Natural Materials in Biophilic Design  

There is no question that a walk in the park, the fresh air, and the sun’s warmth on one’s skin surrounded by grass and trees is a refreshing, positive experience.

Driven by a growing body of research proving the physical, physiological, and emotional benefits promoted by connections to nature, architects and designers are actively incorporating natural elements, particularly wood, into their designs.

All photos courtesy of CertainTeed

Natural design materials, such as wood ceiling systems, contribute to occupant well-being by fulfilling a fundamental human need: connection with nature.

Biophilia—or the love of living things, as translated from ancient Greek—was first coined by the renowned psychologist Erich Fromm in 1964, in describing humans’ attraction to things that are alive and vital. It was then popularized by biologist Edward O. Wilson in the 1980s in response to urbanization’s growing disconnection with nature.

While civilization has lived an agrarian existence for centuries, with people predominately living among nature, the advent of the Industrial Revolution changed all of that.

“Throughout history, humans have been reliant upon and connected to nature for basic needs of food and shelter,” says Pamela Lucas Rew, AIA, partner, KSS Architects, Princeton, New Jersey. “As we transitioned to an industrial society, we have become more dependent upon machines and technology for our basic needs and less connected to nature. This decreased connection to nature has a negative impact on our ability to relax, concentrate, control stress, socialize, and collaborate.”

To help rectify this, the integration of natural materials into architectural designs is a growing phenomenon. And although biophilic design is not a new concept, companies and institutions are recognizing its positive impact on individuals’ comfort, attitude, and health in their daily lives.

Although an indirect connection to nature has always been a strong component of architecture, biophilic design is now taking center stage, according to Angelica Paleczny, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, interior designer at global design firm Perkins and Will in Chicago.

While plants and greenery are generally associated with biophilia, designs also extend to water, natural light, stone, and wood. Countering concrete, smog, and noise, a well-designed biophilic environment can provide an oasis of calm and serenity, reconnecting occupants to a healthier outdoor environment.

Wood and Biophilia

Wood occupies its own special niche in biophilic design, doubling as a building material and, in some cases, a structural element. In most scenarios, well-executed wall and ceiling designs can create a unique warmth and feelings of comfort for occupants.

“The natural grain patterns and textures, the natural aroma, and the warm colors contribute to reducing stress responses, lowering blood pressure, and improving overall mood,” says Gary McNay, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, ILFI Ambassador, academic planning and design at EYP, Atlanta.

Nash Emrich, senior sustainability consultant at Paladino and Company, Grand Forks, North Dakota, agrees: “There is no question that I behave and feel differently when I am hiking a mountain, floating a river, or riding single track through the trees. I do not feel this sense of wildness, perspective, and freedom when surrounded by concrete in a city or stuck in a typical office building looking at plastic furniture, ceiling tiles, and fluorescent lighting.”

To counter this, Paleczny explains that surrounding one’s day-to-day life with natural elements brings the comfort of nature into the interior, and it gives visual and tactical reminders of the environment beyond the walls.

Overall, biophilic design also offers sustainability benefits, such as reduced energy consumption by utilizing daylight and reducing artificial light, and better air quality by using natural materials with healthy ingredients.

“But the primary economic benefit has to do with the occupants of the building and their productivity,” says Joey-Michelle Hutchison, RA, LEED AP BD+C, CSBA, senior associate, vice president of CallisonRTKL, Seattle. “Payroll is one of the biggest expenses of just about any U.S. business and biophilic design can increase employee satisfaction and productivity, and reduce employee absenteeism and turnover—which are all significant positive economic benefits.”

Because of its wide-ranging aesthetic benefits and performance applications, wood emerges as a particularly effective material for biophilic design strategies.

Making the Case

Delving into the growing cache of biophilia research, many aspects of physical and emotional health are boosted in biophilic environments.

One formative concept, the Attention Restorative Theory, was introduced by University of Michigan Professors of Psychology Rachel and Steven Kaplan in their book, The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. The theory, which has been borne out by additional research, states that humans’ ability to concentrate is finite and taxed throughout the day as they encounter numerous stimuli. Contact with nature serves to replenish those resources, thereby enhancing focused attention and memory, and reducing mental fatigue and stress.

