The core of the biophilic design is allowing the occupants of a structure to experience nature in its purest, most unadulterated form. This means placing an emphasis on greenery or the location’s natural terrain and placing limits on materials and processes that are not necessarily good for the planet.
Biophilic design is all about centering nature in your space. It is good for our well-being as humans, and the health of our world. Here are some ways to design your office around this trendy and healthy concept.
Energy efficiency
Since this design concept is all about embracing nature and using its resources without harming the Earth, energy efficiency is one of its benefits and core ethoses. If you want to design your office in this way, consider opting for energy-efficient installations and solutions like:
- Solar panels, which can help your company reduce its carbon footprint and save costs on energy expenses. It can also help increase the value of your property. There are also financing options that can help you enjoy some state and federal tax incentives.
- Choose smart office systems and solutions for your entire building, if possible. Using solar energy and smart systems will be a surefire way to protect the environment and help save your company a lot of money in the long term.
Natural light
Since biophilic design is all about blending your office’s indoor spaces with the outdoors, access to a lot of natural light is a must. Here are some ways to achieve this look and atmosphere:
- Buy or rent a property that boasts of a lot of big windows, preferably ones that are floor-to-ceiling, and even ones that have a skylight. If your current property does not have this feature in its natural architecture, consider tearing down some walls to make this big change. It will be especially beneficial if the location of your office has plenty of trees and greenery outside.
- Ditch the drapes, especially if the windows are faced in a way that won’t let in harmful UV rays during peak afternoons. Thankfully, most buildings are faced or oriented North, which is considered the best way to bask in the light of the sun. Consider where your structure is oriented so that you only get the benefits of natural light and not its harmful effects.
- Consider incorporating a window film that can help protect your office’s occupants from harmful UV rays.
Blending the indoors and the outdoors
When you look at biophilic buildings, one common thread among them is that you don’t know where the indoors end, and where the outdoors begin. Here are some ways to blend your office’s indoor and outdoor areas:
- Blur the lines by using sliding glass doors between the two areas.
- Create an organic flow between the two spaces by extending the indoor design into the outdoors through the use of area rugs, picnic tables, or furniture pieces.
- Establish a coordinated design between the two spaces, whether it’s true textures, colors, or patterns.
Greenery
Not all offices have the privilege of having giant windows or skylights, but the next best thing is to add plenty of indoor plants and greenery into the space. Adding more plant life into the workplace is one of the most obvious and simplest ways to incorporate biophilic principles into your office, so don’t skimp on potted plants or even a vertical garden. Having plants in your office will also encourage your staff members to care for living things, and it’s good for everyone’s general well-being as well.
Natural materials
When it comes to choosing a design for the workplace, it’s tempting to default to materials like metals, concrete, and other industrial textures. However, one of the biggest marks of biophilic design is natural materials, like wood and stone. So when opting for a design concept for your new headquarters, make sure to lean hard into these organic materials instead of the more traditional options.
These natural elements will help copy the look, feel, and atmosphere of the great outdoors, which is the whole point of opting for biophilic design in the first place. Not only will these materials look better, but they will also help add a feeling of warmth and comfort to your office.
We live in a time when we have been robbed of nature in its purest form. If you want to create a place of work that connects people back to nature, consider opting for a biophilic concept as you choose and design a new office. You and your team deserve a working environment that promotes your health and well-being most of all.
