NATIONAL COLLEGE OF ARTS, RAWALPINDI

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
1ST TERM

THESIS RESEARCH PROJECT

ASPECT – I

By:

Nosherwan Tahir
Roll No. 01
5TH Year Architecture

(March 2023)
Restorative Environment Design

Table of Contents
Aspect 2 – Restorative Environment Design ................................................................................................. 1

AIMS & OBJECTIVES: ............................................................................................................................... 1

QUESTIONS: ............................................................................................................................................... 1
RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENT DESIGN (RED): ................................................................................. 1
CHARACTERISTICS OF RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENT DESIGN: ................................................. 2
BEING AWAY: ........................................................................................................................................ 2
EFFORTLESS FASCINATION: ........................................................................................................... 3
EXTENT: ................................................................................................................................................. 3
COMPATIBILITY: ................................................................................................................................. 4
BENEFITS OF RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENT DESIGN: ................................................................... 5
FEATURES OF RESTORATIVE SPACE: ................................................................................................. 6
DESIGN STRATEGIES OF RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENT DESIGN: .............................................. 7
BIOPHILIA AND BIOPHILIC DESIGN: ................................................................................................... 7
PRINCIPLES OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN:..................................................................................................... 8
BASIC TENETS/ELEMENTS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN:.......................................................................... 8
TENETS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN ......................................................................................................... 8
 Environmental features......................................................................................................................... 8
 Natural shapes and forms ..................................................................................................................... 8
 Natural patterns and processes ............................................................................................................. 8
 Light and space..................................................................................................................................... 8
 Place-based relationships ..................................................................................................................... 8
 Evolved human relationships with nature ............................................................................................ 8
DIMENSIONS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN: .................................................................................................. 9
ATTRIBUTES OF ELEMENTS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN: ....................................................................... 9
PATTERNS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN: ..................................................................................................... 10
DESIGN PARAMETERS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERNS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN: .......... 11
LITERATURE REVIEW: ....................................................................................................................... 13
Case Study (Evaluation of the Impacts of Biophilic Design for Workplace Health and Wellbeing): 13
Restorative Environment Design 1

Aspect 2 – Restorative Environment Design

AIMS & OBJECTIVES:

This aspect discusses: characteristics of RED, implementation of restorative office spaces
through biophilic design approach, impact of restorative environment design on office
employees, basic tenets, principles, dimensions & patterns of biophilic design and green
building methods towards sustainability.

QUESTIONS:
 What is a RED? What are the characteristics of RED?
 What are the features of a restorative space?
 What are the design strategies for RED?
 What are the biological and psychological impact of restorative environments on man?
 What are the design parameters according to the patterns of Biophilic Design?

RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENT DESIGN (RED):

Restorative design is a holistic approach to design that seeks to restore balance between
humans, nature and the built environment. It emphasizes the use of natural resources,
renewable energy, and sustainable systems to create a healthy, equitable and resilient future. It
is a human centric design approach, identified with the search for innovative solutions in the
sphere of broadly understood human activity and problems of the modern world. The
Restorative environmental design as a new concept for sustainability addresses the issues of
human disconnection with the natural environment along with sustainable building practices.
It was developed in response to the regression of natural systems such as green spaces and the
spread of modern urbanism that restrained the human-nature connection. It also addresses the
effects resulting from an increase in human alienation with the natural world, the use of
unsustainable energy, and the increase in biodiversity lack.
Restorative Environment Design 2

(RED)
RESTORATIVE
ENVIRONMENT
DESIGN

SUSTAINABLE
BIOPHILLIC
BUILDING
ATTRIBUTES
PRACTICES

HOLISTIC
SUSTAINABLE
DESIGN

Figure 1:Red as a new concept of sustainability

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENT DESIGN:

Restorative Environment Design has four basic characteristics. These are as follows:
 Being Away
 Effortless Fascination
 Extent
 Compatibility

BEING AWAY:

