10/23

Cubicles, fluorescent lighting, stale air – these all might be a thing of the past in your old office building.

COVID has changed the way we look and think about a lot of things; and it looks like the office space is one of them. Many companies have begun embracing a “biophilic” design – which focuses on health benefits by bringing in elements of the outdoors inside.

Rick Cook, founder of CookFox, a Manhattan-based architecture firm, explains, “The basic theory of biophilic design is enjoying the richness and complexity of nature and using the amazing ecosystem as a stress reduction tool to make our lives better.”

Think: green walls with plants to help circulate cleaner air, natural materials, indoor water features, and circadian lights.

With many Americans spending over 90% of their lives inside, a biophilic design can create a “happier” lifestyle for many employees. Research has shown that a lack of windows and poor ventilation creates more stress for employees.

COVID has inspired many architecture firms to create a better ventilation system. The problem, however, that the real estate market is currently trying to work through, is balancing the need for these healthy buildings, while also keeping energy usage to a minimum.

How do you hope your office will look in the future?

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