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Biophilic Design-Based Home Office Planning Direction Using Virtual Reality: Focused on Materials and Planteria Reflected on Users Preference

Joowon Jeong

The Graduate School Yonsei University Department of Interior Architecture & Built Environment

Biophilic Design-Based Home Office Planning Direction Using Virtual Reality: Focused on Materials and Planteria Reflected on Users Preference

A Master’s Thesis Submitted to the Department of Interior Architecture and Built Environment and the Graduate School of Yonsei University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science

Joowon Jeong June 2022

This certifies that the Master Thesis of Joowon Jeong is approved.

___________________________________ Thesis Supervisor: Hyunsoo Lee

____________________________________ Thesis Committee Member: Suk-Kyung Kim

____________________________________ Thesis Committee Member: Jin-Kook Lee

The Graduate School Yonsei University June 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................viii ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. ix CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background .......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Problem Statement ................................................................................................ 3 1.3 Research Purpose .................................................................................................. 3 1.4 Research Objectives .............................................................................................. 4 1.6 Research Questions ............................................................................................... 5 1.7 Research Significance ........................................................................................... 6 1.8 Definition of Terms ............................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................... 7 LITERTURE REVIEW ................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Home Office ......................................................................................................... 7

2.1.1 Background .............................................................................................. 7 2.1.2 Knowledge Workers ................................................................................. 7 2.1.3 Home Office Environment ........................................................................ 9 2.2 Characteristics of Home Offices .......................................................................... 10 2.3. Biophilic Design and Workspace ........................................................................ 11 2.3.1 Biophilic Design..................................................................................... 12 2.3.2 Experience and Attributes of Biophilic Design ........................................ 12 2.4 Benefits of Biophilic Design on Workers ............................................................. 14 2.4.1 Plants ..................................................................................................... 14 2.4.2 Lighting ................................................................................................. 15 2.4.3 Natural Materials .................................................................................... 15 2.4.4 Images of Nature .................................................................................... 16 2.4.5 Natural Colors ........................................................................................ 16 2.5 Concept of Lifestyle ............................................................................................ 16 2.5.1 Market Segmentation of Lifestyle ........................................................... 16 2.5.2 Lifestyle and Residential Space .............................................................. 19 2.6 Types of Residential Design that Reflected Lifestyle ........................................... 20 2.6.1 Emotional Orientation ............................................................................ 23 2.6.2 Experiential Orientation.......................................................................... 23 2.6.3 Environmental Orientation ..................................................................... 24 2.7 Circumplex Model of Affect as a Theoretical Model ............................................ 24

2.8 Use of Virtual Reality as Methodological Tool..................................................... 26 CHAPTER 3 ................................................................................................................. 28 RESEARCH METHODS .............................................................................................. 28 3.1 Case Study Method ............................................................................................. 29 3.1.1 Model House of Apartments as Research Case Selection......................... 29 3.1.2 Research Scope ...................................................................................... 30 3.1.3 List of Cases ........................................................................................... 31 3.2 Research Frame for Case Study Analysis ............................................................. 31 3.2.1 Criteria ................................................................................................... 32 3.2.2 Analysis Frame-1 ................................................................................... 33 3.2.3 Analysis Frame-2 ................................................................................... 34 3.3 Online Survey Method ........................................................................................ 34 3.3.1 Data Collection Method .......................................................................... 34 3.3.2 Online Survey Design ............................................................................. 35 3.3.3 Questionnaires ........................................................................................ 35 3.4 Virtual Reality Experiment .................................................................................. 37 3.4.1 Experimental Design .............................................................................. 37 3.4.2 Experimental Setup ................................................................................ 38 3.4.3 Experimental Procedure.......................................................................... 41 3.4.4 Survey Questionnaire ............................................................................. 42

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CHAPTER 4 ................................................................................................................. 44 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS ......................................................................................... 44 4.1 Case Study Analysis ............................................................................................ 44 4.1.1 RAEMIAN Elinity ................................................................................. 44 4.1.2 E Pyeonhansesang Gwangjin Grand Park................................................ 46 4.1.3 Sindongtan fore Xi ................................................................................. 48 4.1.4 Songpa Signature Lotte Castle- type A .................................................... 50 4.1.5 Songpa Signature Lotte Castle – type B .................................................. 52 4.1.6 THE SHAPR Park Prestige ..................................................................... 54 4.1.7 Yeoksam Central I-PARK ....................................................................... 56 4.1.8 Case Investigation Results ...................................................................... 59 4.2 Online Survey Analysis ....................................................................................... 62 4.2.5 Lifestyle Questionnaire Results .............................................................. 74 4.2.6 Summary of Online Survey Results ........................................................ 75 4.2.7 Recommendations Based on Online Survey Results ................................ 76 4.3 Virtual Reality Experiment Analysis .................................................................... 79 4.3.1 Data Collection ...................................................................................... 79 4.3.2 Analysis Methods and Results ................................................................ 79 4.3.3 Summary of Psychological Satisfaction Results ...................................... 88 CHAPTER 5 ................................................................................................................. 89 PLANNING DIRECTIONS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN-BASED HOME OFFICE ......... 89

5.1 Recommendations for Emotional (Mood)-oriented Lifestyle................................ 89 5.2 Recommendations for Plants in the Home Office................................................. 89 5.3 Recommendations for Experiential (Function) oriented Lifestyle ......................... 91 5.4 Further Implication ............................................................................................. 92 5.5 Why is the application of biophilia concept in a home office beneficial? .............. 92 CHAPTER 6 ................................................................................................................. 94 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................. 94 6.1 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 94 6.2 Suggestions and Limitation ................................................................................. 96 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 97 APPENDIX ................................................................................................................ 104 ABSTRACT IN KOREAN ......................................................................................... 128

LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Work-related activities difference from private and open-plan office ................ 10 Table 2: Attributes of Biophilic Design (retrieved from Kellert and Calabrese, 2015)..... 13 Table 3: Definition of Lifestyle ..................................................................................... 18 Table 4. Correlation between Lifestyle and Residential Space........................................ 19 Table 5. Previous research on lifestyle-reflected residential space .................................. 20 Table 6. List of selected cases........................................................................................ 31 Table 7. Analysis Frame 1 ............................................................................................. 33 Table 8. Analysis Frame 2 ............................................................................................. 34 Table 9. Lifestyle Questionnaires .................................................................................. 36 Table 10. Experimental Settings .................................................................................... 39 Table 11. Case 1 Analysis (1) ........................................................................................ 44 Table 12. Case 1 Analysis (2) ........................................................................................ 45 Table 13. Case 2 Analysis (1) ........................................................................................ 46 Table 14. Case 2 Analysis (2) ........................................................................................ 48 Table 15. Case 3 Analysis (1) ........................................................................................ 48 Table 16. Case 3 Analysis (2) ........................................................................................ 49 Table 17. Case 4 Analysis (1) ........................................................................................ 50 Table 18. Case 4 Analysis (2) ........................................................................................ 52 Table 19. Case 5 Analysis (1) ........................................................................................ 52 Table 20. Case 5 Analysis (2) ........................................................................................ 54 Table 21. Case 6 Analysis (1) ........................................................................................ 54 Table 22. Case 6 Analysis (2) ........................................................................................ 56 Table 23. Case 7 Analysis (1) ........................................................................................ 56 Table 24. Case 7 Analysis (2) ........................................................................................ 58 Table 25. Case Analysis Results – Biophilic Design ...................................................... 59

Table 26. Images selected for survey – Single Room ..................................................... 60 Table 27. Images selected for survey – Bedroom ........................................................... 61 Table 28. Question 1 ..................................................................................................... 63 Table 29. Question 1 Frequency .................................................................................... 64 Table 30. Question 2 ..................................................................................................... 65 Table 31. Question 2 Frequency .................................................................................... 66 Table 32. Question 3 ..................................................................................................... 67 Table 33. Question 3 Frequency .................................................................................... 68 Table 34. Question 4 ..................................................................................................... 68 Table 35. Question 4 Frequency .................................................................................... 69 Table 36. Question 5 ..................................................................................................... 70 Table 37. Question 5 Frequency .................................................................................... 71 Table 38. Question 6 ..................................................................................................... 72 Table 39. Question 6 Frequency .................................................................................... 73 Table 40. Lifestyle Questionnaire Mean ........................................................................ 74 Table 41. Suggestions based on Lifestyle Orientation .................................................... 77 Table 42. Mean of Results of Psychological Satisfaction Based on Emotional (Mood)Oriented Lifestyle ............................................................................................. 80 Table 43. Mean Results of Psychological Satisfaction based on Environmental (Nature) Oriented Lifestyle ......................................................................................................... 81 Table 44. Mean Results of the Psychological Satisfaction based on Experiential (Function)Oriented Lifestyle ......................................................................................................... 82 Table 45. Paired t-test of psychological satisfaction based on Emotional (Mood) Oriented Lifestyle ....................................................................................................................... 84 Table 46. Paired t-test of Psychological Satisfaction based on Environmental (Nature) Oriented Lifestyle ......................................................................................................... 85 Table 47. Paired t-test of Psychological Satisfaction based on Experiential (Function) Oriented Lifestyle ......................................................................................................... 87

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Research framework of the study ...................................................................... 5 Figure 2. Lifestyle-reflected Biophilic Design-based home office types ......................... 22 Figure 3. Circumplex Model of Affect (Russel, 1980).................................................... 25 Figure 4. Research Method Framework ......................................................................... 29 Figure 5.Workflow of creating VR experiment setting ................................................... 39 Figure 6. Experimental Procedure. ................................................................................ 42 Figure 7. Dracaena. Figure 8. Monstera. Figure 9. USM Modular Furniture System. .... 90

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ABSTRACT

This thesis study proposes a method to design a biophilic home office from the emotional (mood), environmental (nature), and experiential (function) lifestyle orientations. The following research method was used since there is insufficient research on home offices with biophilic design from the users’ perspective. Specifically, after conducting an online preference survey based on the results of a case study targeting on model houses of apartments, a virtual reality experiment was conducted to investigate and analyze users' psychological satisfaction with the suggested home office design by dividing it into three lifestyle orientation types. The preference survey study revealed that the home office with wooden furniture was the most desired and chromatic colors were preferred over achromatic colors. In addition, a frameless built-in shelf was preferred for its placement and stability. Based on these results, design recommendations for the home office can be made based on the three lifestyles. First, the use of materials such as wood is recommended since the home office with these materials gives a cozy and warm feeling to emotionally oriented individuals. Second, natural colors such as green and the use of plants can assist users relax in stressful home offices from an environmental orientation point of view. Third, from a functional point of view, a furniture layout that promotes concentration is essential, so it is recommended that the workstation faces the wall and control the visual distraction from other features.