It refers to the ability to escape away from some involved endeavor that is normally present in
our urban environment, like references of noise, crowding, chaos, and even the everyday
routine of work. This is also an expression of the desire to take a mental and physical rest from
seek a certain purpose or task. An ideal restorative environment would incorporate space that
allows both means of renewal, rest and escape, to happen without provoking a sense of
retention or weariness to the user pursuing restoration. In an office environment, this may
include:
Restorative Environment Design 3

 Indoor gardens
 Views of nature
 Water features
 Any location that is different enough from a typical workstation

EFFORTLESS FASCINATION:

Fascination is stimulated by an act of involuntary attention, “attention that does not require
effort at all such as an individual looks to discover what is going on when something exciting
or interesting happens. With this aspect, success is dependent on the support of the extent
aspect. Without the supportive relationship of fascination and extent, random fascination would
only serve as a temporary pleasure produced from its disconnection to the environment’s
context as a whole. This aspect is highly significant in the restorative environment because it
promotes interest and prevent an individual from suffer weariness without effort attention. It
achieves through a part of or a whole setting that easily engages attention thereby allowing
fatigued attention to rest. In an office environment, this may include:
 Natural & organic patterns, shapes & forms
 Natural lighting
 Water features
 Living greenery

EXTENT:

The desire to escape comes with a sense of connection to the environment in which it will occur
and its domain, which together determines its “extent”. Extent is implicit physically or
perceptually and is necessary to represent a sense of being immersed within the environment.
Although connection is achieved through the individual’s interrelation with the environment
as a whole, extent is achieved through the experience that is being presented and the promise
of continuation. It provides a setting that is complex enough to engage the mind and promote
exploration. In an office environment, this may include:
 Open spaces
 Ceilings with varying height
 Views of nature
Restorative Environment Design 4

COMPATIBILITY:

Humans seem to have a natural affinity for nature. In order to become successful aspect, a
restorative environment is required to offer compatibility with the individual’s tendencies and
actions required by the environment. So, while an individual’s decisions immersed in the
environment, partner with the environment’s limitations and demands. Also, patterns that
provided by the environment stimulate the psychological activity that guides users’
compatibility and actions. A sense of fascination is promoted and compatibility is strengthened
when the environment supports the action and compatibility of the individual. On the other
hand, if the environment fails to foster compatibility, rise mental effort is required and mental
fatigue remains. Together, the defined aspects of the restorative environment and biophilic
design attributes will be integrated to form the proposed restorative healing environment study
framework.
Restorative Environment Design 5

BENEFITS OF RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENT DESIGN:

Restorative Environment Design 6

FEATURES OF RESTORATIVE SPACE:

Restorative Environment Design 7

DESIGN STRATEGIES OF RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENT DESIGN:

DESIGN STRATEGIES
ECOSYSTEM LOW- SMALL ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN
SERVICES IMPACT CONSTRUCTION & OPERATION OF THE
DESIGN BUILDING.
BIOPHILLIA ORGANIC DIRECT, INDIRECT & SYMBOLIC
DESIGN EXPERIENCE OF NATURE THROUGH
NATURAL MATERIALS & ECOLOGICAL
ENGINEERING.
SENSE VERNACU DESIGN IN RELATION TO THE ECOLOGY OF
OF PLACE LAR THE PLACE, CULTURE & HISTORY. DESIGN
ARCHITE TO AVOID LOSS OF LOCAL & REGIONAL
CTURE IDENTITIES.

BIOPHILIA AND BIOPHILIC DESIGN:

The term ‘Biophilia’ was first mentioned in the works of German psychologist Fromm (1973),
as “the passionate love of life and of all that is alive”. The term has ancient Greek origins (bios:
life, philia: love) and was later popularized by American Biologist Wilson (1984). Biophilia is
“the inherent human tendency to affiliate with nature”. Biophilic design transforms the spaces
Restorative Environment Design 8

into stimulating ones that enhance physical and mental health. It offers a sustainable design
strategy that incorporates reconnecting people with the natural environment. Biophilic design
depends on an inherent connection between humans and their natural environment as an
integral component of architecture, interior, and landscape design, therefore it is a valuable
resource when creating residential, office and commercial spaces that not only serve their
intentional functions, but increase the physical, psychological and emotional health of the
occupants.

