Look through your space

Overlooking the Landscape

The studies of Edward O Wilson consistently show that when people are asked to describe the ideal location for their home or work place, being able to look out over a landscape features as one of the top three most important factors. The reason for this is because in humanity's natural habitat, one would feel safe and secure by being able to see any threats and guard your resources Recreating the illusion of overlooking a landscape from a position of height can be difficult in an open-plan space, and even harder if you are dealing with cellular offices or cubicles, but here are some things you can try so you are looking across your interior landscape.

• Create an illusion - Depending on the layout of your office space, you can create a sense of perspective by using tall plants at one end and progressively using shorter and shorter plants the further away you get. By bringing the view from beyond the windows into play, you can really create an effect of overlooking the landscape.
• Plant an atrium - In many tall buildings, office workers have a view over an atrium rather than to the outside, often from a vantage point several floors above the ground level. Here is a perfect opportunity to provide a view over a landscape that will provide many benefits. As well as the aesthetic and psychological benefits associated with the presence of nature indoors, we also know that high-quality planting in atriums can play a useful role in controlling the indoor climate and air quality.

In deep-plan buildings (low rise but covering a large area), you might find a space near the centre of the building where you can install a green landscape. This will give those people furthest away from a window the opportunity to re-connect with nature.

Green building rating schemes, such as LEED and BREEAM recognize that access to views is important and where this is not possible due to the location or layout of a building, it can be simulated inside a building by interior landscaping. The more plants you have the greater the benefit of cooling and indoor air quality improvements.

Planting means users view areas as 17% more interesting, 16% more welcoming 11% less stressful, 11% more expensive and 8% quieter.

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