Along these lines, a recent study at the University of Melbourne found that something as quick as a 40-second break in nature—regardless of whether its outdoors or indoors—increases one’s ability to concentrate by 6 percent.

Another interesting approach called shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is the ancient Japanese practice of restorative walks through natural settings, most often forests. The efficacy of this method was best illustrated in one study that took 87 non-insulin-dependent diabetics and monitored their blood glucose levels over the course of six years.¹ The project compared the effects of taking 3- to 6-kilometer walks through the forest with exercising on indoor treadmills and indoor pools. While indoor exercise reduced blood glucose levels by 21.2 percent, forest bathing decreased blood glucose by 39.7 percent.

In the bigger picture, Lucas Rew explains that research supports the categorization of five basic human needs that can be satisfied by the connection to nature. These include the following:

• Community: People feel comfortable collaborating when they understand their place within a given community.
• Identity: People can be creative when they understand the defined identity of a place.
• Navigation: People can afford to be curious when they feel safe to explore and navigate an environment with ease.
• Transition: People can be confident when they control the way they transition from one space or activity to another.
• Choice: People can be independent when they have the choice to control their own experience.

Despite all of these benefits, the bottom line often proves to be the most convincing argument. In analyzing how much organizations spend on their personnel versus other business expenses, more than 100 times more, on average, is spent on people than on energy costs within the workplace.

The economic benefits of biophilic design are as convincing as the aesthetic and performance benefits—studies show that connections with natural elements can increase employee productivity and reduce absenteeism and,
as a result, improve bottom lines.

In a white paper titled The Economics of Biophilia: Why designing with nature in mind makes financial sense, the respected New York-based sustainability consulting firm Terrapin Bright Green found that 90.3 percent of costs per square foot are devoted to salary, whereas 8.9 percent go toward rent and mortgage, and 0.8 percent is spent on energy costs. Further, financial losses due to absenteeism and presenteeism (working while sick) account for 4 percent.²

“These statistics make it clear that the smartest economic investment is an investment in employees, their productivity, and their overall satisfaction” according to Terrapin Bright Green. “Commercial spaces that give occupants access to nature serve as a release to outside stresses and tend to cause less environmental stress themselves. It makes fiscal sense for companies to try to eliminate environmental stress that cost them thousands of dollars per year in employee costs. Small improvements in productivity and reduced absenteeism could boost profits and the bottom line more dramatically than reducing energy costs. In short, productivity drives profit.”

Wood Biophilia Research

Among research proving the positive benefits associated with biophilic design, wood stands out as being a particularly effective strategy. With a high level of design and application flexibility, wood is not dependent on access to windows, like some other biophilic design strategies, and when exposed, it can simultaneously serve both biophilic and functional purposes.

Compiling a number of noteworthy studies in Wood as a Restorative Material in Healthcare Environments, Design With Science Principal Sally Augustin and FPInnovations Research Leader David Fell report that physical well-being is enhanced when wood is employed.³

Looking at some key studies, a group of researchers at Japan’s Shimane University found that adding cedar wood panels and rice straw paper to the walls of a hospital isolation room reduced the stress levels (measured by cortisol levels) experienced by people in the space compared to people in rooms with concrete walls.⁴

In another study, as presented at a Netherlands Conference on Environmental Psychology, the stress levels in Austrian classroom students exposed to wood were compared to non-wood conventional classrooms.⁵ The heart rate variability increased in students in the wood classrooms. This variability is tied to the parasympathetic nervous system that acts to reduce stress levels and promote healing and recovery functions in the body.

Fell was also involved in another study that analyzed the autonomic responses of 119 subjects in wood and non-wood offices, with and without plants, before, during, and after a stressful mental task.⁶ Results showed that the wooded offices delivered the most stress-reducing effects.

A recent study of office designs revealed that those designed with wood offer the most stress-reducing effects for workers.

