Protective and Restorative Effects of Biophilic Design in High School Indoor Environments on Stress and Cognitive Function

Mental health is a significant concern for teenagers. Given that about 80% of Chinese high school students spend the majority of their time indoors on campus, school environments present opportunities not just for learning but also for reducing students’ stress and promoting their well-being. Previous research has shown that direct interactions with natural elements such as green plants have restorative effects, but limited attention has been given to indirect interactions with nature. We investigated the impact of three design forms—nonbiophilic, curved, and biomimicry—within school corridors and classrooms on Chinese high school students’ stress and cognitive functions. We employed a combination of subjective assessments and objective measurements to examine the protective and restorative impacts of these three design forms and utilized virtual 3D models in order to control confounding environmental variables during a visual experience. Through virtual reality simulations involving 96 participants, we collected physiological responses, including skin conductance level, heart rate, indicators of heart rate variability, and cognitive responses, including creativity and attention test scores, to evaluate participants’ changes in stress levels and cognitive performance. Our results indicated that indirect exposure to nature, particularly curved forms, facilitates greater cognitive improvement and stress reduction, whereas nonbiophilic forms offer enhanced stress protection benefits. Therefore, learning environments with nonbiophilic design may be more suitable for tasks that induce stress, such as classes and examinations. Learning environments that feature curved biophilic forms may be better suited for promoting relaxation, creativity, and attention.