PRINCIPLES OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN:

PRINCIPLES OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN
 Biophilic design requires consistently and sustained engagement with nature.
 Biophilic design concentrate on human adaptations to the natural world that
advances people’s wellbeing.
 Biophilic design supports the emotional attachment to specific settings and places.
 Biophilic design promotes positive integrates between people and nature that
encourage an extended sense of responsibility for the human communities and
natural.
 Biophilic design encourages mutual interconnected and integrated architectural
solutions.

BASIC TENETS/ELEMENTS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN:

Following are the six basic tenets of biophilic design:
TENETS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN
 Environmental features
 Natural shapes and forms
 Natural patterns and processes
 Light and space
 Place-based relationships
 Evolved human relationships with nature
Restorative Environment Design 9

DIMENSIONS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN:

There are two dimensions of biophilic design:
 An organic or naturalistic
 Place-based or vernacular

DIMENSIONS
 ORGANIC OR  Direct experience with nature: describes
encounters with self-sustaining elements of
NATURALISTIC
nature such as daylight, air, animals, native
plantings, natural landscapes and ecosystems,
often called “wild nature”.
: includes
 Indirect experience with nature: includes
interactions with natural elements that require
human intervention to survive, such as a potted
plant or an aquarium.

 Symbolic experience with nature:

representations of nature through natural
building materials; images of nature; simulations
of light, air, and sound; and other modes of
biomimicry.
 PLACE-BASED OR  characterized by a spirit or feeling of a built
environment that allows a space to become
VERNACULAR
meaningful to individual and collective
identities.

ATTRIBUTES OF ELEMENTS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN:

DIMENSIONS ELEMENTS ATTRIBUTES
Environmental  Water
features  Air
 Light
NATURALISTIC  Plants
OR  Animals
 Weather
ORGANIC  Natural landscapes and ecosystems
 Fire
Natural shapes and  Naturalistic shapes and forms
forms  Natural geometries
 Natural colors
 Natural Material
 Evoking nature
 Images of nature
Restorative Environment Design 10

 Biomimicry

Natural patterns  Age, change, and the patina of time

and processes
 Information richness
Light and space  Simulating natural light and air
 Mobility and wayfinding
 Transitional spaces
 Integration of parts to wholes
Place-based  Cultural and ecological attachment
relationships to place.
PLACE-BASED
OR Evolved human-  Prospect and refuge
VERNACULAR
nature  Organized complexity
relationships

PATTERNS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN:

There are 14 patterns of biophilic design. These are as follows:
1. Visual Connection with Nature: A view to elements of nature, living systems and
natural processes.
2. Non-Visual Connection with Nature: Auditory, haptic, olfactory, or gustatory stimuli
that engender a deliberate and positive reference to nature, living systems or natural
processes.
3. Non-Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli: Stochastic and ephemeral connections with nature
that may be analysed statistically but may not be predicted precisely.
4. Thermal & Airflow Variability: Subtle changes in air temperature, relative humidity,
airflow across the skin, and surface temperatures that mimic natural environments.
5. Presence of Water: A condition that enhances the experience of a place through the
seeing, hearing or touching of water.
6. Dynamic & Diffuse Light: Leveraging varying intensities of light and shadow that
change over time to create conditions that occur in nature.
7. Connection with Natural Systems: Awareness of natural processes, especially
seasonal and temporal changes characteristic of a healthy ecosystem.
8. Biomorphic Forms & Patterns: Symbolic references to contoured, patterned, textured
or numerical arrangements that persist in nature.
9. Material Connection with Nature: Material and elements from nature that, through
minimal processing, reflect the local ecology or geology to create a distinct sense of
place.
10. Complexity & Order: Rich sensory information that adheres to a spatial hierarchy
similar to those encountered in nature.
11. Prospect: An unimpeded view over a distance for surveillance and planning.
12. Refuge: A place for withdrawal, from environmental conditions or the main flow of
activity, in which the individual is protected from behind and overhead.
13. Mystery: The promise of more information achieved through partially obscured views
or other sensory devices that entice the individual to travel deeper into the environment.
14. Risk/Peril: An identifiable threat coupled with a reliable safeguard.
Restorative Environment Design 11

