Biophilia-The secret to a happy, healthy & positive workspace
Ever since mankind existed on earth, humans have lived very close to nature. Be it in the woods or agriculture-driven societies, there has always been an innate connection of man with the earthly elements.
But with the onset of industrialization and the evolution of work, people’s dwelling habits have changed broadly. Research says that modern man spends nearly 90% of his entire day indoors. The actual connection with nature has gradually receded. Due to time and work constraints, we no longer get to stay in close harmony with nature. However, deep within we still have the longing to be associated with nature-inspired and green spaces, whether we explicitly know it or not.
Introducing Biophilia- For the love of Nature
An American researcher and biologist Edward O. Wilson coined the term Biophilia which describes the tendency of humans to connect with nature and greenery inspired spaces. In the world of corporate space design, biophilia has gained much importance in emphasizing the human bond with nature. This could be in the form of having indoor plants in offices, creating moss walls or even green houses with glass-domes. Big organisations like Amazon have adopted biophilia to a greater extent in their office design and other firms are also rapidly making more room for greens within their workspace.
Why take the green route?
Wondering why people emphasize creating a nature-inspired environment within their workspace? Research published by the Journal of Experimental Psychology proves that the presence of natural surroundings and plant life within offices increase the wellness of employees by more than 40%. It increases productivity and also helps to reduce the absenteeism of people at work. Thus the organisation is largely benefited if its employees are in the best state of their health at the workspace.
Not only there are psychological benefits of adopting biophilia, but also green plants improve the quality of air within the workspace and help in noise reduction to a large extent. If plants are kept strategically in close proximity to the windows, the air which passes through gets purified naturally. The placement of potted plants in big conference rooms also enhances the brand elements and helps focus on sustainable design.
Going Creative with Natural Design
Modern workspace providers, like Skootr, are experimenting with biophilia in different ways in the construction of office spaces. They build workspaces in a harmonic fashion with lush green plants including Sansevieria, a unique type of plant that acts as a natural air purifier and increases indoor oxygen levels. Also, the natural lighting that floods their office spaces helps multiply the growth of the indoor foliage. By using nature-inspired elements in the office design, they are successfully creating a zen-like work environment within the organisations. Wood, for example, reflects the natural imperfection and relates to the authenticity of employees at work. The creation of aquariums, gushing waterfalls within the offices, moss-laden walls adds to the visual appeal, more calmness and serenity.
The truest impact of biophilia at workspaces helps people relax and focus better on their day-to-day work. It brings the outside world indoors without having the need for people to go outdoors. One gets to be closer to nature and easily indulges in the soothing properties of the biophilic environment at the workspace, adding more positivity and happiness at work.
