Embracing Nature: A Design Challenge for Healthcare Spaces at One Workplace
At One Workplace, we understand the profound impact that the environment can have on the healing process. With an ever-growing body of evidence supporting biophilic design principles, we recognize the importance of incorporating elements of nature into healthcare environments to promote healing and well-being. This understanding inspired us to hold a unique design challenge for our Healthcare Design Team, centered around the integration of biophilic design in healthcare spaces.
The Challenge
Our team of talented EDAC certified designers collaborates with healthcare systems, providers, and design professionals, supporting the design and furniture selection for their facilities. With this in mind, we posed an intriguing challenge: creating innovative fabric designs for seating options that bring the outdoors in, enhancing the healing environment for patients, visitors, and staff.
Why Biophilic Design?
Biophilic design is an approach that seeks to connect building occupants more closely to nature. This design philosophy has been shown to reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and expedite healing processes. In healthcare settings, where stress and anxiety are prevalent, integrating natural elements can significantly enhance the patient experience and promote faster recovery.
The Design Brief
The design challenge asked our team to develop fabric patterns that could be manufactured and applied to various seating options used healthcare spaces. The criteria were clear:
The Creative Process
Our team dived into the challenge with enthusiasm, embarking on extensive research to understand the profound impact of nature-inspired designs. They explored various biophilic design principles, studying how different elements of nature could be translated into fabric patterns. From lush pinecone and grass motifs to calming organic forms, each design aimed to bring a piece of nature into the healthcare setting.
Showcasing the Designs
After weeks of brainstorming, sketching, and refining, the team presented a stunning array of fabric designs to the judges. Here are a few highlights:
Collaboration with Furniture Partners
To bring these designs to life, we collaborated with three of our treasured vendor partners**: LDI Interiors, Kwalu, and Via Seating. The folks at LDI Interiors worked diligently to produce fabrics based on the two winning designs, and the custom fabrics were then applied to a selection of Kwalu and Via Seating chairs, showcasing the beauty and practicality of biophilic design in healthcare settings.
Congratulations to our talented winning designers.
Danette Anderson, Pinecone (Kwalu Carrara Bench | Fabric by LDI Interiors)
“During winter, in the Black Hills, “nature” becomes quite bleak. Grass goes dormant, trees lose their leaves, everything goes brown. Unless there is snow on the ground, the overall landscape can be a little depressing.
Everything that is, except the evergreen trees. In the Black Hills, they are the bright spot in wintertime. I thought pinecones could make for an interesting pattern, so I collected some and took a couple of different shots. Adding a few interesting filters resulted in these images.”
Joy Butler, Weeping Pussy Willow Tree (Via Reset task chairs | Fabric by LDI Interiors)
“Spring is on its way. Mother Nature has the perfect way of introducing color back into the world, after a cold and colorless winter. The photo is of the Weeping Pussy Willow tree from our yard.”
Showcasing the Finished Products
We are thrilled to announce that these special chairs with custom fabrics are now available for viewing at our Monterey and Oakland locations. This allows our clients and visitors to experience firsthand the calming and healing effects of biophilic design. The chairs not only serve as functional pieces of furniture but also as visual and tactile reminders of nature's role in the healing process.
Impact and Future Plans
The response to this design challenge was overwhelmingly positive. Our designers experienced first-hand the custom fabric design process and can share tips for success with our A/D partners.
Not only was our design team encouraged to stretch their creative muscles, but this exercise also reinforced our commitment to improving healthcare environments through thoughtful, nature-inspired design. We look forward to seeing these and more beautiful, healing designs in every healthcare space.
At One Workplace, we believe that the environment plays a crucial role in the healing process, and we are dedicated to creating spaces that promote health and well-being through innovative design solutions.
**Special thanks to our vendor partners, we are grateful for your support.