EcoRealms: Improving Well-being and Enhancing Productivity Through Incorporating Nature Into the Workplace

Abstract

Work-induced stress is a large problem that has only been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. Nature has beneficial effects on psychological and physiological well-being, with an abundance of scientific literature demonstrating the ability of greenery to reduce stress. As such, the fusion of nature-based design into the work and academic environments has the potential to greatly decrease student and employee stress. Primary methods of incorporating greenery indoors include living walls and potted plants. However, these methods fall short of creating an immersive environment that maximizes the positive impact on worker well-being, and additionally, barriers such as maintenance, costs, and extensive construction limit implementation. This paper outlines a new method to integrate nature into the work environment through “EcoRealms,” which are immersive, natural spaces created by modular and self-maintaining ‘living partitions.’ These low-cost, easy-to-install partitions act as design elements to create a flexible space that serves worker well-being and enhances productivity. Discussed are prototypes that demonstrate the design’s technical feasibility and results from a self-reported questionnaire that validate the positive impacts of the EcoRealm on wellbeing.