Although Biophilia as a term is thought to have been created by respected psychologist Erich Fromm, it was Edward Wilson’s 1984 book Biophilia that is recognised to have popularised it. Biophilia which can be translated to “love of life” is the proposal that we humans are innately and biologically attracted to living things and have a wish and desire to interact with nature.
Whilst it took until 1984 for this to be given a tag the essence of Biophilia has been understood for far longer with the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the designer of Fallingwater, devised the term organic architecture and who said: “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”
Biophilia as a framework.
Boostig productivity and creativity.
When considering biophilia and its contribution towards wellbeing there have been numerous studies in recent years that show a wide range of benefits, much of the early work was focused on visual preferences, where individuals showed a bias towards natural settings or analogues of nature. These findings were backed up by later research which indicated viewing images of landscapes triggered a stronger dopamine response in the visual cortex than scenes of a manmade landscape. Physical responses have also been measured in heart rate, blood pressure and levels of cortisol the stress hormone, all of which showed improved levels with natural settings. There have also been studies showing improved cognitive performance and enhanced creativity.
Other analysis has gone on to show the benefits these ‘calming’ effects have in the built office environment. These have been shown to include increases of productivity at 6% higher, reported levels of creativity increased by 15% versus those working in environments devoid of nature.
Boostig productivity and creativity.
In recent years, a number of architectural interior practises have stepped forward with a strong will to leverage this design philosophy and they have been able to deliver some amazing spaces to an increasing number of occupiers who recognise office needs to do better than it has been doing for the last 40 years, where for many businesses is has been seen as a cost rather than part of the machinery that makes the business function.
Ultimately, the research into biophilia indicates that designing elements of nature into the workplace, whether real or artificial, provides positive effects on employee outcomes and wellbeing. As such, when considering office design and its impact on employees, employers should make serious consideration of the number of natural elements and the contact provided in the workspace in order to both maintain positive levels of wellbeing among employees and keep employee performance at optimal levels. Those employers who are putting wellbeing at the heart of their office design and using biophilia as a framework are creating a win-win scenario for themselves and their employees. They are usually the ones who have taken the time to gain the greatest insights into their workforce by understanding their needs and preferences in the working environment.
Holistica helps organisations to make their office spaces truly intelligent, considering people’s needs, required physical and digital workspaces and desired behaviours.
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