Is Biophilic Design the Solution to America's Nature Problem?

“Americans have become indoor animals. On average, we spend about 90 percent of our time inside buildings and cars. When we venture outside, we’re often so glued to our smartphones that we’re oblivious to the natural world.”

At Suite Plants, we too are guilty of spending most of our time indoors. Lucky for us, our loft office space is pretty good as far as work environments go. We have high ceilings, huge windows, plants on every desk, tons of natural light, and a large living green wall, of course. We realize that nature plays a key role influencing our own wellbeing and that is why we work so hard to bring nature to our customers.

Biophilic design is a leading trend right now for office construction and remodeling. Simple things such as big windows, living green walls, natural colors, and desk plants can have a major positive impact on the overall wellbeing of office workers. Numerous academic studies have confirmed that this positive effect on wellbeing can translate into more productive workers. Leading companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple are all investing in their employees’ wellbeing by making biophilic design changes including adding plants and living walls to office spaces.

“Expansive green roofs and walls are popping up in many new biophilic office buildings as well. Amazon Spheres, for example, feature living walls adorned with 200 plant species, including one that rises 60 feet.”

“Louv praised the tech companies’ efforts to aid their workers through better buildings but cautioned that they’re only a start. “The challenge,” he said, “will be to make sure biophilic design isn’t just something for elite technologists living in green bubbles.”

“So the real question is, how do we bring plants and living green walls to the masses?”

To read more about how companies are addressing the “nature problem” check out Americans have a nature problem. Is biophilic design the solution?