Furthermore, a second research method, a virtual reality experiment, was conducted to investigate satisfaction with biophilically designed home offices according to the three recommended lifestyles. As a result of the VR experiments, it was found that the home office with plants had higher psychological stability, a calmer feeling and a peaceful feeling than the home office with wood applications and the home office without plants. In addition, the results showed that the workstation facing the wall rather than that facing the window not only improved psychological satisfaction but also improved perceived concentration. So this shows that improving psychological satisfaction with the home office through biologically designed home offices can make home office workers happier and ultimately make them less stressed. The significance of this study is to propose a method for designing a biophilic home office considering lifestyle orientations. In addition, the experimental results of VR contribute to the literature on the relaxation effect of indoor environment to which biophilic design is applied, as they support the biophilia hypothesis and investigate its effects on psychological satisfaction. In addition, this study used a sample model house to confirm why users are satisfied and prefer it. Finally, the advantage of a home office based on biophilic design is that it contributes not only to the psychological well-being of users, but also to respect for our environment. ________________________________________________________________________ Keywords: Working from home, Home office, Biophilic Design, Lifestyle

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way individuals work. The rapid rise in coronavirus infections through various waves has forced governments to make unprecedented efforts to combat the epidemic, with measures ranging from lockdowns to restrictions on private gatherings to promote physical distancing. The introduction of a work from home (WFH) policy in companies has become necessary to curb the spread of viral infections in South Korea. The implementation of this policy has resulted in as many as 1.1 million workers telecommuting and videoconferencing remotely as of August 2021 (Yoon, 2021). Even when people are vaccinated and the pandemic is over, it will be difficult to return to the state before COVID-19 due to norms and habits that tend to focus on distance from others (Barret et al., 2021). As global warming continues to worsen and the world population increases, humanity will be increasingly affected by COVID-19-related pandemics, natural disasters, and severe weather such as hurricanes and heat waves. Accordingly, the number of people working from home due to the need for social distancing will continue to increase, and WFH will persist and become a social norm in the postCOVID-19 era.

WFH policies raise questions about worker wellbeing and mental health, as the results of studies on WFH indicate that people who work from home have higher job satisfaction and a better work-life balance, but other studies indicate that they suffer from work-related stress (Allen et al., 2015). The 21st century has seen an increase in remote work to achieve work-related wellbeing and a work-life balance (Felstead & Henseke, 2017). However, during this unprecedented period, the pandemic has been associated with negative impacts on both of these aspects (Zhang et al., 2020), as it has led to reduced contact with others, eventually increasing loneliness. As a society has changed to a WFH culture, it made people to more seek a connection to nature in order to reduce negative impacts on their well-being. There are empirical studies on the positive effects of biophilic design on human well-being and mental health in the context of workplaces. These studies suggest that views of nature through windows that allow people indirect contact with nature can help them recover from stress. Between work hours, the restorative domain is significantly important to link nature with health benefits (White et al., 2020). However, urbanization restricts one from getting access to nature (Kellert, 2012). Similarly, this problem also arises in the context of the home office (HO). Although the view through windows provides an indirect connection to nature, modern urbanization is full of cityscapes and further hinders access to the natural landscape. Here, creating a restorative indoor environment is an important aspect for workers. Therefore, it is important to consider the well-being of people to get a clear cognition in a HO based on biophilic design, where people can effectively focus on their work.

1.2 Problem Statement The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about the future of the work environment. Companies may encourage workers to occasionally work from home, making it unlikely that the HO will completely disappear even if pandemic-related policies are eased. Specifically, the implementation of the WFH policy means that the work environment has changed significantly. The physical environment is critical to workers’ mental health. However, little research has been conducted on how the physical environment of home-based workplaces affects workers. Regarding the physical aspects that make an appropriate home workplace, only Heye (2021) has investigated the biophilic design patterns perceived to be most effective in increasing connection to nature and wellbeing. In the context of the HO, there has been no research that focuses on user responses to biophilic design in the HO from a lifestyle perspective. This makes it important to explore how an HO environment based on biophilic design can help workers not only relieve stress and maintain attention but also meet their needs based on their lifestyles.

1.3 Research Purpose The purpose of this thesis study is to investigate whether a home workspace based on biophilic design has the potential to promote the wellbeing of workers in the current situation where contact with nature is limited due to urbanization. After performing a literature review and a case study, this research analyzes the responses of occupants to a

biophilically designed HO by conducting an online survey and a virtual reality (VR) experiment to examine the biophilia hypothesis. Thus, this thesis study consists of two phases: a study phase, comprising a background study, case study, and preference study, and an experimental phase comprising a psychological satisfaction study.

1.4 Research Objectives The research objectives are described in this section. Figures 1 shows the research framework of this thesis study. First, prior to the experimental study, the concept and characteristics of working from a home space are investigated, along with previous literature on HOs and biophilic design attributes. In addition, lifestyle in the context of a residential space in South Korea is also examined to understand the advantages of occupants having direct and indirect experience of nature. Second, to understand the trend of current apartments, a case study of Korean apartments is performed and previous studies on the effect of biophilic design in a workspace are examined, focusing on the positive emotional response of occupants. After studying cases of new Korean apartments to be built by 2022 and 2023, an online survey is conducted to analyze preferences toward specific interior design elements. Third, after conducting VR experiments, participants’ perceived satisfaction toward different types of HOs based on biophilic design are analyzed using a self-report questionnaire.

Fourth, a way to design HOs based on biophilic design for different lifestyles is recommended.

Figure 1. Research framework of the study

1.6 Research Questions RQ 1: How would occupants perceive a biophilic-design-based HO from the perspectives of emotional orientation, experiential orientation, and environmental orientation? RQ 2: How can biophilic-design-based HOs be suggested to individuals according to their lifestyle?