Taking an interesting approach to analyzing responses to wood, researchers in Australia and New Zealand presented images of office lobbies furnished with wood and lobbies decorated with other materials.⁷ The wood-finished lobbies were perceived as being associated with more prestigious, energetic, innovative, comfortable, and desirable companies for which to work.

Studying wood from another angle, the Japan Wood Research Society analyzed the blood pressure of participants exposed to a wooden wall vs. a white steel wall.⁸ In the latter case, those with a dislike for steel experienced an increase in blood pressure, while those who like steel experienced no change. On the contrary, people who like wood as a finishing material found their blood pressure dropped significantly when they faced the wooden wall, whereas those who dislike wood found their blood pressure was not affected by viewing it.

Another study by the same Japanese group sheds some key insights on how to optimally design with wood. The project analyzed the heart rate and blood pressure of occupants inside rooms with 0 percent, 45 percent, or 90 percent of the surfaces covered with wood.⁹ While blood pressure levels were the lowest in the 90 percent coverage rooms, the 45 percent wood-covered spaces are actually the most preferred by occupants as being the most comfortable.

“Covering less than half the surfaces appears to be the sweet spot,” observes Augustin.

Unique Aspects of Wood

One key point with all of this research is that to reap these benefits, the wood grain on the interior surfaces has to be exposed. Consequently, if the wood is painted, these biophilic effects will be lost, as the grain is one of the most important aspects lending authenticity to the wood.

“The texture, color, grain pattern, and overall appearance of wood make each piece unique,” explains Alana S. Morris, IIDA, NCIDQ, EDAC, senior interior designer manager and team leader at ESa, Nashville, Tennessee.

Commenting on some unique aspects of the material, Paleczny says that wood has the ability to straddle multiple design styles by making the space feel inviting and familiar yet cool and collected at the same time.

Wood is exceptional at sound absorption, temperature, and humidity control, and can offer hypoallergenic qualities in many cases. Wood interiors are easily recyclable and are therefore sustainable.

Wood is also a multisensory material, capable of influencing four of the five basic senses: touch, smell, sight, and sound. Jennifer Walton, principal and corporate studio director at H. Hendy Associates, Newport Beach, California, points out that wood:

• Represents a celebration of local materials, helping humans connect with the nature surrounding the built environment inside the building.
• Provides a connection to craftsmanship—a sense of human touch instead of machine-made products.
• Is pliable and can be shaped to represent the rhythm of natural materials through organic expression.
• Matures and changes over time, giving people a sense of time that helps shape human life and behavior.

Wood is an ideal biophilic design material because it is multisensory, appealing to occupants’ senses of touch, smell, sight, and sound.

In a similar vein, Peggy Bennett, IIDA, LEED AP, associate vice president and director of commercial interiors for Hoefer Wysocki in Kansas City, says that wood does an excellent job of creating a sense of place to localize commercial interior design through site integration, which prioritizes the use of materials that are native to the area.

In integrating wood ceilings and walls while keeping biophilic principles of recreating nature in mind, Emrich advises selecting light-colored species. “The sky is usually brighter than the ground, even on a cloudy day, so a dark wood ceiling can be counterproductive, depending on the desired space usage and occupancy type,” he says.

It is not uncommon for wood ceiling designs to create the impression of a tree canopy, suggesting a sense of shelter, warmth, and protection.

For the walls, he recommends wood as an accent or trim. “When you are in a forest, you will never see a blanket of wood—there are breaks between the trees and visual cues like foliage in the depth of field,” Emrich adds. “The wood in nature is broken up, and wood in biophilic design should similarly offer visual breaks.”

Wood Ceiling Systems

In sorting through the various wall and ceiling product types and systems available, it is helpful to understand their design and performance characteristics, installation, and common applications.

Panels

Available in a variety of veneers with narrow reveal or semi-concealed edges, wood panels include perforated, slotted, and channeled patterns for enhanced acoustics. When backed with an acoustical infill like fiberglass or mineral fiber, panels can improve sound absorption, delivering a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) from 0.40 up to 0.90.

