What is biophilic office design?
Biophilic office design is a type of sustainable design that incorporates natural elements into the workspace – and not just by dotting some indoor plants around an office. It aims to create an environment that is more conducive to the well-being of employees. Green design can include features such as living walls, indoor gardens and water features.
It also prioritises natural lighting and the use of sustainable materials and sustainable architecture. Biophilic office design is based on the concept that human beings have an innate connection with nature and that incorporating natural elements into indoor spaces can improve people’s well-being and productivity. It’s also about getting a balance between an aesthetically-pleasing workspace for employees and visitors but also about practicality as well.

Improved productivity
Increased concentration
Enhanced creativity
Better staff wellbeing
Greater staff retention
Tips on how to incorporate biophilic office design in your commercial space
1. Start small
To start with, consider asking your employees to bring their own desk plant. Slowly introducing biophilic elements gets your employees more used to being surrounded by nature in the office without being startled or distracted by big displays of living walls or water features. It also allows them to customise their own space with something personal to them.
2. Think about ways to create or add light and space
Biophilic design centres around the idea of having plenty of light and space in a workspace. Light has been proven to affect our circadian cycle and even our mood and energy levels throughout the day. Thinking of ways you can introduce plenty of natural light in the office is a simple way to create the illusion of having extra space while also helping improve your employee’s well-being.
3. Use natural shapes
Another simple way to introduce organic design features in the office is to use natural shapes and forms. Natural materials and textures – such as larger plants in meeting areas or water features with stones and pebbles in entranceways – are a good place to start.
4. Use all senses
Biophilic design also involves using all of our senses. Instead of just including things to see, consider adding things to touch, smell and hear. This could include different natural textures to bring the outside inside, such as creating a living wall or bringing the sounds of running water into the office with a water feature.