24 October, 2017
Sound – especially sound in the spaces where we work – affects us far more than you might think. When it comes to designing interior spaces, acoustic considerations are often put aside or completely ignored in favour of purely visual aesthetics. However, condemning office workers, hospital staff, students and teachers, guests in hotels and even…
30 August, 2017
Just two years ago, Interface released a third-party verified research report titled “The Global Impact of Biophilic Design in the Workplace,” now known as the Human Spaces report. Our research results were astonishing. With over 7,500 people surveyed across the world, there was a reported 15% increase in perceived wellbeing and creativity and a 6%…
29 August, 2016
Having just finished interviewing senior executives from a range of organisations for a Global Leadership study, and I am struck by the consistency in perspectives even though the organisations are quite different. Every CEO I have interviewed ranks their number one challenge today as dealing with the pace and scale of change now upon us.…
7 June, 2016
If you are an avid hiker, you know the excitement of catching a glimpse of a sunlit meadow through a dark forest, spotting a sliver of a grand vista just around the bend in the trail, or hearing the sound of a waterfall just out of sight. These tantalising hints of something pleasant ahead compel…
9 March, 2016
Water – from crashing waves to trickling streams, wading pools, and water fountains – enhances the experience of a place. Pattern 5: Presence of Water The Presence of Water biophilic design pattern has evolved from research on the health and wellbeing benefits associated with access to water, including reduced stress, lower heart rate and blood…
21 January, 2016
Spending a long period of time on a task that requires intense focus and concentration can be mentally exhausting for the human brain. Within modern day working environments, we are required to remain attentive during different tasks and activities throughout the day. However, working under pressure, or for a vast period of time can increase…
23 December, 2015
Why do we prefer certain colours to others? Why do some colours make us feel happy and energised while other colours make us feel agitated or sad? The Ecological Valence Theory Object and colour association – a concept that Palmer and Schloss have called the “ecological valence theory” – contribute to our natural colour preferences…
14 December, 2015
Complexity, as one of the more abstract biophilic concepts, has gained quite a bit of traction as a welcomed design challenge. We talk about the objective of the Complexity & Order pattern (#10) as a means for creating a visually nourishing environment, based on an understanding of the symmetries, fractal geometries and spatial hierarchies that…
21 May, 2015
This is the third post in an on-going series outlining each of the 14 patterns of biophilic design, a collection of biophilic strategies codified in Terrapin Bright Green’s “14 Patterns of Biophilic Design” paper. Pattern 3: Non-Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli Nature is never static; it’s always moving, growing, adapting. We notice when a room is visually…
17 April, 2015
It is almost impossible to discuss biophilic design in healthcare without mentioning this 1981 seminal study on recovery times during post operative care after gall bladder surgery by professor Roger Ulrich of Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. This fascinating study investigates whether a view out to nature from their room had any effect on…
Julian Treasure 
Interface 
Giles Hutchins 
Catie Ryan 
Oliver Heath