Typical panel sizes are 2 feet x 2 feet and 2 feet x 4 feet, and can easily be installed into an acoustical suspension system, also known as a T-bar grid. To support larger-sized panels, alternative installation methods can be utilized.

Wood panels are also available as wall systems. They can be 4 feet x 8 feet or larger and absorb sound at similar values to ceiling systems. In addition to flat, the panels can be curved.

Wood panels are often used in front-of-the-house corporate settings, atriums, and conference rooms, and can be applied in assorted ways to elevate traditional lay-in ceiling design. They offer a rich, warm, and polished aesthetic.

Grille Modules

Natural wood grille modules, solid or veneered, are vertical planks, typically between 1–2 feet x 10 feet, with varying thickness in height and width. “Used as walls and ceilings, they provide a visual depth and dimensionality to a space and break up the monotony of a standard white ceiling,” explains Zachary Donahue, product manager of wood ceilings and walls, CertainTeed, Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Cost will vary from MDF on a fire-retardant particle board all the way up to high-end walnut or cherry wood. In the middle range, a good value is poplar or basswood, which can be finished to replicate walnut or cherry.

The modules are relatively easy to install and modify on-site. They easily integrate into the infrastructure (e.g., HVAC, lighting, and sprinkler heads) and do not require custom measurements. With an infill, they offer an NRC up to 0.90 or higher. In general, fire-protection requirements for solid wood materials are Class C per ASTM E84/ULC S102, and veneered materials on fire-retardant MDF or fire-retardant particle board are Class A per ASTM E84/ULC S102.

The systems can be used on the ceiling and walls. And because the modules are available in a variety of sizes and orientations, a high level of customization is possible. For enhanced acoustics, black infill panels increase NRC ratings.

“Using grille modules can create a less-heavy-looking ceiling while defining separate collaboration or resting spaces,” Bennett says. “Another benefit is disguise, as the modules can cover an unsightly, exposed ceiling by specifying a felt backer to lay above the wooden slats.”

Lucas Rew likes to design with grilles, in addition to panels and planks, on account of their ability to align scale, patterning, and materials with other building aesthetics and materials. She also appreciates their span, timeless aesthetics, accessibility to building systems, and ability to meet performance specifications for acoustics, seismic, and maintenance.

Linear Planks

These planks can be tongue and groove, with the boards butted up against each other to create a closed flat surface for an NRC of 0.90 or higher when installed with channels. Or they can be designed as an open reveal with space between the planks. When felt or other acoustic material is installed in between, sound absorption properties can be up to 0.65 or 0.75 NRC.

Wood planks create a very attractive flat linear visual surface that works well for large, open spaces and applications such as airports and stadiums. The product can also be used for accent walls—for example, in elevator lobbies or behind flat-screens or monitors—as it provides an alternative visual than typical surfaces.

Depending upon the selected species, the planks can also be used in some exterior applications, such as a garden or gazebo.

For wall applications, the planks can be directly attached to studs, furring, or Z-clips. For ceilings, clips or other mounting applications can be used to attach the planks directly to the framing or standard acoustical suspensions systems.

Panelized Linear

Panelized ceilings offer the same visual as a linear plank, but unlike the former where each plank must be installed individually, panelized linear can install more quickly. Whereas linear planks typically create inaccessible plenums, panelized linear can be installed in the ceiling with changers or on the wall with Z-clips to make spaces behind accessible.

With an NRC of up to 0.75, the modules are well suited for creating visual interest in spaces like conference rooms, offices, kitchenettes, and cafeterias. They also work well in hospitality applications where a warm, comforting interior is the goal.

Lay-in Grilles

Available in reveal and narrow reveal edges, these horizontal and vertical slats add dimensionality to the ceiling. They are an ideal choice for renovation spaces with existing acoustical suspension systems and can be found in conference rooms, board rooms, and common shared spaces.

When used vertically, the blades take on a three-dimensional appearance, while the horizontal blades appear two dimensional. Design possibilities include herring bone patterns and checkerboard, among others.

Basswood or poplar are commonly selected and offer up to 0.90 NRC when specified with sound-absorbing infill.

Common installation methods can be used for a fully accessible ceiling plenum.

