Enhancing Productivity of Employees in Workplaces Through Biophilic Design Strategies (01606142015, B.Arch.)
Conclusions Stress is a natural part of human response to dangerous or threatening situations, but in today's work environments, the human biological response has not adequately adapted to sources of stress. Office workers were subject to rising levels of stress stimulation today working longer than workers did during the industrial revolution. Stress causes memory loss and performance loss. Long-term chronic stress can lead to more serious health and mental health issues. Initial research indicated that characteristics of nature-based and biophilic architecture may help mitigate sensations of environmental stress and provide restorative periods of focus. This research thesis, therefore, addresses the following research questions: (1) What nature-based features can interior designers incorporate in workplace design to help reduce stress and improve the health and well-being of office knowledge workers? (2) How in design practice can such character-based features be implemented? Research on literature has revealed that nature and nature-based features can have a very significant impact on human health and well-being. It has also been revealed that direct and indirect nature exposure has the greatest impact on experiences of symbolic nature. The implication of this finding is that designers should endeavour to locate workspaces in or adjacent to nature, maximize the use of nature through paths and movement, optimize the provision of daylight and views, and consider the spatial design and evolved-human elements of nature. Exposure to indirect nature, such as wood and potted plants, can also be effective where direct contact is not possible. The case studies show how practically the theory can be applied in a viable way. Despite the benefits identified by biophilic workplace design, several barriers have been identified including lack of knowledge, evidence-based design, and the current limited scope of interior design practice. Therefore, it is suggested that interior designers need to adopt a more proactive approach and advocate for more direct and indirect nature-based features in and around the knowledge workers ' workspaces. The process is also important in addition to design strategies. IDP (Integrated Design Process) is a process involving more experts, early in the design process and thus provides an opportunity to ensure that all elements of development, including landscape, form, structure and interior, are assisted by biophilic architecture. It is also necessary to generate awareness and to include stakeholders through preferential programming and POE (post-occupancy evaluation). Not only will these knowledge generation tools assist with efficient customer approval and decision-making processes, but they will also increase customer satisfaction, increase the professional knowledge base and further develop EBD (Evidence-Based Design) in the interior design profession. Additional research is needed to determine the precise difference in the amount of stress reduced by exposure to various nature-based characteristics, i.e., indirect versus direct. Is there a cumulative factor in reducing stress by combining several indirect and direct biophilic elements, i.e. wood plus other nature-based features like plants? There is also a need for additional research on wood finishes and stress reduction, particularly in and at the office. Interior designers have a greater influence on building occupants ' safety and well-being than they or others believe. While conducting research and activism at all stages of the design process, increased use of naturebased technologies can help in the future to strengthen and mitigate safety, well-being and pressure of office workers.
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