1.7 Research Significance Researching a WFH environment is critical as there is been the rise in the number of individuals doing part-time or full-time work from home. While the physical environment highly impacts worker wellbeing, little research has been conducted on how to structure interior spaces to maximize employee wellbeing, especially in the context of a space where people can work individually while ensuring privacy. Although prior studies have investigated the psychological and restorative benefits of nature in the working environment, little is known about the effect of integrating nature in an HO along with individuals’ perceptions of the effect.

1.8 Definition of Terms Working from home: a concept where employees do not commute to an office but do their job from home. Home office: the physical workspace that “working-from-home” takes place. Biophilic design: A design concept of the built environment that derived from human’s innate tendency to interact with other forms of nature. Lifestyle: The overall form of cultural and psychological differences in all aspects of life, such as various lifestyles, behavioral styles, and thinking styles, which appear due to individual values.

CHAPTER 2 LITERTURE REVIEW

2.1 Home Office 2.1.1 Background Government responses worldwide to the unexpected and rapid spread of the COVID19 virus, which started in 2019, have been to apply physical distancing measures. To practice physical distancing, a WFH policy has been implemented by organizations to protect workers from becoming infected. In particular, knowledge-based workers have been instructed to work from home to reduce the infection of the COVID-19 virus (Hickman & Saad, 2020). During this unprecedented period, social interaction has been restricted by enforcing remote work, and the shift to WFH has changed the nature of the working environment. Thus, it is an opportune moment to reconsider the nature of a WFH environment.

2.1.2 Knowledge Workers Knowledge workers refer to people who mainly provide their knowledge by thinking for a living (Drucker, 1959). Until the early 1960s, they were known as “white-collar

workers” because people wearing white shirts to work were considered to be high-level workers. Current examples of knowledge workers include not only people with a business degree, as well as lawyers, public accountants, and financial analysts, who generally wear white shirts, but also professionals such as software programmers, architects, designers, writers, and researchers. Since the use of smartphones and tablet computers has become common, technological advancements in the 21st century have allowed companies around the world to support remote work. This has undoubtedly enabled the current situation where knowledge-based workers work from home. Further, the shift of knowledge-based workers to HOs during the pandemic can be explained by considering the terms “telework” and “telecommuting.” Nilles coined the term “telework” during the rapid growth of the information industry in the 1970s (Nilles, 1975). At this time, professionals from the information industry heavily relied on work in front of computers. In other words, the practice of teleworking involved the extensive use of telecommunications, replacing faceto-face meetings (Nilles, 1975, p.1143). The purpose of teleworking was to reduce the time and cost of commuting between home and work. Later in 1988, Nilles subsumed the term “telework” under the more comprehensive phrase “telecommuting” to encompass the various forms of work-related activities enabled by information communication technologies (ICTs) outside typical worker facilities. Thus, telecommuting refers to an employer choosing to work at home or anywhere outside the workplace for at least two days a week using a computer linked to the employer’s office. As one can understand from the definitions of the two terms, the current WFH policy could be quickly applied to most

companies because modern society is governed by knowledge workers whose work can be performed on computers with a fast internet connection.

2.1.3 Home Office Environment Although WFH is not new and the number of teleworkers has grown steadily in recent years, there has been limited study on the actual workspace at home, also known as the HO. Consideration of how to ameliorate the HO is now crucial because many scholars and specialists state that WFH is becoming “the new normal,” a term indicating that a change has taken place due to a crisis such as COVID-19. The workspace must fulfill certain spatial requirements. The size of the apartment influences the size of the work environment at home. Having sufficient space at home to do business is an important factor in deciding to work from home (Ng, 2010). While working from home has been actively promoted during COVID-19, not everyone has sufficient space to set up a proper HO. This justifies the need for researchers to examine the design elements (e.g., activities, furniture, and equipment) that impact HO workers to understand the design of HOs. This is because to carry out basic job activities, sufficient space for furniture, such as a task table, storage (e.g., shelves), and a computer, is required. In the next section, the next section discusses the similarities and differences between a WFH environment and a typical office space.

2.2 Characteristics of Home Offices In a typical office layout, the workspaces are either fixed or shared. Brill et al. (2001, p.17) introduced two definitions that can be used when understanding the office layout: 1) open-plan office and 2) cellular office. An open-plan office refers to “a workspace whose perimeter boundaries do not go to the ceiling,” and a cellular (private) office refers to “a workspace that has four walls to the ceiling and a door.” Since the layout of space highly influences individual behaviors, the activities based on the two office settings also differ. Table 1 lists the detailed work-related activities based on the two different office layouts.

Table 1. Work-related activities difference from private and open-plan office Private Office

Open-plan Office

Ability to do work solo without distraction

Supports social interactions without having an appointment

Workspace comfort, ergonomics, and enough space for work tools Ability to control temperature of an office for own needs

Supports for group work and meetings Promotes creativity of employees

Similarly, the use of an HO is determined by whether it is shared with another room. There are three types of layout in an HO: 1) a separate HO in a single room, 2) an HO space incorporated into a living room, and 3) an HO space incorporated into a bedroom (Ng, 2010). The first HO type, the single room, is mostly preferred by workers because of its privacy. Space is one of seven elements of interior design, and environmental factors play

an important role in influencing human perception of their working space. Specific aspects determining satisfaction with a workspace include visual privacy, the amount of distraction from other family, and the degree of enclosure. Sundstrom (1986a) defines visual privacy as “isolation from unwanted observation” (Kurpritz, 1998). The findings of Sundstrom et al. (1982b) suggest the need for privacy, because the avoidance of distraction and interruption is associated with concentration. The third aspect of the degree of enclosure can be provided by a single room as it is enclosed with four walls and a ceiling with a door. In addition, according to Ng (2010), light and windows are interior design factors that should be considered to improve workers’ productivity. This aspect falls into the concept of biophilic design (i.e., looking into the ways to connect humans with nature). Biophilic design is introduced in the next section, specifically with two factors carried out by scholars that support the importance of the role of nature for not only the productivity of workers but also their mental wellbeing and health.