DESIGN PARAMETERS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERNS OF

BIOPHILIC DESIGN:

1. Visual connection with nature:

 Stress reduction through visual connections with natural elements. It also alleviates
mood and enhances self-esteem.
 Give priority to real natural elements instead of artificially produced or acquired
aspects of nature.
 Prioritizing the promotion of biodiversity over expansion of land.
 Giving priority to spaces for exercise and recreation, which have visual connection
with green spaces.
 Minimum exposure to nature for 5-20 minutes / day.

2. Non-visual connection with nature:

 Small or momentary interventions with non-visual sensory stimuli can have a
positive health impact.
 Giving priority to natural sounds over unpleasant urban sounds to generate
physiological and psychological relief.
 Utilizing the natural sounds of birds, winds and gushing of leaves to enhance the
creativity of the people.

3. Non-rhythmic sensory stimuli:

 A cast shadow can be utilized to reveal features of the 3-dimensional form that are
not usually apparent in a direct view of the object hence emphasizing the space.
 The clouds can be treated as restorative mediums due to their non-rhythmic nature
and can be utilized through horizontal or diagonal openings in the roof or wall to
make creative use of their view from interior spaces.

4. Thermal & Airflow Variability:

 Maintaining low and dense vegetation between the buildings especially where high
temperatures are measured.
 Maintaining a small water body to induce evaporative cooling for the surroundings.
 Pergolas used with deciduous plants and trees provide solar control and provide a
shade induced cooling in summers.
 Employing green roofs and green walls for reduction in heat gain and for
maintaining a fresh air flow.
 Construction materials of high emissivity and reflectivity values to be used in order
to avoid excessive heating in summers.

5. Presence of Water:
 The perception of water should be as a clean element.
 Priority should be given to an experience that involves use of multiple senses for
water.
 Priority should be given to natural movements of water, which are unpredictable.

6. Dynamic & Diffuse Light:

Restorative Environment Design 12

 Transitional balance between indoor and outdoor spaces in terms of separation,

privacy and zoning can just be induced through dynamic lighting conditions without
the presence of any physical medium to act as a separator.
 A modified daylight lighting mechanism, which has the capability to change
throughout the day to mimic the features of natural light, such as circadian rhythm-
based lighting system, can pave a way for artificially generated mood and creativity
enhancer systems for workplaces and habitats.
 Indirect exposure to ambient light through perforations can be ensured, which
enhances the preference of the space and makes the space appear larger. It also
improves brain’s cognitive function and gives positive psychological feedback.
7. Connection with Natural Systems:
 Collection, treatment and use of rainwater into the design of landscapes that is
responsive to monsoon and channelizes surface run-off of water.
 The provision of visual access to naturally occurring systems is considered the
easiest and smartest cost-effective approach. In other cases, the inclusion of design
that has responsive tactics, robust structures, and adaptable land formations helps
in achieving the desired levels of mobility for the design.

8. Biomorphic Forms & Patterns:

 The biomorphic attributes should be applied on 2 or 3 planes or dimensions (e.g.,
floor plane and wall; furniture windows and soffits) for greater diversity and
frequency of exposure.
 As a design measure, try to avoid the overuse of forms and patterns that may lead
to visual toxicity.
 More interventions that are comprehensive will be cost effective if they are
introduced early in the design process.

9. Material Connection with Nature:

 The frequency of use of a material in a space should be based upon its function.
 There should be a preference for natural materials over synthetically fabricated
materials as human sensory receptors can identify and sense the difference between
them.
 The use of colours in a space should be done on an experimental basis. However,
the green colour bears some favours of the designer due to its ability to enhance the
mood of creativity in spaces.

