What Can The Summer Teach Us About Office Space Planning?

In recent years, many a forward-thinking business has realised the importance of biophilic design. Biophilia is a method that sees a more ‘natural feel’ placed onto the design of the office by making use of materials, colours, textures and patterns in order to create that ‘sense of nature’.

The impact of biophilic design on office space planning

One of the best things about a biophilic design is that you can capture that ‘inspiring summer feeling’ even in the depths of winter. The key concept of biophilic design is that it turns the ‘sanitised’ workplace on its head; work, by its very nature, is liable to create stress, and stress is likely to affect their work. Nobody wants to work in a boring-looking, uniform workplace that offers zero inspiration and drive to move forward.

A great biophilic design can help to engage a person’s senses, evoking the same connection in them that they experience outdoors. Ultimately, this kind of feeling will help them to de-stress, improving their health and wellbeing and as a happy by-product, lead to better work and potential success for the business.

The different elements of Biophilia

If you’re wondering just how such elements can help to improve the look and feel of the workplace, here’s how:

• Natural lighting is becoming more-and-more in vogue with modern office design, simply because it offers a cost-effective light source that is of benefit to the health and wellbeing of the workforce. In the past, fluorescent lighting was the standard lighting installation in many offices, but being artificial, the levels of light it was able to emit would never be able to mimic that of sunlight. As a result, fluorescent lighting is liable to cause headaches, eye strains and tiredness, simply because the person isn’t used to the environment it creates. When it comes to lighting in contemporary office space planning, LED’s, with their more plentiful levels of light, are replacing fluorescent as the artificial lighting of choice.

• When we look outside on a summer’s day, the first thing that springs to mind is the colour scheme of the environment outside. It’s bright, but the colours are plentiful; yellows, greens, reds, blues, browns...all with different textures and shapes. All that a whitewashed or grey wall evokes is a cold and harsh landscape. By placing a more natural colour palette on the office, evoking those summer earthy tones, you can achieve an office that will remind people of the time they felt good outside; bringing a smile to their face and placing happiness within their heart. All feelings that can help people to experience a happy working life.

• The touch of texture is also important in creating a natural environment; not all trees, grass and rocks will feel the same. Office furniture, such as desks, cupboards and shelving can be created out of wood, stone and granite to create this reminder of the natural world.

• Plants have been used to decorate the inside of buildings since recorded history began. Not only do they look and smell beautiful, bringing their unique colours and scents into the areas we inhabit, they also can help to reduce dust, mould and levels of CO2. Artificial plants can also help to improve the look of a room and what’s more, they require no on-going maintenance, so can be placed wherever they are required.

Improve your office design, with Oaktree Interiors

If you’re looking to improve the look and feel of your office space, maybe even considering a more natural feel provided by biophilic design, then why not get in touch with the experts here at Oaktree Interiors? For the last 30 years, our team have been creating workplaces that are utterly bespoke; abiding by the philosophies and individual requirements of our clients. What is left is an office that works alongside them, aiding them in their work, rather than being just a building to exist in.

Not only has our experience in the industry helped us to build up a knowledge of office space planning, but it has also allowed us to build up contacts with some of the most innovative material providers around. Without any middlemen involved, we are able to source and procure the perfect furniture and decor that helps to combine the aims of functionality, comfort and style that would give your business the utmost expressive outlook.