2.3. Biophilic Design and Workspace It is vital to consider the health and wellbeing of employees, particularly given that contemporary city living means that they have little chance to interact closely with nature (Joye, 2007). The biophilia hypothesis states that biophilic design components included in workspace interiors have the potential to improve employees’ connection with nature. Here, after briefly introducing biophilic design, I identify the role of nature in indoor spaces from the perspective of psychological wellbeing. Of several attributes and theories that support

human psychological wellbeing in a built environment, four elements are selected to guide the case study and overall research. Specific attributes relevant to this research are light, plants, natural materials (i.e., wood), and natural colors.

2.3.1 Biophilic Design In his book Biophilia, Wilson (1984) argues that people have an innate affiliation with nature. This is because humans formerly strongly relied on access to natural forces and stimuli. According to the environmental psychologist Kopec, human psychological and behavioral outcomes are influenced by the environment (Kopec, 2010). Aspects of the physical environment of workspaces include colors, the size and shape of the room, and stimuli such as light and artwork. When examined in the context of human connection with nature, this insight becomes an underlying principle of biophilic design (Kellert, 2005).

2.3.2 Experience and Attributes of Biophilic Design While there are several ways humans can connect with nature, it should be noted that direct and indirect contact with nature on workers are significant in stress-provoking circumstances. In the context of built environments such as workspaces and residential spaces, visual components such as windows, plants, wooden materials, images of nature, and natural colors have been selected from the biophilic design attributes to investigate the benefits of biophilic design.

Table 2: Attributes of Biophilic Design (retrieved from Kellert and Calabrese, 2015) Category Name

Attributes of Biophilic Design

Direct Experience of Nature

Physical contact with natural features within the built environment. Examples: light, air, water, plants, animals, weather, natural landscapes & ecosystems, fire

Indirect Experience of Nature

Contact with representations or modifications of nature, as well as exposure to the patterns and processes of the natural environment. Examples: Images of nature, natural materials, natural colors, simulating natural light and air, naturalistic shapes and forms, evoking nature, information richness, age/change/patina of time, natural geometries, biomimicry

Experience of Space & Place

Spatial characteristics of the natural environment beneficial to humans. Examples: Prospect and refuge, organized complexity, integration of parts to wholes, transitional spaces, mobility and wayfinding, cultural appropriate designs, promotion of awareness of surrounding environment

Above Table 2 consists of the categories of Biophilic Design based on the experience and attributes of each category. Kellert and Calabrese (2015) focused on experience of nature, whereas Browning et al. (2014) used the term “14 patterns” to find ways to incorporate different elements into the built environment. In this study, I use the experience of nature discussed by Kellert and Calabrese (2015) to identify natural elements, because the lifestyle of humans is highly associated with their behaviors, which can be altered on the basis of experiences.

2.4 Benefits of Biophilic Design on Workers For the above-identified attributes of light, plants, natural materials, and images of nature, the previous research on the benefit of biophilic design based on each attribute are summarized.

2.4.1 Plants Viewing plants is an example of a direct experience of nature. Several studies have shown that introducing indoor plants into workplaces can improve productivity. Plants include not only greenery, such as leaves and green walls, but also flowers. Elsadek and Liu (2020) conducted an experiment to investigate whether there is a positive association between viewing flowering plants and the wellbeing of finance workers in an office-like environment. Compared with a control environment with an empty table, participants showed a significant increase in positive emotions such as “comfort,” “relaxation,” and “cheerfulness,” along with an improved mood when flowers were placed on the table. The results showed that viewing blue and purple flowers can enhance workers’ psychological relaxation, supporting the biophilia hypothesis.

2.4.2 Lighting Although sufficient lighting has a positive influence on job activities in general, the kind of lighting needed depends on the task. There are two forms of illumination: natural lighting and artificial lighting. Natural lighting is present when an employee works near a window. Increased sunlight penetration has been linked to increased productivity (Ng, 2010). Employees generally prefer working near a window, and although this has not been shown to increase productivity, it may help to reduce boredom and stress (Ng, 2010).

2.4.3 Natural Materials The most representative natural material that can be seen in interior spaces is wood, such as oak, cherry, bamboo, pine, and plywood. This natural element can be used in furniture such as the task table and beds, and also for flooring and walls. The use of wood products indoors has been associated with psychological advantages, such as stress reduction (Fell, 2010; Sakuragawa et al., 2005; Tsunetsugu et al., 2007). Sakuragawa (2005) also investigated how occupants perceived the presence of wood in the indoor environment. They indicated that it made them feel warm, natural, and relaxed (Sakuragawa, 2005). As a result, natural materials such as wooden floors, which make people feel positive, make the interior design of a workspace less monotonous, more comfortable, and less stressful to be in.

2.4.4 Images of Nature Images representing nature such as plants and bamboo can be used as decoration in a built environment to promote positive emotional arousal and psychological wellbeing. A study conducted by Elsadek et al. (2021) used the Profile of Mood States questionnaire to measure emotions toward bamboo imagery as an example of indirect connectedness to nature. Feelings such as “comfortable,” “relaxed,” “cheerfulness,” and “vigorous” were reported by respondents.

