Investigating restorative effects of biophilic design in workplaces: a systematic review

Abstract

ABSTRACT This systematic review synthesized the evidence on the restorative benefits of biophilic design in the workplace. The literature search was performed based on PRISMA guidelines using two databases (Scopus and Web of Science). 74 peer-reviewed papers meeting the inclusion criteria were selected. The descriptive analysis provided an overview of biophilic design research conducted in workplaces and fed into refining a biophilic design framework with the inclusion of additional elements. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis revealed that biophilic design can yield significant psychological, physiological, and cognitive benefits in the workplace, with varying effect sizes observed across the four distinct outcome measures for each design pattern. The results demonstrated that greenery, window views of nature, and daylight & visual comfort were associated with the largest effect sizes, while simulations of nature, multisensory experiences, water features, and natural materials had small effect sizes. On the other hand, some biophilic design patterns displayed negligible impacts across the outcome measures.