Talking to Your Client About Biophilic Design
In today’s fast-paced world we can forget the importance of intentionally designing spaces that support human health and well-being. One way to enhance interior environments and create a sense of place is by applying biophilic design concepts. Incorporating biophilia into a project can have remarkable benefits and can have a significant impact–even if the project […]
Biophilic Design – What Is It?
If someone tells you to close your eyes and “go to your happy place” is it inside or outside? Reflect for a minute on why that’s your happy place—is it because you feel nostalgic about it? Or is it a place you feel safe and calm? Do you feel a sense of well-being when you […]
The Benefits of Biophilic Design
Humans are biologically encoded to respond to nature. We have adapted to the built environment, and even spend 93% of our life indoors, but the connection to nature is powerful and should not be dismissed. There’s a reason that guided meditations often use nature visuals, and why people seek the beach for a relaxing vacation. […]
Bringing the Outdoors In – Applying Biophilic Design
Humans are biologically programmed to crave nature and the outdoors—which is at odds withthe fact that we spend most of our time indoors. Interior environments can be intentionallydesigned to support this need for the natural world, and biophilia, a designapproach/philosophy, is becoming more prevalent in conversations with clients, design teams, and other project stakeholders. Biophilic […]
Don’t Overlook the Staff! Five Things to Remember When Designing a Healthcare Project
While every healthcare facility exists to provide services and treatment to patients, it’s the staff who work within with the space daily. Doctors, nurses, and techs interact with patients of course, but they also need spaces to retreat to—spaces to do heads down work, learn new skills, and a place to eat lunch and take […]
Designing Supportive Patient-Centered Spaces
Going to the doctor can be taxing, even if it’s just for a checkup. When patients dread visiting the doctor, they at worst avoid it altogether, but at best increase their stress levels, which negatively impacts overall health. Waiting rooms can be uncomfortable, and patient rooms even worse. Unfortunately, as we get older, visits to […]
Specifying the Right Healthcare Materials—A Quick Guide
Whether you’re designing a new space, or renovating an older one, healthcare design projects can be overwhelming. Once the space adjacencies and room footprints have been established, furniture and finishes must be selected, and while there are many options, there are also many wrong options—and it the healthcare setting every choice should be informed and […]
First Impressions: Four Ways to Improve a Healthcare Waiting Room
Waiting rooms are often the very first experience a patient has with a healthcare provider. The waiting room sets the tone for the entire visit, so designing a supportive, attractive, and functional waiting room is crucial to patient satisfaction and retention. Imagine you’re a parent with small children, arriving at the doctor’s office for an […]
Factors to Consider in K-12 Educational Design: Renovations
The past few years have imparted the importance of designing educational spaces that are flexible and agile. Gone are the days where metal tablet-arm chairs facing a chalkboard is the gold standard of K-12 educational design. Today’s ever-changing technologies, diverse student body, and safety needs challenge the existing classroom design model. Photo courtesy of Unsplash […]
The Break Room: Third Space at Work
Most schools, healthcare facilities, and offices have a place for employees to heat up lunch and make coffee in their dedicated employee break room. Many have a space officially allocated as the “workplace break room.” But how many have turned this highly trafficked real estate into an investment that increases group cohesion and supports a […]