10. Complexity & Order:

 Give priority to fractal geometries while dealing with aspects of urban planning,
architecture façades, landscape design, etc.
 To have greater impact of form in design, the fractal patterns with 3 iterations must
be preferred over fractal patterns with 2 iterations.
 The overuse of fractal patterns should be avoided to maintain a balance between
stress reduction and restoration. The underuse of fractal patterns may lead to
disinterest in design and offer predictability.
 Buildings with fractal patterns as design elements in façade must consider the
context and the impact on the city skyline.

11. Prospect:
Restorative Environment Design 13

 Design interventions like placing stairwells at building edges with glass façade and
internal glass walls can form a stable Prospect feature.
 Fenestrations that allow visual transparency along the corridors can make feature
rich arrangements opportunities for workstations in office spaces.
 A focal length range between 6 meters and 30 meters is preferred when there is
adequate depth available for enhancing the experience of the user for walking,
bicycling and similar exploratory in campus activities. This gives the user a control
over their subconscious range of vision and enhances the preference of the space.
 Preference should be given to the quality of the symbiosis of Prospect and Refuge
rather than the size or the repetition of the same feature.
 Visual Connection with Nature has the capability to optimize the Prospect
experience with a quality view.

12. Refuge:
 Lower ceiling levels induce an effect of refuge within usual environments. Some
architectural adaptations for refuge inside the built space are soffit, false-ceiling and
suspended fabric.
 A combination of refuge spaces should be used instead of a single one for buildings
where a higher frequency of users are involved.
 The refuge spaces and their adjacent spaces should use different lighting systems
and there should be a separation based on the functionality of the space.

13. Mystery:
 Use of curved edges is recommended as they play a more significant role in
comparison to pointed edges while guiding people’s movement along them.
 Speed of movement of people through the space is a considerable factor for mystery
as it enhances the small or large nature of the space in fractions of time. Design
should control speed of movement through offering distractions and mild
obstructions in the pathway.
 Dramatic use of shade and shadow can add to the mystery of the space.
 Elements with unprecedented organic growth like planters and shrub rails serve as
the natural modulators of fear and surprise for the pedestrian.

14. Risk/Peril:
 Risk / Peril should be approached with precision, as it is a sensitive element for
human psychology. Its user base must be well defined and precisely targeted.
 The element of safeguarding the user must not create an overwhelming
environment, which kills the possibility of risk. Risk should be kept as the end limit
for the user, certain yet undefined.

LITERATURE REVIEW:

Case Study (Evaluation of the Impacts of Biophilic Design for Workplace

Health and Wellbeing):

This study highlights the differences between the two offices selected evaluating the impacts
of workplace. The two offices have similar features: (1) the urban contexts are similar: both
Restorative Environment Design 14

the cities (Singapore and Shenzhen) are typical compact, high density Asian mega-cities; (b)
both offices are open-plan.
This study employs investigative POE methods, including field observations and questionnaire
surveys of users, because of the certificate limitations to conduct long-term research in both
office buildings.

Dimension Office A Office B

Location Singapore Shenzhen, South
China
Climate zone Tropical monsoon Sub-tropical
climate climate
Coordinate 1◦160 N, 103◦50 E 22◦550 N, 114.1◦ E
Floor 8 10
Office ventilation type Central air conditioned Natural
ventilation
Temperature in the 25 to 26 ◦C 26 to 28 ◦C
office
No. of employees Approx. 300 Approx. 150

Figure 2:The connection between 24 Biophilic Design Attributes (A) and 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design (B), 9
Biophilic Design Attributes for the workplace (C).
Restorative Environment Design 15

As a reference to design practices, the validation of design frameworks must be appropriately

checked by users. Based on existing biophilic frameworks, two representative frameworks are
employed as the references to biophilic design i-e. the 24 Biophilic Design Attributes and the
14 Patterns of Biophilic Design. The 24 biophilic design attributes are listed and classified into
three types of experience of nature, including “direct experience of nature”, “indirect
experience of nature”, and “experience of place and space” (A). Another framework of
biophilic design features, the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design, was developed according to the
reviews of existing empirical research findings. The 14 biophilic design patterns were divided
into 4 levels based on the amount of empirical research. It means that the patterns with more
supportive empirical data are marked with more stars, from the lowest score with 0 stars to the
highest score with 3 stars.

