When one walks into a biophilic workspace, it feels as though one has transitioned into another realm—a realm where productivity and wellness flow together like a well-conducted orchestra. Light spills into the room from every feasible angle. The air is cool and fresh. The light and air flow together in a marvelous space not without the company of a few well-placed plants. One feels as though it is a top-tier music rehearsal space, but it could just as easily be a law office, a medical office, or any kind of workspace where creativity is supposed to feel natural and not forced. The perfect room honors and welcomes the very conversations that are supposed to take place within it.
The headquarters of Etsy in Brooklyn is a prime example of a biophilic workspace. The company made a deliberate and conscious choice to incorporate the very principles of biophilia throughout the building. That is, they not only used a plethora of indoor plants, but they also used materials for construction that feature the same qualities you would find in nature. Natural wood and stone are used abundantly; in fact, their wonderfully warm meeting rooms and offices have a coziness that is obviously not a result of the standard office design laws that lead to uniformity and monotony. They have done something quite radical here, and that is to integrate natural beauty along with functionality, an unconventional approach that proves that workspace can be more than just a workspace.
This isn’t merely a facade for the integration of nature to have real effects on employees. They have direct and powerful influences on the workforce’s wellbeing, work quality, and overall happiness. The layout of many offices, including Etsy HQ, is such that they’ll be unable to fully appreciate the thoughtful infusions of natural elements (including those fragrant flower arrangements) without being fully immersed in the main workspace. Air isn’t something that only scientists and engineers should have on their resumes. Employees might be able to in some small way to appreciate the unblemished balance of nature with a little help from the fungus among them.
One biophilic workspace that particularly resonates with me is the offices of SelgasCano in Madrid. It is a workspace like no other, with much of its structure built underground and a long, continuous window along one side that allows for breathtaking views of the nearby forest. I once visited and was awestruck by how the workspace melds into the biophysical environment. It’s not just about having live plants in the putative portion of the “well” workspace; it’s about creating an experience that engages more than just vision. The long, linear window with natural light and the workspace with the curved walls and “natural” acoustics made the SelgasCano office feel like a biophysical extension of Madrid’s nearby forest.
What I find particularly thrilling about the biophilic design of workspaces is that it goes well beyond mere visual aesthetics. This design principle fosters an experience that engages sight, sound, and even the elusive senses of taste and smell. One of my favorite biophilic design projects involved introducing natural soundscapes into a corporate office. Instead of the usual hum of the air conditioning and distant voices, we layered gentle background sounds like birdsong and soft water. The effect? Employees were happier and healthier, and the office noise level actually decreased.
What gripped my attention most about biophilic workspaces was their near-total adaptability to the varied forms of any business or trade. Be it a tech startup in San Francisco or an advertising agency in New York City, the principles of biophilic design seem flexible enough to improve nearly any workspace, biophilic workspace being defined as “an office where workers are connected to nature.”
One media company in Los Angeles took a much bolder approach to biophilic design: They didn’t just add a few plants to the office, which seems a common way of approaching biophilic design. They completely reimagined what a workspace could be and, in so doing, came up with eight components of biophilic design.
The office I visited had wide-open spaces filled with natural light, but what really caught my attention was the indoor gardens and water features. Instead of packing the employees into tight, confined spaces, the company had created secret communal areas that felt more like outdoor courtyards. There were clusters of trees and shrubs that made me forget I was in an office building. It wasn’t just pretty; it was a workspace designed to foster creativity and collaboration. I could picture a hundred different ways to use the flat surfaces and nooks and crannies the office offered. I felt like a space cadet on a mission to explore an alien planet. But why was it designed that way? What were the office designer and the company trying to achieve by breaking away so radically from the traditional office layout?
In this company’s case, the biophilic elements weren’t just about making the office better looking; they were about creating a space where people actually wanted to be. And in my experience, that’s a substantial part of the benefit of a biophilic workspace—it helps with retention and satisfaction. When people enjoy the place they’re working in, they’re more likely to stick around, be engaged, and produce high-quality work. You can have all the trendy furniture and ping-pong tables you want, but a place that feels like an actual workspace while still offering a conspicuous connection to nature is what employees are looking for and what significantly raises EaglePoint’s potential as a place to work.
An office I worked on for a financial services firm comes to mind. This client wanted to bring biophilic design to their very structured, corporate environment. Leadership was reticent at first. They thought adding plants, lights mimicking natural sunlight, or organic materials would just give off an “unprofessional” vibe.
After some policy-level nudging, we implemented a design that meshed biophilic principles with the company’s traditional aesthetic. We used natural materials (lots of wood), indoor plants, and big windows to bring in more light. We also designed a central courtyard that employees can access for an effect way similar to walking in a forest.
Even the most doubtful members of the leadership team were surprised by the results. Scores measuring employee engagement increased, and staff members reported a decrease in stress levels coupled with a marked increase in energy. The biophilic workspace directly impacted productivity, which in a corporate setting is the ultimate measure of success. I recall one of the managers telling me how much more relaxed and less burdened they felt coming to work and how they no longer dreaded what used to be a purely work-centered environment. This was a perfect example of how biophilic design can transform the work culture as well as the workspace.