2.4.5 Natural Colors The three main natural colors in biophilic design are green tone, grey tone, and wood tone, as they represent the “earth tones” present in soil, rocks, and plants. Wood tone can be presented in residential spaces through the use of wooden materials for the walls and flooring, whereas grey and green tones can be presented through paintings on the walls.

2.5 Concept of Lifestyle 2.5.1 Market Segmentation of Lifestyle Lifestyle is defined as a unique pattern of living for each individual. Conceptually, it encompasses both characteristic patterns of behavior and cognitive processes and properties, including dimensions of personality such as values, opinions, and interests.

Originally, Max Weber who is a sociologist and Alfred Adler who is a psychoanalysis were those who started to utilize the concept, “lifestyle”. In the context of marketing, Lazer (1963) began to use and later became a key concept. Marketers use the word "lifestyle" to describe how individuals live their lives and how they use their time and money. As a matter of fact, consumers' actions and behaviors are highly linked to their way of life (Mowen and Minor, 1998). Carman (1977) states that how people purchase their goods and service is different in response to lifestyle as it varies based on their needs and values. Lifestyle is used to understand internal information (e.g., desires, motivation, and values) more comprehensively than basic demographic information. By considering individual traits in depth, designers and architects can understand and refine designs according to the needs of consumers.

Table 3: Definition of Lifestyle

2.5.2 Lifestyle and Residential Space

Based on their personal tastes, preferences, and values, people represent different types of life-mode of lifestyle. In a process of spatial planning, lifestyle plays an important role in determining the choice of a living space. In other words, it is significant to understand the individual attributes and characteristics when planning a house space. In addition, people seeking value vary, in accordance with the change of the society, and a space which reflects the users’ lifestyle enhances the quality of their life. Table 4 summarizes the relationship between lifestyle and a residential space.

Table 4. Correlation between Lifestyle and Residential Space Author Definition Kang & Han (2000) The type of life in housing which forms housing-related needs such as values and culture related to housing, which in turn leads to diversification of the residential space design. Kim (2006)

The housing needs based on individual’s consciousness, opinions on housing, and ideals on housing

Lee (2017)

A trait that encompasses the unique mode of living and values formed by exchanging mutual influences with the environment, culture, society, and contains individual personality and particularity; it also affects individual consumption behavior and lifestyle.

Kim (2020)

The lifestyle or behavior of an individual or group in response to the social, economic, and cultural background of the time and individual values and ways of thinking.

2.6 Types of Residential Design that Reflected Lifestyle Since the concept of lifestyle has a mixed meaning, it can be categorized in various ways, and lifestyle has been categorized in different ways by different researchers. Thus, Table 5 is the list of the previous research on using the lifestyle concept in the residential space. Specifically, the lifestyle types could be further categorized using keywords.

Table 5. Previous research on lifestyle-reflected residential space Author Yoo (2002)

Title A Research on Future Residential Space with applied Sensitivity Design

Description Emotional elements considering human experience and human-centered design

Lifestyle types Emotional orientation

Kwon (2008)

The EnvironmentFriendly House Design Plan Applied The Lifestyle of The Artist

Emotional orientation, human orientation, Environmentalfriendly-consideration

Emotional orientation

Lee (2010)

A Study on the Change in the Performing Subject of Life Behavior in Future House Looked through Life Scenarios A Study on Lifestyle-Based Smart Residential Space Design

User Support, Health support

Technological orientation

Smart residence, IoT Office space

Technological orientation

Moon (2015)

Shin & Lee (2018)

A Study on Lifestyle-Based Smart Residential Space Design

Kim & Ko (2020)

A Study on Housing Design Characteristics Reflecting Lifestyle

Cho (2020)

A Study on the Change in the Performing Subject of Life Behavior in Future House Looked through Life Scenarios

Advanced technology orientation, emotional orientation, regional culture orientation, eco-friendly orientation, user orientation, relationship orientation Technological orientation, emotional orientation, experiential orientation, environmental orientation and safety orientation

Technological orientation and environmental orientation

Scalability, variability, diversity, connectivity

Experiential orientation

Technological orientation, emotional orientation, experiential orientation, environmental orientation and safety orientation

Among the many researchers, Kim and Ko's (2020) research mainly focuses on the characteristics of housing design by categorizing the residential space into five different aspects: technological orientation, emotional orientation, experience orientation, environmental orientation, and safety orientation. The first objective of this thesis research is to study the spaces of the model house. Therefore, it is important to understand how the apartments can be studied from the perspective of lifestyle

orientations. In addition, this study focuses on design elements based on visual aspects related to biophilic design elements. Thus, the three lifestyle orientations used in this study are emotional orientation, experiential orientation, and environmental orientation.

Figure 2. Lifestyle-reflected Biophilic Design-based home office types

2.6.1 Emotional Orientation People in modern society strive for a warm and humane life enabled by the development of technology. The extensive use of digital media due to the development of technology is an important aspect in relation to smart homes as it can provide people with convenience. However, emotional factors that satisfy user requirements of happiness and relaxation are emphasized because human is prioritized. In addition, there is a tendency to pursue human values, happiness, and relaxation with the aim of improving the quality of life. Nature-oriented and nature-friendly concepts, which have been spreading throughout society in recent years, are representative of such trends and play an important role in promoting positive feelings in people.

2.6.2 Experiential Orientation Previous research has shown that the arrangement of workstations and boundaries, such as the provision of objects and physical barriers such as walls, affect the job satisfaction of employees by influencing their perceptions. Visualization is one of the key factors determining user experience. In addition, according to Ornstein (1989), the layout of an office is an element of the physical environment that can influence employee behavior. In this context, furniture layout determines opinions on HO, and it is important to note that the HO layout (e.g., furniture positioning) reflects user lifestyles, as user experiences may depend on the furniture layout.