Canopies

A high-end design aesthetic for open spaces, clouds, and canopies are independently suspended panels available in rectangle and other shapes that can be concave, convex, or flat as well as S-curved.

Common applications include elevator lobbies, small entryways, lobbies, and conference rooms. They work well when the design intent is to create a more intimate, cozy space or draw attention to a specific area, particularly when working with tall ceilings. For example, with an information desk, reception area, or security checkpoint, the canopy can be used to frame the space without having to build a separate room.

Canopies do a good job of defining spaces in rooms that need a more formal feel. Solid canopies can hide mechanical or audio-visual equipment, while curved canopies can help distribute sound. If sound absorption is required, perforated canopies can be used with acoustic infill to improve the acoustics of a space.

Open Cell

These decorative, solid-wood cell ceilings come in different finishes and a range of configuration options. Traditionally a lay-in panel, the system creates visual interest with a cubic look and serves as a way to bring down the ceiling space with natural materials. Open cell also frames the space while still giving visibility to the ceiling above.

With an acoustic infill, NRC values of 0.75 or higher are possible. Common installation methods can be utilized, and the open-cell system can be independently suspended from the ceiling space.

Typically, all of the wood ceiling and wall products discussed above have been confined to customer-facing areas, executive spaces, and entryways. However, in recent years, a focus on health, well-being, and biophilic design is expanding wood elements into employee work areas so that all occupants can benefit from the warmth and comfort of wood interiors.

In viewing wood ceiling systems with a biophilic lens, McNay suggests that layered, natural, textured, and open wood ceilings exhibit more natural patterns than flat, smooth systems. Natural branching or wave patterns integrating with structures, open grilles, or trellis frames that are rhythmic or non-rhythmic can inspire positive human connections. Additionally, ceiling panels that float can be more analogous to tree canopies, clouds, or even flocks of birds.

Real, Engineered, and Faux

In evaluating real wood versus engineered wood versus faux wood for wall panels and ceilings, a number of elements must be taken into consideration.

While real wood is best for biophilic design, the other options can offer biophilic benefits if the panels display an authentic-looking grain. This means that the repeat patterns should not be obvious and the surface should appear to be real. This is essential for walls, as they are seen from up close, whereas ceilings are viewed at more of a distance.

“If you have a relatively distinctive knot, for example, you have to make sure that it does not appear repeatedly across the wall or ceiling,” explains Augustin.

With engineered wood, authenticity is not an issue. Furthermore, these products are less expensive, less likely to expand from humidity and moisture, and are structurally more stable. At the same time, specifiers should take a good, hard look at the product, as sometimes the engineering of wood can be systemized to the extent that it loses natural properties and aesthetics.

Some wood products can be engineered to contribute to other aspects of occupant well-being, like wood ceiling systems that help control the acoustics of a space.

Another issue is vetting the adhesives used within the product. “Formaldeyhe and other VOCs in composite wood products will negatively affect air quality and therefore occupant health, negating the positive health effects of using wood as a biophilic material,” cautions Hutchison.

Where sustainability is the main priority, real wood trumps all. In addition to sequestering carbon, it is a renewable resource and is highly valued by green building rating systems. “Wood can be recycled, salvaged, and reused or become a natural nutrient in nature instead of adding to a land fill,” adds McNay.

To ensure that the material is truly sustainable, architects should verify the product chain of custody and sourcing to ensure that the wood did not come from a species that is threatened or endangered, and that it has been harvested from sustainably managed forests. Doing so can be more challenging to track with engineered wood, as it can contain multiple species of wood.

Real wood also embraces local materials, the environment, local craftsmen, and the natural beauty inherent in the material’s maturity over time. Authentic wood gives off a natural smell, thereby strengthening its biophilic properties.

Real wood is the best material for biophilic design strategies, but wood-look materials—particularly those with realistic-looking grains—can also offer biophilic benefits with added performance advantages, like indoor/outdoor applications.

With green building rating systems, wood products can score quite well, although the credits will vary for the different programs.

