Biophilic Offices – more research encouraging us to use Biophilia in the workplace

Yin’s dissertation research determined that “participants experiencing biophilic environment virtually had similar physiological and cognitive responses, including reduced blood pressure and skin conductance and improved short-term memory, as when experiencing the actual environment. . . . we designed a . . . study to let 30 participants experience three versions of biophilic design in simulated open and enclosed office spaces in VR. Compared to the base case, participants in three spaces with biophilic elements had consistently lower level of physiological stress indicators and higher creativity scores. . . . Participants were randomly assigned to experience one of four virtual offices (i.e. one non-biophilic base office and three similar offices enhanced with different biophilic design features) for six minutes after stressor tasks. We found that participants in biophilic indoor environments had consistently better recovery responses after a mental stressor compared to those in the non-biophilic environment.”

Jie Yin.  2021. “Bringing Nature Indoors with Virtual Reality:  Human Responses to Biophilic Design in Buildings.”  Dissertation Abstracts International:  Section B:  The Sciences and Engineering, vol. 82(6-B).