2.6.3 Environmental Orientation With the increasing concern about natural disasters, people are becoming increasingly interested in and aware of the natural environment and are willing to take direct action to protect the environment. In other words, changes in values related to the residential environment may occur, which may greatly influence consumption patterns. As people become increasingly disconnected from nature, they become less healthy. Environmental orientation meets the psychological need of people to become closer to nature in response to the trend of the modern society. Thus, an environment-oriented lifestyle is also correlated with connectedness to nature. In addition, according to Collado and Evans (2019), such a lifestyle motivates individuals to perform actions beneficial for the natural environment; people with a deep connection to nature are more likely to engage in pro-environmental activities such as sorting waste and not using plastic bottles.

2.7 Circumplex Model of Affect as a Theoretical Model Emotions are states of awareness that include feelings, physiological reactions, and behavioral responses, which typically arise at the same time (Hayano et al., 2018). A workplace that generates positive emotions is crucial to support the wellbeing of workers, because positive emotions are associated with productivity and mental health. Oswald et al. (2015) found that happy people were more productive than people with negative emotions. Accordingly, I use the circumplex model proposed by Russel (1980) in the

experimental part of this study because it allows emotions to be classified. The dimensions involved in this model are the pleasure level and activation level. The circumplex model of affect may be described in terms of linguistic presentations of emotions depending on where the individual’s affective states are located in the quadrants, as shown in Figure 3. The specific items used in this study are described in Chapter 3.

Figure 3. Circumplex Model of Affect (Russel, 1980)

Yeom et al. (2019) used the circumplex model of affect in an environmental study to determine subjects’ state of mind (i.e., psychological satisfaction). In this study, I investigate the psychological satisfaction from three different lifestyle perspectives is to understand the emotions of workers. Specifically, from an emotion-oriented lifestyle perspective, it is studied whether a biophilic element (i.e., wood) and non-biophilic element (i.e., concrete) affect the mood of workers. Second, the effect of the presence of plants on workers’ perception is studied from an environmental (natural) perspective because including plants in an HO is a way to directly connect workers with nature. Third, previous research has suggested that the presence of a window is a priority design preference in the context of HO (Warhul & Ibrahim, 2021). However, it has not been investigated whether the layout of furniture affects the perception of HO workers. Among the three different lifestyle types categorized in this study, this design model falls into the experiential (function) lifestyle orientation. Accordingly, hypotheses are proposed on the basis of the results of studying the preferences of workers regarding HOs (see Chapter 4).

2.8 Use of Virtual Reality as Methodological Tool The use of VR technology is a well-established research trend in psychological environmental research. Virtual environments (VEs), which can be established using VR, mimic a three-dimensional real-world environment that the user can change according to their purpose (Zhou & Deng, 2009). VR enables systematic modifications of an interior

environment that could not easily be made in the real world. Guski and Schuemer (2008) state that VR can be used as a tool to support “pre-occupancy evaluation,” the evaluation of an environment from the occupants’ perspective before buildings are built. The advantages of VR are the ability to visualize, experience, and analyze the planned design. Moreover, an advantage of using VR as a research tool is that the researcher is provided with “highly controlled experiential environments with high realism and ecological validity” (Kuliga et al., 2015). The more realistic the appearance of the VE, the greater the motivation of users to actively respond to the VE. However, some limitations of VR technology should be noted. The use of a high-quality renderer or headset device is important to prevent users from experiencing sickness during or after the experiment. In addition, the sequence in which users are introduced to a VE has an impact on their reactions to environments (Palmon et al., 2006). Thus, to ensure reliability of using VR as a research method, the order of exposure to environmental stimuli (i.e., the VR settings that subjects are exposed to during the experiment) should be random. Although little research has been carried out in the context of HOs, some VRbased research on the workspace domain based on biophilic design has been reported. For example, Yin et al. (2019) used VR with eye-tracking technology and confirmed that biophilic elements reduce stress and enhance creativity by comparing biophilic design patterns in two types of office (opened and closed). Yeom et al. (2019) showed that a small green wall has a greater effect on relaxation than a larger green wall using VR with EEG data, thus supporting attention restoration theory.

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODS

This thesis study involved two main methods; an online survey followed by a VR experiment, but seven model apartments from the top 10 brands in South Korea were first analyzed to understand how the trend of biophilic design is being applied in Korean apartments. Specifically, online surveys were conducted among knowledge workers who have experience working from home to understand preferences of biophilic design elements in the home office. Then, the VR experiment was conducted to examine participants’ psychological satisfaction of home office where the biophilic design is implemented. Following Figure 4 is a diagram showing the research method framework for this thesis study.

Figure 4. Research Method Framework

3.1 Case Study Method 3.1.1 Model House of Apartments as Research Case Selection An apartment model house is built similarly to an actual house for the purpose of promoting the features of apartments, such as their function and design, to customers when a new apartment is being sold (Kim and Ko, 2020). Depending on the purpose or type of

use, model houses may be manifested in various forms such as sample houses (model houses), housing promotion centers, galleries, and even cyber models. Cyber models, namely e-model houses, are operated by large construction companies. They are not only convenient for distant customers but also allow customers to view the interior spaces multiple times. Thus, a model house was selected for this case study because it is useful for examining the latest trends in residential spaces.

