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The headline act at this year’s championship isn’t Roger Federer, Johanna Konta or even the all-star pairing of Andy Murray and Serena Williams. It’s two recently installed living walls. Featuring near 15,000 plants, the two walls span a total of 245 sq m and are already home to an array of wildlife. “There were already some goldfinches nesting in it a week after it was installed,” Martyn Falconer, head gardener at the All England Club said. “Straight away, you walk along, you can see the bees, it’s great. Wimbledon in its entirety is full of wildlife.” The All England Club’s commitment to biodiversity and wellbeing has been widely praised. Speaking to the national media on Thursday, Falconer noted he’s received a mountain of praise for the introduction of the two living walls. The players, he said, have been commenting “how amazing it is and how peaceful it makes the grounds feel.” Proponents of wellbeing will not be surprised by those claims, but rather point to them as extra evidence supporting the importance of biophilia in our everyday lives. Numerous studies show that we spend around 90% of our time inside, either at work, shopping or commuting, a figure Georgia Elliott-Smith, director at Element4, describes as being “alarming”. “There is so much evidence confirming the link between human health and nature,” Georgia adds. “It’s fascinating how much scientific research now confirms the extent to which our environment impacts on our wellbeing so I encourage biophilic design and the benefits plants can provide.” Aside from the health-related benefits, there’s a strong business case to be made for placing biophilia at the heart of an office. |
“Making sure employees have access to plants and natural light can raise productivity by 6% and creativity by 15%,” biophilic designer Oliver Heath explained in a recent seminar held at 79 Clerkenwell Road. Modern interiors across all sectors are increasingly adopting biophilic elements in their design. From simply adding plants to full-size living walls like the one seen at Wimbledon, more and more contemporary office spaces are going green. At Clerkenwell Design Week, Creatif debuted a moving moss wall panel. Designed to be incorporated with our best-selling agile system Float, the moss panels allow for the efficient zoning of space with the added benefits of biophilia.
Ultimately, a healthier, engaged and more productive workforce makes for a better business. Working our fitout partners, we’re determined to provide solutions that shape happier, healthier, biophilic and ultimately perfect workspaces. |