Introduction

In today’s fast-paced world, the design of office spaces plays a crucial role in influencing the well-being and productivity of employees. One of the most innovative and effective approaches to enhancing these aspects is biophilic design. This design philosophy is rooted in the innate connection humans have with nature, aiming to integrate natural elements into built environments. In this article, we will explore how incorporating biophilic design can transform offices into happy, productive spaces. We will discuss how to reduce stress, improve well-being, and foster collaboration through biophilic design principles, using Italian office furniture such as executive desks, conference tables, and reception counters.

What is Biophilia?

Biophilia is the concept that humans possess an inherent tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life. Coined by biologist Edward O. Wilson, this term suggests that our affinity for nature is deeply rooted in our evolution. Integrating natural elements into office environments not only makes spaces more pleasant but has also been shown to have positive effects on health and well-being.

Benefits of Biophilic Design in Offices

Reducing Stress

One of the primary benefits of biophilic design is its ability to reduce stress. Incorporating natural elements such as plants, water, and natural materials can significantly lower stress levels among employees. Studies have shown that contact with nature can slow down the heart rate and induce the production of compensatory hormones that help manage stress.

Enhancing Productivity

A well-designed office that embraces biophilic principles can boost productivity. Spaces that integrate natural elements tend to stimulate creativity and innovation, while also enhancing focus and concentration. The presence of plants and views of natural landscapes, for example, can improve employees’ mood and motivation.

Promoting Psychophysical Well-being

Psychophysical well-being is essential for the long-term health of employees. Biophilic spaces contribute to overall well-being by creating environments that support both mental and physical health. Natural light, natural materials, and the sounds of nature can help create a healthy and stimulating work environment.

Elements of Biophilic Design

Plants and Indoor Gardens

Plants are perhaps the most immediate and recognizable element of biophilic design. Integrating plants into office spaces not only enhances aesthetics but also helps purify the air and create a more relaxing environment. Indoor gardens, such as green walls and vertical gardens, are excellent solutions for incorporating nature into limited spaces.

Water and Natural Sounds

Water is another key element of biophilic design. Fountains, aquariums, and small water features can create a tranquil and serene environment. The sounds of water and nature, such as birdsong or the rustling of leaves, can be used to create a relaxing atmosphere and reduce background noise.

Natural Materials and Colors

Using natural materials such as wood, stone, and bamboo can help create a warm and welcoming environment. Colors that evoke natural habitats, such as shades of green, blue, and brown, can be used to create a calming and harmonious atmosphere.

Natural Light

Natural light is crucial for the well-being of employees. Designing offices with large windows and skylights can increase exposure to natural light, improving mood and productivity. Using transparent dividers and curtains can help distribute light evenly throughout the space.

Designing with a Biophilic Approach

Involving Green Designers

To effectively design with a biophilic approach, it is essential to involve green designers. These professionals can help select the most suitable plants, design indoor gardens, and integrate natural elements in a harmonious way. Collaboration with green designers ensures that spaces are not only aesthetic but also functional and sustainable.

Space Planning

Space planning is crucial for the success of biophilic design. It is important to consider how natural elements can be strategically distributed to maximize benefits. For example, plants can be placed near workstations to improve air quality and visual comfort, while common areas can be enhanced with indoor gardens and water features.

Integrating with Existing Design

Biophilic design does not necessarily require a complete renovation. Many elements can be integrated with existing design in a gradual way. For example, adding potted plants, choosing furniture made of natural wood, and using natural fabrics can gradually transform the work environment.

Italian Office Furniture and Biophilic Design

Office Furniture

Office furniture can be designed to incorporate biophilic elements. Italian office furniture, known for its elegance and quality, can play a significant role in creating a biophilic environment. Executive desks made of natural wood, ergonomic chairs with natural fabric coverings, and bamboo shelving units are just some of the available options. These furniture pieces not only enhance aesthetics but also support employee well-being.

Conference Tables

Conference rooms can greatly benefit from biophilic design. Integrating plants, using natural materials, and optimizing natural light can create an inspiring and productive environment. Solid wood conference tables, comfortable chairs, and sound-absorbing panels with natural patterns can improve acoustics and the atmosphere of meetings.

Reception Counters

Reception counters are the first impression of a company. A biophilic design can create a welcoming and professional first impression. Using plants, water, and natural materials can transform the reception area into a space that reflects the company’s commitment to well-being and sustainability.

Implementing Biophilic Design in Companies

Employee Involvement

Involving employees in the design process can increase acceptance and success of biophilic design. Asking for feedback and ideas on improvements can help create spaces that meet the real needs of employees.

Pilot Projects

Implementing biophilic design through pilot projects can be an effective way to test and demonstrate the benefits. For example, starting with a conference room or a relaxation area, evaluating the impact before extending the design to the entire office.

Training and Awareness

Educating employees on the benefits of biophilic design and how to best utilize it can increase their involvement and appreciation. Training sessions and workshops can help explain the principles of biophilic design and show how they can contribute to a healthier and more productive work environment.

Case Studies

Corporate Office

A large corporate office decided to implement biophilic design to improve employee well-being and productivity. The company introduced potted plants, vertical gardens, water features, and natural materials throughout the office. The results were remarkable: employees reported significant reductions in stress, increased motivation, and overall improvement in work quality.

