Gardens and woods in the city and in the workplace: urban and office biophilia recalls our need to go back to nature as a source of wellbeing. A truth we have always known and that we are rediscovering more consciously through scientific and technological findings that allow us to design a “more efficient” nature for our happiness, productivity, and eco-sustainability of the new ways of working.
The homo officis has left his cubicle-cave and explores the urban jungle, orienting himself watching the flight of the app in his smartphone, looking for power plugs and wi-fi spots to feed their devices: a nomadic way of living in a dynamic environment centered on the concept of body as a source and need of feelings and on the use of technology and science as capability of building new and efficient devices.
Going beyond the idea of a theoretical separation between culture and nature, artificial and natural, working and wellbeing, the homo officis rediscover his biophilia as the key to his fulfillment and happiness.
This is the plot of the new ways of working and the new outdoor offices, roof gardens, and garden, as the Biblioteca degli Alberi, and the interiors of workplaces, like the Banca Mediolanum company restaurant and the HQ Sorgenia in Milan.
Companies that take care about the wellbeing of their employees have built green terraces where the homo officis can work, relax and meet other co-workers outdoor. The city of Milan offers different examples of that: the HQ Coima designed by Mario Cucinella and the roof-office of the HQ Lundbeck by HW Style, and also the most innovative coworking space as Copernico Centrale and Copernico Isola in Sassetti’s Tower.
A trend that involves not just new buildings, as the Intesa Sanpaolo offices in Piazza della Scala, where the Copernico Smartplaces Award winner project “Hive – the future of the work” (in the opening picture) has added a welcoming outdoor green office as the core of a healthy and innovative workplace.
Text by Gabriele Masi.
Upper photo: Banca Intesa San Paolo, Piazza Scala, Milano.
