing brain function to cleaning the air and improving general psychological well-being, biophilia simply makes life better.  This is true for the workplace as well.  Including plants or mimicking naturally occurring spaces like caves or stepping stones, has been known to lead to increased productivity in employees. Below are some unique ways to add biophilic design to your workspace and make the office the center of productivity once again.

Living Walls

One creative way to divide space without building yet another concrete wall is with a green living wall or canvas.  Plant walls provide employees who are exposed primarily to artificial light sources, providing them with the ability to have access to nature in their workplace will bolster productivity.  Plant walls are not only a great way to eliminate the cubicle structure of an office but also create beautiful art.  Removing standard art from a large white wall and replacing it with shapes filled with living greenery will also increase the biophilic atmosphere of the workspace.  These show-stopping pieces are perfect for reception areas, providing a welcoming space to visitors and employees as they arrive to the office.  The living wall used in the TJY Office Building in Shenzen, China takes it a step further.  Their modular setup allows for reconfiguring which allows workers to unplug plants and take them back to their desks while they work!

Cave Rooms

Work is stressful.  Many times arguments erupt at intense meetings and people need a place to cool off.  One unique way to add biophilic design to your office while providing a safe space for your employees is through the creation of a cave room.  Imagine a heated exchange with your boss or co-workers, or even a conversation with a client with whom you do not see eye to eye, your blood is boiling, but you really need to calm down for your next meeting.  Spending some time in the quiet cave room will help drop that blood pressure and put you back into the frame of mind you need for your next meeting.  A dark space with minimal lighting, lowered temperatures, and perhaps a water feature providing soft background sounds will help you gather your wits and move on with your day in a positive fashion.

Conference Room Calm

Conference rooms are intense spaces that hold a lot of negative energy.  They are typically walled in glass with distraction after distraction as employees walk by going about their business.  One way to minimize the distraction is by installing planters with tall plants to provide a visual barrier that will keep the focus on the meeting and not on the conversations happening in the hall.  Using light green carpeting and natural earth tones with help keep tempers from flaring during most board meetings.  One great example is the FairLife Office in Chicago.

Architecture

Perhaps you are in the process of redesigning your office from the ground up.  There are multiple ingenious ways to create your building with biophilial design as the forethought instead of an afterthought.  One such dynamic space is the offices of Selgas Cano Architects in Madrid.  Their unique building is designed as a scenic train car surrounded by transparent windows, allowing for maximum natural light.  These offices also provide an extraordinary view of the forest area surrounding them.

Whether you are beginning the journey of planning your office design or reimagining your current space with biophilial design in mind, PLANTZ has the expertise to guide you in your mission to provide a peaceful, natural space for you and your employees.