Luxury Hotel

A luxury hotel integrated biophilic design in common areas and guest rooms to offer a unique experience to guests. The use of indoor gardens, natural materials, and natural light transformed the environment, creating a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere. Guests appreciated the attention to detail and the focus on well-being, leading to positive reviews and increased bookings.

Restaurant

A restaurant adopted biophilic design to improve the customer experience and create a unique environment. Integrating plants, water, and natural materials made the space more attractive and comfortable. Customers noticed an improvement in the atmosphere and sound quality, making the restaurant a popular gathering place.

Conclusion

Biophilic design is a science and art that can transform office and contract spaces into environments that promote well-being, productivity, and happiness. By integrating natural elements such as plants, water, materials, and colors that evoke nature, companies can create happy and functional offices. La Mercanti is here to help you achieve this goal by offering Italian office furniture solutions that reflect biophilic design principles.

Investing in biophilic design is not just a trend but a strategic choice for the future. Reducing stress, improving psychophysical health, and stimulating collaboration are just some of the benefits that come from a design approach that centers on the connection with nature. Contact La Mercanti to discover how we can help you transform your work environment into a healthier, more productive, and inspiring place.

There are many new trends affecting the office. Certainly one of the most important is to ensure greater safety in the workplace through the use of intelligent, healthy and easy to maintain materials.

In all the environments like executive offices, operative offices and waiting areas, it is essential to ensure good air quality through purifiers, air conditioning systems and also through the use of antimicrobial materials, such as copper. For better air circulation, air conditioning and ventilation systems need to be constantly cleaned and improved so as to promote a healthy environment for those who work there. Of course, you can also improve the air you breathe through small natural measures.

One trend that is spreading is that of the “Green” office. Designers, in fact, are bringing nature into workplaces to make them sustainable and to prioritize the well-being of workers who spend most of their day at their desk in the office.

The use of plants within work environments, for example, definitely helps improve air quality, but also the mood and health of employees. Nature does not only mean using the green plants, but also emphasizing natural light, outdoor views and landscape views visible from the windows; all of which helps people working in the office to have a positive approach.
So there are plenty of expedients that can be implemented to make workstations more comfortable and welcoming. There are architects such as Selgas Cano, who have designed and built offices completely surrounded by the woods, where nature becomes part of the daily work routine.

The concrete advantages of “green” workstations are certainly: increased productivity, increased concentration and lower stress levels. Not least the physical well-being, being able to turn away the gaze from the computer screen and direct it outwards, allows the eyes to adjust the focus, thus lowering the level of fatigue and eyestrain.
Where it is not possible to have a natural view through the window, then ideal would be the use of specific plants, placed in strategic places and naturally matched to the style of your office. They must be decorative plants that adapt well to environments with little light, that do not require frequent watering, such as succulents, and that make the air more healthy.

Bamboo, for example, needs space in height and light, is a plant that furnishes, is ideal for creating natural room dividers, induces a state of relaxation and, last but not least, helps to neutralize formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene present in the air. Other plants, on the other hand, have a strong ability to adapt to small, dimly lit spaces and require little water.
Therefore, depending on the needs and style of your office, where wood or glass furniture can be used, it is necessary to arrange the right plants to create harmony, elegance and well-being in the working space you have.

The buildings are designed to work, meet, experience… Indeed, they are places where we spend most of our everyday life. It is exactly within the offices that contact between people takes place, but in a moment like this where the word “contact” has a negative sense, it becomes necessary to provide adequate, bright and spacious working spaces in which to place ergonomic office, functional and design furnishings.

Working conditions and sustainable work are one of the main planning activities of the program for the period 2021-2024.
Internationally renowned designers are now experiencing a work culture based on wellness by creating large and well-divided spaces where they can create working relationships in respect for the others.
Great Place to Work®, the international consulting and research institute on workplace culture, has conducted a research recently on building a high-trust and healthy culture. This institute collects data from many European organizations to discover the main issues on well-being at work and the essentials to create an ideal work environment, which allows all employees to feel good. There is an evident connection between the quality of the working environment and the business growth of companies.

Working in an environment where there is respect and trust between people activate good processes that lead to a natural increase in motivation, participation and pride in being part of the company.
The results reveal that 47 percent consider stress a central problem within the company, while 65 percent of the managers say that health and well-being have emerged as a strategic priority.
An authentic culture based on well-being and respect needs to be created and preserved over time in order to make it a real philosophy of work. It is a way of acting that allows the company to grow from all points of view.

We hope we will be able to get back to our offices as soon as possible, but certainly with a different organization, with renewed methods and processes. In this particular circumstance, the attention to the wellness of people, employees and collaborators is a fundamental note.
Technology will also change: increasingly intelligent spaces will be needed in both executive and operational offices, where devices and software will allow new forms of interaction and space management. The office will become a more shared, “timed” and hybrid place between reality and virtuality.

Human evolution, from caves to modern chairs

Human evolution has led humans to be sitting more and more. Not only, especially in developed countries, nine out of 10 people work sitting on a modern chair all day long; moreover, with the massive diffusion of television and the Internet, Americans spend an average of four hours a day sitting in front of a screen.

It is therefore essential that modern chairs be not only ergonomic, but also able to safeguard office workers’ health. The challenge is huge, because they should not only ensure a proper position to prevent musculoskeletal pathologies, but also probably allow moving as freely as possible while sitting. Indeed, lack of exercise due to the sedentary lifestyle is boosting the number of obese and diabetic individuals on the planet.

modern chair