Allyson's biophilic work-from-home station.
By Allyson Jackovics
Biophilic (bī-ō-ˈfi-lik) adj. Of, relating to, or characterized by biophilia: relating to, showing, or being the human tendency to interact or be closely associated with other forms of life in nature.
Inspired by Erin Rovalo's prompt in Living Future 2020's "Getting Started with Biophilic Design" workshop, "What top three biophilic design elements would you use to redesign your home office?" I gave my work-from-home station a biophilic upgrade to see if I could replicate some of the design elements she discussed. Here’s what I did:
Environmental features:
Diverse plants - some started from extra clippings from our office's more than 40 plants), an "animal" feature, and the view from my window, which provides a link to the outside world.
Place-based relationships:
Representation of our local fauna and a reminder of Seattle, to avoid a sense of placelessness in a time of sheltering in place.
Light + Space:
Setting up a sit/stand station set in a naturally lit corner, with some supplemental low light for the inevitable cloud cover, to foster the circadian rhythm and boost mental health.
Erin points out that biophilic design is critical to human health and wellness, enhances emotional attachment to a place, and can be introduced on any scale and budget; three points relevant to our projects and on a personal scale during this period of adaptation. Have you considered rearranging your work-at-home space to be more mentally restorative and biophilic?
To learn more about these biophilic design strategies and more, check out the Biophilic Design Guidebook