Eight Physical Influential Factors for Overlapping Attributes in the Nine

Office Satisfaction and Productivity
Factor 1: Indoor Air Quality and
Ventilation
Factor 2: Thermal Comfort
Factor 3: Lighting and Daylighting
Factor 4: Noise and Acoustics
Factor 5: Office Layout
Factor 6: Biophilia and Views (i.e.,
biodiversity, greenery, water features)
Factor 7: Look and Feel (i.e., colors,
patterns, spatial settings)
Factor 8: Location and Amenities
Biophilic Design Attributes for the
Workplace
Attribute 4: Thermal Comfort and
Airflow; Attribute 5: Air Quality
Attribute 4: Thermal Comfort and
Airflow
Attribute 2: Natural Light
N.A. (not included as a biophilic
feature)
Attribute 9: Building Form and Layout
Attribute 1: Greenery/Vegetation;
Attribute 6: Biodiversity
Attribute 3: Natural colors;
Attribute 7: Artworks;
Attribute 8: Natural Materials
N.A. (not included as a biophilic
attribute)

The below table demonstrates the connections and overlaps of biophilic design
attributes/patterns in these two design frameworks.

The major scale of the questionnaire consists of three parts (subscales): general health
(GH), nature relatedness (NR), and biophilic design evaluation (BDE). The GH and NR are
designed to self-evaluate health status and subjective relatedness to nature. The final part
(subscale) is the POE of the office biophilic design.
 Section Question Number and
Description
Demographic information (1) Gender
Restorative Environment Design (2) Age 16
(3) Education level
(4) Weekly working
hours
(5) Daily sedentary
time at the work desk
(6) Work desk
location
(7) Working years

Scale Construct Item Number Question Number and Matched

Description Biophilic
Design
Attributes for
Workplace
Subscale 1 General Health GH 1 (Q8) Satisfaction with -
(GH) GH 2 health
GH 3 (Q9) Ability to concentrate
GH 4 (Q10) Satisfaction with
work capacity
(Q11) Satisfaction with
relationships in the
workplace
Subscale 2 Nature NR 1 (Q12) Ideal vacation -
Relatedness NR 2 spot—wilderness area
(NR) (Q13) Personal actions
affect the environment
NR 3 (Q14) Take notice of
wildlife
NR 4 (Q15) Personal
relationship with nature
Subscale 3 Biophilic BDE 1 (Q16) Thermal comfort Attribute 4
Design BDE 2 (Q17) Natural light quality Attribute 2
Evaluation BDE 3 (Q18) Indoor air quality Attribute 5
(BDE) BDE 4 (Q19) Indoor airflow speed Attribute 4
BDE 5 (Q20) Spatial arrangement Attribute 9
BDE 6 (Q21) Greenery design Attribute 1
BDE 7 (Q22) Artwork design Attribute 7
BDE 8 (Q23) Biodiversity features Attribute 6
BDE 9 (Q24) Material design Attribute 8
BDE 10 (Q25) Layout and building Attribute 9
shape design
BDE 11 (Q26) Color design Attribute 3
BDE 12 (Q27) Satisfaction with -
biophilic features in
workplace
Main Scale Health and The sum of the Question number (8 to 27) -
Wellbeing of subscales
Biophilic
Offices
 Office A Office B
Biophilic Design
Attributes for
Workplace
Restorative Environment Design 17
(1)
Greenery/Vegetation

Potted plants, window view of natural

scenes Potted plants, vertical
greening, roof garden and
green balconies; window
view of natural
scenes
(2) Natural Light Daylight Daylight
(3) Natural Colors

Natural colour design

Natural colour design
(4) Thermal Comfort Thermal control (air-conditioning
and Airflow system)
(5) Air Quality
Openable windows for
natural ventilation and
thermal comfort
(6) Biodiversity

