the biophilic office: ideas & inspiration
Employee well-being and biophilic design principles are top-of-mind as the workplace evolves into a more flexible and agile environment.
What is biophilic design?
Wouldn’t it be great to work in a space that brings the outdoors in? That’s exactly what biophilic design is all about — it connects people to nature by incorporating natural elements throughout indoor spaces. Biophilia has many benefits that not only add to the aesthetic of your workplace, but to employee’s mental health. Studies have found that biophilia can improve employee health, mood, and well-being, increase productivity and engagement, and reduce employee absenteeism, fatigue, and stress (Zhong, 2021).
“Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors”
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
The best way to incorporate biophilic design into your workplace is to incorporate a mix of visual elements, non-visual elements, atmospheric changes, water, light, and natural processes (Zhong, 2021). To check all the boxes of the top biophilic design elements, we have put together a list of easy additions to heighten your workplace design.
Natural materials
When staring at a computer for hours at a time, it can be helpful to incorporate natural elements throughout the office to give your eyes a break and reduce eye strain and stress. A good way to incorporate biophilia is by using materials that are local to the area — whether that be wood, grasses, leaves, or flowers. Humans can sense when materials are natural or not, and we take this into account with our smart locker materials which incorporate the living elements into your space.
Incorporating natural materials into your locker design is one of the many ways to embed biophilia throughout the office. We can add materials right on the locker doors or provide planter boxes above the locker bank to allow for an abundance of greenery.
Form & Space
Workplace layouts are important when it comes to natural design. Keep in mind what employees can see sitting at their desks, not just when walking around. Emphasize these common view lines to the outdoors and avoid using high walls that block access to windows. Smart lockers serve as a partition to break up space in your open-concept office. A multipurpose element in the office that incorporates natural elements into the locker design and serves as a great way to easily store employee’s belongings.
Quiet spaces are needed for individuals to relax, reflect, or complete complex cognitive tasks that require no distraction. Building off the natural shelters our ancestors had, some common functions of design elements can include darker lighting, sound and visual privacy, shorter ceilings, and a smaller, more cozy space.
water
Water is a great way to incorporate a non-visual aspect of biophilic design, while also drowning out city sounds or traffic. It can also add a cooling atmosphere to the office. Try adding a small water fountain or waterfall to your space to allow for a positive reference to natural outdoor processes.
Airflow & Temperature
Air quality, temperature, and humidity are all often overlooked in biophilic design. Natural ventilation is a great way to quite literally bring the outdoors in. Not only does it allow for subtle changes in air temperature and humidity, it allows for airflow across the skin and natural temperatures on high-touch locations of the workplace. Placing these ventilation systems strategically throughout the office allows employees control over their individual desires, as different areas will naturally have different airflow, temperature, and humidity, just like being outside.
Sunlight & Shade
No one feels good under cold, overhead lighting. Windows are the best way to naturally leverage light and shadow. Incorporate bigger windows and less overhead lighting to bring in more natural light. This allows for not only a visual stimulation, but a temperature one, too. In places where windows are inaccessible, consider circadian lighting that changes color depending on the time of the day.
plants
One of the easiest ways to incorporate biophilia into the workplace is adding plants. Not only do plants make a space feel more home-y, but plants can reduce toxins in the air, improve air quality, and promote stress relief (Wilson, 2021). If you can’t bring a bunch of plants in (or rely on employees to keep them alive), consider windows that have a view of outdoor plants. This can also help employees feel more connected to seasonal and temporal changes in the ecosystem.
Incorporating Functionality into Biophilic Design
Humans have a need to connect to their natural world. They also need space to call their own. That’s why here at MetraModo, we offer a variety of biophilic locker designs that easily allow you to incorporate natural elements while giving your workplace the functionality it needs.
Our lockers can be custom made to incorporate many natural materials including wood, grasses, leaves, and even flowers. Mix and match designs for a unique focal point that is easy on the eyes.
Our Smart Locker Islands make for a great partition to an open concept office, without blocking natural sunlight or window views. We can also include planter boxes at the top of the lockers for an added natural feel.
Our smart lockers also of course provide your employees their own space to safely secure their belongings. Employees can also reserve their locker in real time, before even coming into the office with just an app. Functionality paired with design is key to the modern workplace.
Interested in learning more about the technology of our Smart Workplace Lockers?
