The respect for the environment has become a must and Biophilic Design is one of the new emerging disciplines; however, already in the pre-pandemic era, some architects were pioneers of this new attitude and were able to integrate green areas in headquarters for outside working.
Urban habitats that in this season turn out to be suggestive and safe from a health point of view when gradually returning to the office.
The posted outdoor offices are made by HW Style, a company with a “green passion” in its DNA that offers complete management and design of greenery services, from turnkey projects to custom-made installations.
It is no coincidence that the word outdoor appears among the topics in pole position in the rankings of search engines.
Actually pandemic, because it forced us to segregate, has made it clear to everyone the value of what lives outside: the meaning of greenery, nature, trees.
Covid has changed something in our relationship with nature. We have perceived that balance with vegetable world is essential for our wellbeing. Evidence of this is the real estate market trends which see the exponential growth of requests for houses with terraces and gardens.
And it is not only the residential sector is experiencing this steadily increasing demand. In office buildings, terraces and gardens have been transformed into highly appreciated outdoor workplaces.
As for many other mechanisms triggered by the pandemic, it is not a real change but rather the acceleration of an evolution that was already underway.
Now we have to give shape to our relationship with nature in urban contexts, introducing greenery into our homes and offices, not only with the traditional function of a decorative element, but as a generator of beauty, wellbeing and happiness.
For some years now we have been talking about Biophilia and on WOW we have already published several articles on biophilic design and anticipated the outdoor office trend that many enlightened companies were already experimenting with in their new offices.
One example stands out among all: Coima which, not only enjoys a beautiful terrace in its Milanese headquarters designed by Cucinella and has won countless awards for the Bosco Verticale by Boeri, but by extending its sustainable mission and green attitude has given the city the Biblioteca degli Alberi, a new concept of park that all Milanese immediately loved.
The new meaning of the post-pandemic office is a place of relationship and interaction, collaboration and regeneration; the evolution of the workplace cannot neglect sustainability or the qualifying action of the plant world in the workplace.
The fundamental role of greenery emerges from the research carried out not only by Coima, but by many other important design and developer firms.
It is not utopian the hypothesis of Andreas Kipar (LAND) to transform into green areas the spaces – or entire office floors – smart working will make available. “The rethinking of the post-pandemic office cannot ignore the growing desire for nature” declares the founder of LAND (a company whose claim is “reconnecting people with nature”).
The same opinion has Bettina Bolten, researcher and Biophilic Designer, who emphasizes the need, even in the workplace, to reconnect with nature, highlighting the innate attraction to what represents a form of life and makes us feel similar.
Captions
The outdoor offices that illustrate this article, designed by important architectural firms and made by HW Style, offer suggestions of great beauty, offer examples and also concrete indications for the most suitable tree species to create them.
1. Legance Avvocati Associati (Milan) AG&P Greenscape project and arch Lorena Iraldi, Paloma Architects.
Climbing and Hanging Ivy, Red Japanese Maple, Azaleas, Camellias, Banbu, Jasmine Borders, Arbustus Joining, Abelia.
For the plant wall: Clorophitum, Hedera helix, Heucera Verde, Vinca major, Varens Gemengd, Tradescantia.
2. Amplifon (Milan) 967 Arch Associati project.
Bambu and Privet.
3. Jakala (Milan) project by the green arch Luca Strada (Photo by Filippo Podestà).
Camphor, Nandina Domestica, Hydrangea Paniculata, Aralia, Prostrate Rosemary, Arbustus Unendo, Rhyncospermum, Osmanthus Fragrans, Cortaderia Selloana White Father, Cotinus Coggygria Young Lady, Amelanchier Lamarckii, Malus Coccinella.
4. Consulting company (Milan) project by Albera Monti Architetti.
2,500 mixed plants of the Heuchera type, Lonicera Lemon Beauty, Carex variegated yellow green and white green, Vinca Minor, Vinca Major, Ophiopogon Japonicum.
