Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Nature in the office : An environmental assessment study

Evensen, Katinka H. ; Raanaas, Ruth K. ; Hägerhäll, Caroline M. LU ; Johansson, Maria LU orcid and Patil, Grete G. (2017) In Journal of Architectural and Planning Research 34(2). p.133-146
Abstract

Passively viewing nature may promote psychological restoration relevant for office work. The objective of this paper is to explore how natural elements in the indoor work environment are experienced. An on-site assessment with between-subjects design (n = 56) and a photo-based assessment with a crossover design (n = 46) compared three interiors of a windowed office setting with either plants, inanimate objects, or no added objects. Semantic environmental assessments were used, including a work-scenario task. Both studies indicated that the setting with plants was assessed more favorably than the setting without added objects. In the photobased study, the interior with plants was perceived as more fascinating and produced a more positive... (More)

Passively viewing nature may promote psychological restoration relevant for office work. The objective of this paper is to explore how natural elements in the indoor work environment are experienced. An on-site assessment with between-subjects design (n = 56) and a photo-based assessment with a crossover design (n = 46) compared three interiors of a windowed office setting with either plants, inanimate objects, or no added objects. Semantic environmental assessments were used, including a work-scenario task. Both studies indicated that the setting with plants was assessed more favorably than the setting without added objects. In the photobased study, the interior with plants was perceived as more fascinating and produced a more positive emotional state conducive for work productivity than either of the other interiors; the interior with plants was also the preferred work environment in the photo-based study. The results are discussed within the framework of Stress Recovery Theory and Attention Restoration Theory. Issues regarding the use of a multi-method approach are also addressed. Understanding how natural elements indoors are experienced has an important role to play in restorative environmental design research.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Architectural and Planning Research
volume
34
issue
2
pages
14 pages
publisher
Locke Science Publishing Company
external identifiers
  • scopus:85045002311
ISSN
0738-0895
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6e3b7978-b792-4cec-870c-41336814b51a
date added to LUP
2018-04-17 09:35:40
date last changed
2024-01-14 18:42:08
@article{6e3b7978-b792-4cec-870c-41336814b51a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Passively viewing nature may promote psychological restoration relevant for office work. The objective of this paper is to explore how natural elements in the indoor work environment are experienced. An on-site assessment with between-subjects design (n = 56) and a photo-based assessment with a crossover design (n = 46) compared three interiors of a windowed office setting with either plants, inanimate objects, or no added objects. Semantic environmental assessments were used, including a work-scenario task. Both studies indicated that the setting with plants was assessed more favorably than the setting without added objects. In the photobased study, the interior with plants was perceived as more fascinating and produced a more positive emotional state conducive for work productivity than either of the other interiors; the interior with plants was also the preferred work environment in the photo-based study. The results are discussed within the framework of Stress Recovery Theory and Attention Restoration Theory. Issues regarding the use of a multi-method approach are also addressed. Understanding how natural elements indoors are experienced has an important role to play in restorative environmental design research.</p>}},
  author       = {{Evensen, Katinka H. and Raanaas, Ruth K. and Hägerhäll, Caroline M. and Johansson, Maria and Patil, Grete G.}},
  issn         = {{0738-0895}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{133--146}},
  publisher    = {{Locke Science Publishing Company}},
  series       = {{Journal of Architectural and Planning Research}},
  title        = {{Nature in the office : An environmental assessment study}},
  volume       = {{34}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}