(7) Artworks

Paintings with natural images and Natural patterns on façade

interior and stairs
biomorphic patterns
(8) Natural Materials

wooden floor and wooden screen natural materials

 Restorative Environment Design 18

(9) Building Form and Workstations are as close to windows as Workstations are as close to
Layout possible windows as possible,
balconies on each floor

First, both offices deploy green features (attribute 1: Greenery/Vegetation). Second, although
both offices are air-conditioned, Office B in South China exploits passive ventilation design
features, like openable windows for natural ventilation, and semi-open outdoor corridors and
spaces (attribute 4: Thermal Comfort and Airflow and attribute 5: Air Quality). Third, Office
A in Singapore places more attention on enhanced experiences in the indoor office
environment: it employs more interior biophilic design attributes than those of Office B, such
as natural materials (attribute 8: Natural Materials) and paintings (attribute 7: Artworks), and
has introduced more natural colors (attribute 3: Natural Colors) within the office. The layouts
of both offices are designed to put the workstations as close to the windows as possible to
achieve natural light or window views (attribute 9: Building Form and Layout). In summary,
all nine biophilic design attributes for the workplace are employed in the design practice of the
selected offices.

Survey Measures Items Number of Persons Percentage (%)

Gender Male Female 102 50.7
99 49.3
Office Location Singapore Shenzhen, 161 80.1
South China 40 19.9
Age 21–25 15 7.5
26–35 84 41.8
36–45 64 31.8
46–60 38 18.9
Educational level Secondary school or 7 3.5
equivalent 97 48.3
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree or 97 48.3
above
Weekly working 30 to 40 h 29 14.4
hours 41 to 50 h 138 68.7
Over 50 h 34 16.9
Daily sedentary time Less than 30 min 13 6.5 9.5
at the work desk 30 min to 2 h 19 29.4
2 to 5 h 59 42.8
5 to 8 h 86
Above 8 h 24 11.9
Work desk location Window seats with 65 32.3
natural views 27 13.4
Window seats with
urban views
 Restorative Environment Design 19

Aisle seats without 109 54.2

window view
Working years 1 year or less 47 23.4
1–3 years 49 24.4
3–5 years 48 23.9
Over 5 years 57 28.4

Structure (Item) Scale Median Cronbach’s α

(IQR)
Main scale (1) Health and Wellbeing of 71.00 0.72
Biophilic Offices (8.00)
(HWBO)
Subscales of General Health (GH) 15.00 0.68
main scale (3) Nature Relatedness (NR) (2.00) 0.79
Biophilic Design 14.00 0.63
Evaluation (BDE) (3.00)
42.00
(5.00)
 Restorative Environment Design 20

The quantitative results of the questionnaire demonstrate that the workers agree that the
biophilic design attributes in the office have positive effects on their subjective wellbeing.

Survey Category GH NR BDE

Measures Median Sig. Median Sig. Median Sig.
(IQR) (IQR) (IQR)
Gender Male 15.00 0.024 15.00 0.000 42.00 0.950
Female (2.00) * (2.00) * (5.00)
15.00 14.00 42.00
(3.00) (3.00) (6.00)
Age 21–25 16.00 0.009 15.00 0.004 43.00 0.115
26–35 (3.00) * (3.00) * (4.00)
36–45 15.00 15.00 42.00
(2.00) (3.00) (5.00)
15.00 13.50 41.00
(4.00) (3.00) (6.00)
46–60 15.50 15.00 40.50
(2.00) (2.00) (6.00)
Educational Secondary 14.00 0.384 14.00 0.656 39.00 0.391
level school or (4.00) (2.00) (6.00)
equivalent 15.00 15.00 42.00
Diploma or (2.00) (3.00) (5.00)
college
certificate
Master’s 15.00 14.00 42.00
degree or (2.00) (3.00) (5.00)
above

