“To be truly productive…you need presence of mind rather than simply being present in the flesh. Today, rather than turn up early to read the papers and smell the coffee, that means taking more than a keen interest in the health and wellbeing of staff.”
Writer Stephen Hitchins asserts this thought in an article for DesignCurial, an online publication that reports news within the design industry. After describing the previously rigid appearance of offices, he points out that the use of biophilic design in the workplace has increased because of the wellness benefits it carries. By bringing in décor and furniture made from natural materials, as well as a number of plants, office floor plans broke away from secluded cubicles.
Hitchins refers to buildings like the Waterside in London, the headquarters for British Airways as an example of intentional biophilic design by businesses. In addition to its open layout and surplus of outdoor space for sitting, walking or just relaxing, a “central street” connected everything together.
Read the full DesignCurial article here.