In LEED v4, wood can qualify in the Regional Materials category, depending on the project location; Building Disclosure and Optimization with environmental product declarations; Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction and Interiors Life-Cycle Impact Reduction; and Low-Emitting Materials.

For the Living Building Challenge, which is considered the most progressive building rating system, wood is associated with five prerequisites, one of which requires that a biophilic design workshop be conducted with the project team to create a plan that is developed and used throughout the design phase of a project.

With the WELL Building Standard, designs should show a direct connection to nature through strategies relating to plants, water, light, or views; an indirect connection to nature including the use of natural materials; and the integration of natural elements throughout the design.

Acoustics

Because wood naturally reflects sound, as noted in the discussion of the different wall and ceiling systems, the addition of acoustical fabric or acoustic infill or insulation behind or above the panel/tile may be needed.

“Wood ceilings and wall systems can significantly impact the acoustics of a space through the modulation and shape of surfaces, texture, and porosity of materials, and with the use of framing and backup systems that can be integrated into the system to incorporate acoustical properties,” states Lucas Rew.

Traditional-looking wood ceiling panel designs provide a comforting biophilic backdrop, while wood canopy installations can up the aesthetic value by offering an unconventional, sculptural look.

For example, by selecting perforated panels or reveals between wood panels, a certain percentage of the sound will pass through the panels. Similarly, wood lattice and grid systems will help reduce acoustic reverberation, though they often require a backup sound-absorption material. As an alternative, McNay recommends systems with asymmetrical geometries that work to help reduce reverberation.

For applications where acoustics are prioritized, including theaters, school auditoriums, salons, galleries, or restaurants, products such as a fiberglass infill can help achieve the required NRC ratings.

RESIMERCIAL DESIGNS EMBRACE WOOD

As more businesses realize the employee benefits of biophilic elements in the workplace, many are turning to resimercial design to make the office environment more desirable.

As corporations continue to offer amenities such as a variety of comfortable, relaxing spaces in their quest to recruit and retain employees, the “resimercial” blending of residential and commercial designs is becoming the norm.

Since wood is a common design element in the home, wood walls and ceilings are a popular way to create these desired residential interiors in the workplace.

“People have an affinity to natural materials and expect that the office be at least as comfortable and stylish as working from home,” confirms Taub.

Morris agrees that people want adaptability, comfortable seating options, agile environments, and residential-inspired accessories just as they have at home.

In particular, the warmth and comfort evoked by wood is a key design strategy for achieving the biophilic benefits that reduce stress and promote productivity.

“Resimerical design is the premise that there are human benefits to making work environments feel like home. These benefits are providing opportunities for people to relax and feel engaged in their environment, allowing them to collaborate, produce, and innovate,” explains Lucas Rew. “This strategy can be powerful when combined with biophilic design.”

Standard versus Custom-Engineered Solutions

Another issue that often comes up when specifying wood wall and ceiling systems is whether the design can be supported by standard products or an additional investment is required for a custom solution.

“Having a wide array of standard products to choose from is always ideal,” Paleczny says. “Standards provide a great baseline for decision making. They provide a modularity that can integrate other ceiling components with greater ease, they can reduce the lead times significantly, and they can be economical solutions for elevating spaces.”

Whereas custom-engineered systems frequently require a highly specialized installer, standard wall panel and ceiling systems are contractor friendly, which opens up bidding to a wider range of installers, as most manufacturers include very detailed installation drawings and instructions.

Hutchison agrees that a wide range of standard products—not only in terms of color and texture but also shape, installation method, panel size, and acoustical properties—provides flexibility to specify wood products for a variety of space types and in a variety of locations without the added expense of custom systems.

At the same time, there seems to be a misconception that standard products are limiting and impinge upon designers’ creativity. On the contrary, Lucas Rew asserts that these off-the-shelf solutions offer a wide range of possibilities. “A unique design solution can be customized and created by combining multiple standard products by varying patterns, shapes, and colors,” she says.

Bennett raises another point, which is the fact that more costly custom-engineered solutions run the risk of being value engineered out of the project. Consequently, if the design team is able to work within the framework of standard solutions, there is a much better chance of keeping the design aesthetic while staying within budget.