Survey Category GH NR BDE

Measures Median Sig. Median Sig. Median Sig.
(IQR) (IQR) (IQR)
Weekly 30 to 40 h 14.00 0.742 14.00 0.445 41.00 0.919
working 41 to 50 h (2.00) (3.00) (6.00)
hours Over 50 h 15.00 14.00 42.00
(2.00) (3.00) (5.00)
15.00 15.00 42.00
(3.00) (3.00) (5.00)
Daily Less than 15.00 0.549 15.00 0.216 42.00 0.652
sedentary 30 min (2.00) (2.00) (5.00)
time 30 min to 14.00 13.00 43.00
2h (3.00) (4.00) (5.00)
2 to 5 h 15.00 14.00 42.00
5 to 8 h (2.00) (4.00) (5.00)
15.00 15.00 41.00
(2.00) (3.00) (5.00)
Over 8 h 15.00 14.50 41.00
(2.00) (4.00) (7.00)
 Restorative Environment Design 21

Work Window 15.00 0.751 14.00 0.228 42.00 0.703

desk seats with (3.00) (3.00) (5.00)
location natural 16.00 14.00 42.00
views (2.00) (1.00) (5.00)
Window
seats with
urban
views
Aisle 15.00 14.00 42.00
seats (2.00) (3.00) (5.00)
without
window
view
Working 1 year or 15.00 0.218 15.00 0.531 42.00 0.458
years (in less (2.00) (3.00) (5.00)
this 1–3 years 15.00 14.00 42.00
company) 3–5 years (3.00) (4.00) (7.00)
Over 5 15.00 14.50 42.00
years (3.00) (3.00) (6.00)
15.00 14.00 41.00
(2.00) (3.00) (6.00)
Office Singapore 15.00 0.995 14.00 0.701 41.00 0.244
location Shenzhen, (2.00) (3.00) (5.00)
China 15.00 15.00 43.00
(3.00) (3.00) (5.00)

This result also confirms the previously obtained results that people who had a higher
evaluation of nature relatedness also had a higher evaluation of their health. When occupants
feel that they have a strong relationship with nature, it is observed that the biophilic
environment has positive impacts on their health. More importantly, a significant correlation
was also found between biophilic design evaluation and self-reported health, indicating that
office biophilic design has positive values on workers’ psychological health.

GH NR BDE
General Health - 0.264 ** 0.270
**
Nature Relatedness 0.264 ** - 0.135
Biophilic Design Evaluation 0.270 ** 0.135 -

Biophilic Design Attributes (Arranged Subset

from Highest to Lowest from Bottom to
Top) 1 (Lower 2 (Medium 3 (Higher
Rank) Rank) Rank)
Building Form and Layout 4.299

Artworks 4.415 4.415

Air Quality 4.910 4.910 4.910
Biodiversity 5.052 5.052 5.052
 Restorative Environment Design 22

Greenery 5.167 5.167

Natural Materials 5.234 5.234
Thermal Comfort and Airflow 5.271
Natural Light 5.326
Natural Colors 5.326
Adjusted Sig. (2-sided test) 0.093 0.067 0.836

Level 1 (Higher Rank) Level 2 (Medium Rank) Level 3 (Lower Rank)

Natural Colors Natural Materials Biodiversity

Natural Light Greenery Air Quality

Thermal Comfort and Airflow Biodiversity Artworks
Natural Materials Air Quality Building Form and Layout
Greenery Artworks
Biodiversity
Air Quality

Conclusion:
 Development of a POE questionnaire for evaluating the biophilic design for
workplace health and wellbeing. The investigation explains that a combined
literature review and POE results are one of the practical methodologies to establish
biophilic design frameworks for a specific workplace typology.
 The study provides novel design guidelines for designers with an emphasis on
weight for workplace design practices. The weighting results of this study would be
especially applicable to the workplace typology. The 14 Patterns of Biophilic
Design framework has a broader range of usage for all building typologies, and is
more suitable for general design applications. The weighting results of this
experiment are not intended to deny the ranking in the 14 Patterns of Biophilic
Design. These are exploited to show a new biophilic design framework for the
workplace according to the users’ points of view (based on the POE results).
 The correlation results support the importance of biophilic design from the users’
perspectives. There is a significant correlation between office biophilic design and
the self-reported health of employees.
 The study results provide designers with evidence-based design attributes for
workplace design (i.e., the nine selected workplace biophilic design attributes).