A recent and quite significant development has been the growing trend of biophilia. As defined by the International Society of Biophilia at Harvard University, biophilia is the “innate emotional affiliation of human beings with nature and other forms of life.” Workspaces designed with biophilic principles incorporate the natural world, allowing people to connect with it even when they are inside. Biophilic design moves employees closer to nature, which improves their health, productivity, and creativity.
I once toured an office in Sweden that advanced this idea to a whole new level. The workspace was designed as a series of “zones,” each with a different biophilic theme. One zone had abundant natural light and lots of plants; another had lots of water noises (but no water in sight); yet another (my favorite) had tall faux “trees” that slanted in to make a sort of covered area, with lights that flickered and dimmed. The zone setup was semi-open—a few walls and lots of partitions. But the partitions had either light or sound coming from the other side. Or so I imagined. The setup encouraged employees to move from zone to zone, depending on their work task or mood.
Of all biophilic workspaces, the ones with natural light are the most powerful. Adding windows is the most effective way to let sunlight pour into spaces and to help office workers love being in their workspace. On the other hand, a single window in combination with window films can be just as effective for illuminating an office. My best estimate is that the development, construction, and renovation of biophilic workspaces will trigger more than $100 billion in new GDP and millions of new jobs across the United States in the coming decade.
I went to the headquarters of a design consultancy in Portland, Oregon. It fully embraced the biophilic workspace, which has become a trend in recent years. It was an open office, but it somehow still felt private. There were all these little spaces where you could hide. There were meeting rooms you would never find unless you were ushered in, and workspaces you could work in without anyone knowing you were in there or without anyone even wanting to know you were in there. And everything was so natural. You might think: These guys are doing a nature cult thing. But, really, it was super cool, and the “innovation garden” at the center of the whole office was the most impressive part.
While I was there, I talked to one of the designers. They illuminated how the garden had become the fallback space for whenever a project stalled. “Being in that space affects us somehow,” they said. “It almost seems like we’re relieved of whatever pressure was on us, and we’re then able to think more openly and creatively.” I’ve now heard this sentiment expressed in other biophilic workspaces—how creativity seems to come more easily in some places over others—but it’s most definitely a fundamental reason for the director and the designers to have a “Garden Office.” This workspace biophilia isn’t just happening here; it’s a movement spreading through the design and innovation industries.
Biophilic workspaces are also highly effective at addressing a serious modern office problem: burnout. The ower of the relentless work pace, combined with the stress of constant connectivity, has left many employees feeling depleted and disengaged. One way I’ve seen biophilic design counteract this problem is by creating spaces that encourage employees to disconnect. “Retreat” spaces, which are abundant in nature and help facilitate a quick mental reset, are a powerful counterbalance to a workspace that demands continuous engagement. Recommended additional features in these quiet spaces include low lights, nature sounds (as escapist as they may be), and calming scents.
I assisted in the design of a rooftop garden for a tech company. This space was filled with native plants, had comfortable seating, and featured shaded areas that allowed employees to literally “sit” a spell and enjoy their version of a tranquil, meditative moment, or to just gaze at the city skyline. What I found even more interesting was how quickly this space became the most popular “room” in the office—at least until the construction of the next space.
Biophilic design can carry a powerful punch, even when it comes in small doses. I’ve witnessed the transformation of office space purely through the application of more greenery—houseplants on desks, plant walls in common areas, or even a few large trees in the lobby. I may be biased as a plant person, but those appearances of literal green seem to have real effects on the wellness of people moving through those spaces and their appearances of something like happiness in the direct experience of them.
The biophilic workspace influences how we think about work. This space, which is beyond just an office, considers holistic aspects. It is also beyond the balance of efficiency and effectiveness. The office of the future provides not just a work environment but also a way to anchor the default mode network of the brain. How does this work? By allowing natural light, good acoustics, nature-related graphics, all of which modulate the brain and help maintain a state of human equilibrium (or homeostasis). This is a human function, not a mechanical or rote one. Consequently, the office of the future invites a future workday in which one’s physical, emotional, and even spiritual needs are met.
When I look to the future, I see the biophilic workspace continuing to change and improve. Regardless of the current trend toward more hybrid work models, the office must now deliver something beyond basic functions. It must be a place that works for multiple purposes and allows for an ease of connection that we all crave after living through the pandemic. Creativity and well-being are now key metrics. And with these, the integration of nature into the workspace becomes all the more important.
The biophilic workspace is not just a passing trend. It is a fundamental rethinking of the nature of work. Environments that support “natural rhythms” are now viewed as being fundamental to human wellness while at work. Workspaces that have abundant natural fibers and plentiful internal flora are now viewed as being more conducive to a person’s garnering the productivity that is supposed to be the very essence of “workspace.” Whether through an indoor garden, a cardboard-weave room divider, or clerestory windows that let in more light, a person’s working in a “biophilic workspace” is a reminder that nature has always been our greatest ally in both life and work.
