For this route of my sustainable futures project I focused on the effects of plants in office work spaces. I researched the psychological and aesthetic effects of plants and how they could improve productivity and help companies keep their employees focused and keen to stay at work. My research involved reading many articles on the effects of plants, as well using Brookes as an example of how plants can improve the aesthetics of design – I presented these ideas through quick digital collages. My artwork for this half of my Sustainable Futures project lacked depth and skill. I feel I definitely could have spent more time showing my research about colour through art and collages better.
Many articles shared similar opinions on how plants are the best way about having more greenery and nature in the workspace. Work places are almost always stripped of the connection with the natural environment so it’s really important to bring nature inside via plants and greenery. I decided to display all the facts and ideas I collected through a mindmap in order to have all the researched I gathered in one place:
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Some facts I have collected from my research:
- A 2010 study by the new University of Technology, Sydney, found significant reductions in stress among workers when plants were introduced to their workspace.
- The colour green had a relaxing and calming effect – so decorating offices with this shade could potentially have a similar affect to introducing plants to the workspace.
- Employees productivity can increase up to 15% when workspaces are filled with plants and greenery.
- Those whose environments incorporated natural elements reported a 15% higher wellbeing score and a 6% higher productivity score than employees whose offices didn’t include such elements.
- By adsorbing sounds, plants help to reduce the distracting effects of background office chatter.
“Humans have an innate desire to be connected with nature”,
“mankind’s positive reaction to nature”,
Plants not only bring a variety of rich shades and patterns to an office space, they also offer a ‘visually meditative’ experience, which ultimately leads to happier and healthier employees that are more productive. This is why I was inspired to include plants into the redevelopment of office designs. “Just one plant per workspace can provide a very large lift to staff spirits, promote well being and performance”. Indoor plants not only reduce stress levels, but also clean air, reduce noise levels and provide an environment which makes individuals psychologically engaged and happier in a workspace.
I have learnt through my research that individuals have ‘positive reactions to nature’, as if the need to return to nature is as “natural as the cycle of life”. Plants in the workspace offer aesthetic value as well as attracting and retaining employees. “a splash of greenery could rapidly improve performance”.
Studying at Oxford Brookes and thinking back to my old school has had a huge impact on this project. Having read many articles about how important indoor plants are or even being able to see greenery from the inside out has made me realise how much seeing a green field and trees from my classrooms has had a huge impact on my studies. Thinking back, I always enjoyed sitting by the window or at least facing the window and I probably benefited a lot more from being able to see trees. I think my school did really well at providing green space, there were many mini gardens that would be scattered around the school, in addition to the huge field which definitely was a great space to relax. This is the same case for the studios I am currently studying in at Brookes. Being on the top floor of the art department when you look out of the windows you are among the highest parts of the trees and this definitely benefits the way I work. I have always loved looking out at the green leaves or the trees swaying in the wind. In addition to this, my studios also overlook an allotment – this is definitely a peaceful and relaxing view to gaze over.
Having been really engaged in finding a lot of research for this part of my sustainable futures project I was fascinated about how Japan had advanced their ideas about biophilia (word which describes humanity’s innate need for nature). The Japanese have found a new way of looking at woodland and have recently described it as ‘forest medicine’. “The science of using nature to heal yourself”. They have established two ways in which trees benefit humans. The first being that trees actually provide many physical health benefits for people. For example, trees release antimicrobial essential oils that protect trees them from germs, the oils boost mood and immune system functions, can reduce blood pressure, heart rate, stress, anxiety, and can improve sleep and creativity.
I have been reading about Dr Qing Li’s interest in tree therapy. He believes that everyone benefits from nature and that there is much scientific evidence that people improve mentally and physically by spending time among trees. He created the idea of ‘forest medicine’ by picking up on the two country’s manjor religions: Buddhism and Shintoism. Both religions consider forests to be mystical and have really focused on the impacts of being around nature. For Zen Buddhists “scripture is written in the landscape”. Even the Japanese government in 1982 urged people to visit and use the country’s 3,000 wooded miles for therapy. Li picked up on the fact that “trees can heal us from a distance”. Being able to see trees through a window many influence your recovery from an illness or even your everyday mental health and mood. There is many examples of patients with green views recovering sooner than the individuals who had to stare at concrete buildings.
From all this research about the psychological and physical effects of plants I decided to create some rough digital collages of how the Brookes University building could incorporate plants and greenery into the already modern design of the building. Having previously noted that the Brookes building has really successfully thought through the intricate detail into communicative and collaborative spaces, as well as open plans, big windows and bright colours, I believe they could incorporate greenery and plants a lot more. Here are my rough collages to show some examples of how Brookes could include plants:
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When visiting Berlin I came across the sound of birds chirping and trees swaying inside a museum. I remember being eager to find the window or door that would open up into the courtyard that had such amazing natural sounds. I was literally drawn to the nature. When finding the speaker that was playing the music and the large image of the rain forest I thought it was the perfect link to my project. I was fascinated to have experienced the real benefits a picture of a forest or the sound of nature can have on an individual.
As I am to the end of this project I realised I did little to illustrate my ideas through art. I found it difficult to think of ways in which I could display all the educational research I had gathered through models. I realise now that not evaluating my work has had a huge impact on the development of my ideas and projects over all, and I have noted that I will not be making this mistake when carrying out my FMP.
Immie Cory 