How often do you find yourself longing for a breath of fresh air during your office hours? Imagine transforming that fleeting moment into your everyday work experience. Welcome to the world of Biophilic Design - a creative fusion of nature and workspace.
Biophilia derives from the Greek words 'life' and 'love', reflecting our innate desire to connect with the outside world. The impact of connection with the outdoors enhances energy levels and boosts physical and mental health. Incorporating biophilic design elements into office spaces breathes life, infuses tranquillity, and promotes well-being.
What’s better than glass and its diverse solutions to transform your workplace environment into a biophilic oasis? Let’s unveil the potential of glass that blurs the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.
Adorn the entrance with the sight of plants in the glass courts, offering a warm welcome that immediately enhances mood and calms the senses. Opt for high-performance solar control glass in windows to filter the optimal amount of natural light while reducing heat gain, creating comfortable interiors.
A reception desk dazzled with a palette of SGG Colormaxx glass in varying hues, complemented by a UV-printed glass backdrop wall, crafts an engaging first impression that emotionally resonates with the beauty of the outdoors.
For the lift shaft, choose SGG-tinted glass, which adds a touch of allure and privacy while maintaining a light, spacious feel. Mix and match colours inspired by nature to add warmth and charm.
The core of any office is its work zone, where the magic happens and ideas bloom. In a modern office design, adding earthy colours and elements like glass artwork with biophilic prints and hanging small vines from the ceilings mimic the natural look.
Mirror art and shatterproof mirror feature walls or mirror-clad ceilings expand the space visually and add an element of depth, reflecting the office's dynamic energy. SGG Miralite Revolution and SGG Mirasafe offer extensive solutions in creating contemporary biophilic office design.
Flexibility is key in modern workspaces, and biophilic design enhances this by integrating adaptable features that cater to various needs. Divide the area with a combination of clear and lacquered laminated glass partitions or folding panels that double as stylish, writable surfaces for brainstorming sessions, enhancing usability and aesthetics.
Discover SGG Colormaxx Dura, toughened lacquered glass, available in a stunning range of shades and suitable for diverse applications. In addition, modernise the workstations with toughened glass tabletops that are practical and add a streamlined look to the decor.
Read about 7 Reasons to Select Lacquered Glass for Workstation Partitions.
In the heart of a modern office design, the cafeteria emerges as a vibrant hub for relaxation and social interaction, akin to the kitchen in a home. The cafeteria’s design cleverly integrates functionality with aesthetic appeal, by using materials like coloured lacquered glass for easy-to-clean surfaces like feature walls, counters and signage.
UV-printed glass for captivating visuals, tabletops, and other key elements make the space feel alive and connected. SGG Colormaxx Canvas digital printed glass brings a unique and customised look to the space.
In today’s fast-paced work environments, employees crave spaces that allow mindful relaxation and rejuvenation, such as a library, a living garden, or a yoga studio. A library adorned with vibrant lacquered glass panels offers a peaceful retreat to dive into books or seek silence for creativity and mental clarity.
Then there’s the yoga studio—a sunlit haven with mirror-clad walls and expansive solar control windows that create an inviting atmosphere reconnecting with nature. These serene corners offer refuge to employees and recharge their overall well-being.
Restrooms seamlessly extend the office's overall design theme, embodying serene colour palettes like earthy tones or greens to evoke the tranquillity of nature. Glass and mirrors play a pivotal role in visually expanding the space and infusing it with modern aesthetics.
Consider creating an accent wall using UV-printed Glass showcasing nature-inspired motifs or soothing landscapes that enhance the natural ambience.
This can be beautifully complemented with lacquered glass-clad washbasins, frosted glass panels and shatterproof mirrors, offering a perfect balance of style and functionality.
These diverse examples of biophilic office ideas clearly show the tangible benefits of increased productivity and a harmonious workspace, but the intangible emotional and psychological effects truly set biophilic design apart. It’s a subtle yet profound way to create spaces that inspire and elevate everyday work experiences.
What is biophilic design?
Biophilic design means bringing elements of nature, such as plants, natural light, and colours, into built environments to create a more positive and refreshing atmosphere. Integrating this design ethos into workspaces give people a renewed bond with the outdoors, enhancing health, wellness and creativity.
How does biophilic design in office benefit employees?
Biophilic design offers several benefits. It helps reduce stress, boost productivity and enhance overall well-being. Office spaces designed with biophilic trends give workers nooks of relaxation and a daily dose of happiness in their work lives.
How can biophilic design be implemented in modern office spaces?
Biophilic design can be implemented through a variety of applications and techniques, depending on the space and objectives. For example, adding plants and greenery and using materials like glass in transparent, translucent, reflective, or tinted forms provides enhanced views and demarcates the space for movement and exploration while improving the functionality and aesthetics of the workspace.
Jahanavi Arora is an architect by profession and a writer by choice, with over 7 years of experience in architecture and design writing. She graduated from Chandigarh and believes that writing and architecture are similar as both are forms of art. Read More
