by: ALEXANDRA HOYLAND
Public Relations Specialist at A. Pomerantz & Co.
February 9, 2018
When I started working at Pomerantz, I would buy flowers for my desk on Monday and they would last the whole week and sometimes roll into the next week. Nothing fancy, just a bouquet from Wegmans (they have beautiful flowers by the way) and put them in a Mason jar on the left side of my desk. As the months went on, I kept it up every week but recently I’ve been slacking. Let me tell you how gloomy I feel when I glance over and see my empty Mason jar. I’m used to there being color and beauty in that left side corner. Now it looks darker, like the clouds just covered the sun.
Biophilia is defined as a hypothetical human tendency to interact or be closely associated with other forms of life in nature. Companies like Coalesse are incorporating biophilia designs into their office. I know what you’re thinking, plants and flowers can be a lot of upkeep. But trust me, it’s worth it. A moss wall helps to purify and humidify the air. Coalesse has a statement wall made of moss in their showroom in Chicago (pictured below).
What are the perks of biophilic design? Steelcase has conducted research and what they found was that the elements of biophilic design are the building blocks of emotional, cognitive, and physical wellbeing. This includes productivity, happiness, stress reduction, learning and healing. One study of workers in Europe (Human Spaces Global Report by Interface) reports levels of wellbeing and productivity increase by 13 percent in environments containing natural elements. Far from being superficial or decorative, nature is an essential factor in the creation of vital workplaces (“Inside Innovation.” n.d.).
Of course, you don’t need to have a moss wall in your work place. Flowers, plants, or even a little succulent on tables or desks will do and I bet you’ll even get some compliments too!
Rafael
Uhul