Ultimately, whether standard or custom engineered, wood wall and ceiling systems have a proven track record of creating inviting, warm interiors that capitalize on the wellness, productivity, and biophilic benefits that this natural material offers. As building owners, organizations, and society itself continues shifting toward a health and wellness mindset, biophilic design will continue to gain traction.

CHICAGO SUBURBAN SCHOOL EMBRACES BIOPHILIC DESIGN WITH WOOD CEILINGS

The designers of Chicago’s Lisle Elementary School used a combination of real wood and wood-look ceilings to support the learning process for K–5 students.

Showcasing both real wood ceiling panels and a wood-look ceiling system at Lisle Elementary School in the Chicago metropolitan area, Perkins and Will’s design embraces biophilic principles in celebrating the site’s natural environment.

“The tree-lined streets and neighboring arboretum enforced our vision to create a building that would bring in and enhance the surrounding nature,” explains Angelica Paleczny, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, interior designer at Perkins and Will, Chicago. “One of the ways we incorporated these natural elements into our design was using wood in two key ceiling moments.”

Inside the 100,000-square-foot building in Lisle, Illinois, lay-in wood ceilings circle a double-story learning resource center (LRC). To help create an acoustic buffer between the LRC’s large, open space and the adjacent classrooms, the wood tiles are perforated.

The other “key wood moment” can be found in the school’s main entrance and cafeteria, where a sprawling wood-look plank ceiling begins in the canopies at the school’s south and east entrances and extends through glass walls inside to cover the school’s large, open common area and cafeteria.

“The versatility of the interior/exterior wood-look product allowed us to perforate it on the interior for maximum sound absorption, while having a continuous ceiling that will never become warped or discolored the way true wood would,” Paleczny explains.

Although the ceiling system is actually metal with a wood-look finish, it presents as wood, thereby enabling students, teachers, and visitors to benefit from the warmth and biophilic value offered by the wood-looking material.

Barbara Horwitz-Bennett is a veteran architectural journalist who has written hundreds of CEUs and articles for various AEC publications. www.bhbennett.com

End Notes

¹Ohtsuka, Yoshinori. “Shinrin-Yoku (forest-air bathing and walking) effectively decreases blood glucose levels in diabetic patients.” International Journal of Biometeorology. February 1998. Web. 10 February 2020.

²Browning, William. “The Economics of Biophilia: Why designing with nature in mind makes financial sense.” Terrapin Report. Terrapin Bright Green. September 2015. Web. 10 February 2020.

³Augustin, Sally and Fell, David. Wood as a Restorative Material in HealthCare Environments. FPInnovations. February 2015. Web. 10 February 2020.

⁴Ohta, H. et all. “Effects of redecoration of a hospital isolation room with natural materials on stress levels of denizens in cold season.” Shimane University. 24 October 2007. Web. 10 February 2020.

⁵Kelz, Christina. “Interior wood use in classrooms reduces pupils’ stress levels.” Ninth Biennial Conference on Environmental Psychology. September 2011. Web. 10 February 2020.

⁶Fell, David. “Wood in the human environment: restorative properties of wood in the built indoor environment.” November 2010. Web. 10 February 2020.

⁷Ridoutt, Bradley G. “First Impressions of Organizations and the Qualities Connoted by Wood in Interior Design.” Forest Products Journal. October 2002. Web. 10 February 2020.

⁸Tsunetsugu, Y. “Physiological Effects in Humans Induced by the Visual Stimulation of Room Interiors with Different Wood Quantities.” Journal of Wood Science. The Japan Wood Research Society. 1 February 2007. Web. 10 February 2020.

⁹Sakuragawa, S. “Influence of Wood Wall Panels on Physiological and Psychological Responses.” Journal of Wood Science. The Japan Wood Research Society. April 2005. Web. 10 February 2020.

¹⁰Browning, William. “14 Patterns of Biophilic Design: Improving Health & Well-Being in the Built Environment.” Terrapin Report. Terrapin Bright Green. 2014. Web. 10 February 2020.