The Growth Of Fresh Air – Oxygen & Plants in the Office
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It is no secret that nature is one of the great healers. In our day-to-day lives, an injection of nature offers us with a short, sharp burst of oxygen needed to refresh and reinvigorate our minds – but what about in the office?
The buildings in which we spend so much of our daily time can’t help but occasionally feel sterile, dry, and airless, which can have a negative effect on our health and ability to concentrate. Indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air, which is the result of a cocktail of pollutants formally known as Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs – the concentration of which is determined by a lack of airflow, heating appliances, office equipment, the use of cleaners, etc. Not only does this drain us of energy, it also is potentially unhealthy as we inhale toxins and other air pollutants.
The cure for this modern office plight is plants; nothing else quite keeps air as clean and moist as greenery. Some plants – like the Falangio, Gerbera and Spatifillo – happen to be particularly efficient in raising overall oxygen levels, while also absorbing unpleasant CO2 and hazardous particles. The result? We not only feel better, but also get a lot more done. A number of scientific studies have proven that plants can help increase productivity by as much as 11 per cent. Sweden’s Offect, available in Australia through Cult Design, offers a range of plants designed to enhance to office environment through its O2asis collection.
The On Point Table, designed by Mattias Stenberg for Offecct, is part of the Swedish brand’s O2asis-concept, where vegetation is integrated into furniture pieces so as to improve wellbeing and office air quality. The table itself can hold plants and trees of varying dimensions, with rings of two sizes placed in the table’s centre to accommodate different plants.
Green Pedestals is a series of office ready planters, designed to offer architects and designers a wide variety of possibilities for adding greenery to office fit out projects. Offecct has designed the Green Pedestals range to be possible to add a seat or a tabletop to the models, and by placing them in row or in a group they can form a bench space surrounded by greenery.
The Meet Sofa, designed by Fattorini+Rizzini+Partners from Offecct, has a raw timber frame, built-in planters and sustainable textured fabric options for designers. The charm of the Meet Sofa lies in its simple tribute to sustainability and craftsmanship.
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