3.1.2 Research Scope The seven apartment cases selected for this thesis study are those newly being sold in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi-do that were built by large construction companies. The model house was selected on the premise that it is an optimized residential space sample reflecting the user’s latest trends in residential spaces. The scope of the survey was limited to apartments built by large construction companies ranked 10th or higher in 2021 and 2022 in domestic construction performance that consider user-centered design as the top priority in their brand management. The results of the rank were based on the preference of the brand, bran recognition, and residential satisfaction. Among them, the research scope has narrowed to the exclusive area of one household with a size of 84 m2, which is the average size of Korean apartments located in Seoul and nearby cities. In addition, the model apartments selected for the study include a site that is scheduled to be sold between 2022 and 2023 and operates an online/cyber model house. A list of the selected cases is shown in Table 6.

3.1.3 List of Cases Table 6. List of selected cases

List of Cases No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Name RAEMIAN Elinity

Location Yongdu-dong Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul E Pyeonhansesang Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Gwangjin GrandPark Seoul Sindongtan fore Xi Banwol-dong, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do Songpa Signature Lotte Geoyeo-dong, Songpa-gu, Castle – Type A Seoul Songpa Signature Lotte Geoyeo-dong, Songpa-gu, Castle –Type B Seoul The Sharp Park Prestige Singil-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul Yeoksam Central IYeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, PARK Seoul

Architecture Samsung C&T DL E&C GS C&T LOTTE LOTTE POSCO HDC

3.2 Research Frame for Case Study Analysis The research contents and methods used for the case study were derived from a previous study to ensure reliability and validity. The aim of the case study was to analyze the design elements of current new apartments and attempt to categorize them. In several studies, cases were studied using only the theory of biophilic design. Because the purpose of this study was to suggest future types of HO designs based on different types of lifestyles, design components were selected that can be used to analyze cases in terms of lifestyle. The three steps in the research frame were used as guidelines to analyze model houses. The first step in the research frame (Table 7) is to understand the overall information of a case.

The second step (Table 8), which consists of interior design factors, allows a researcher to analyze the atmosphere and the trends pursued by each indoor home workspace through specific interior design elements. Thus, the case study was conducted to determine how these design elements promote connection to nature and lifestyle.

3.2.1 Criteria The specific criteria of the research frame are as follows. An overview of a property consists of the name, location, supply area, exclusive area, architecture (company name/brand name), move in year and month, and type, and images of the floorplan and interior (a room that can be used as an HO). The interior design elements consist of the spatial characteristics (office layout, i.e., a single room or an integrated workspace in a bedroom), workspace location (i.e., near the window, along a wall), material, light feature, furniture, and decorative items (i.e., plants). The dimensions given throughout are in millimeters. In previous research, interior spaces were examined by using elements such as floors, walls, ceilings, windows, finishes, furniture, lighting, props, fabrics, and colors that fill the space. For this case study, the analysis framework for each interior design component was modified by referring to the previous study. After identifying the interior design elements, each element was analyzed on the basis of biophilic design experience (i.e., elements suggested by Kellert and Calabrese, 2015) along with lifestyle components (i.e., emotion-oriented, experience-oriented, environmentoriented).

3.2.2 Analysis Frame-1 Table 7. Analysis Frame 1 Property Overview Name Location Supply Area Exclusive Area Construction Company Move in Year and Month Total Number of Households

Floorplan

Reference Floorplan (dimensions in millimeters)

Room Interior

Reference Image

3.2.3 Analysis Frame-2 Table 8. Analysis Frame 2 Characteristics of Interior Design Elements Design Elements Spatial Planning Furniture Materials Displayed Items Biophilic Design Elements

Characteristics

3.3 Online Survey Method 3.3.1 Data Collection Method The participants were recruited by distributing links to Google forms. The links were first sent to my friends and relatives via the application KakaoTalk as this is the most common way to connect with people virtually. The recruited participants subsequently forwarded the Google forms to their colleagues or coworkers to recruit more participants in a short time. In particular, the participants were asked to confirm that, at the time of the study, they were working in companies and had experience with work from home (WFH). Thus, convenience sampling was used as the sampling method for this study.

3.3.2 Online Survey Design The questionnaires were divided into three parts: 1) preferences, 2) lifestyles, and 3) demographic information and general conditions of the participants. The questions in the first part included two comparable pictures of cases conducted prior to the survey in the previous section. One design element was colored, and the rest was colored black using Photoshop to help participants understand what the question was about. In the second section, the five-point scale was used on different types of lifestyles related to this study (i.e., well-being-oriented lifestyle, personality-oriented lifestyle, and environmentalfriendly-oriented lifestyle). When demographic data were requested, it was noted that all personal data were collected for research purposes and anonymity was guaranteed.

3.3.3 Questionnaires The first part of an online survey which is asking participants’ preferences, items were divided into two types of a home office (i.e., single room and bedroom). Further, after each question, reasons behind their choices were further asked to examine what the participants view as an important factor when looking at the images of interior space. Questions included: Which design element is preferable to find in your home office? Which furniture design is preferable to find in your home office?

Which workstation is preferable is preferable to find in your home office? Which color (achromatic color vs chromatic color) is preferable to find in your home office? Second, lifestyle questionnaire items related to wellbeing, personality, and environment were used to understand the participant’s types of lifestyles. To ensure reliability and validity, the seven items selected for analyzing lifestyle are taken from Lee & Lee (2003) and Kim & Ko (2012).

Table 9. Lifestyle Questionnaires Lifestyle Questionnaire Item Wellbeingoriented lifestyle

Personalityoriented lifestyle

Item no. 1

Description I am usually interested in health.

I am usually interested in well-being-related trends.

I usually try to be self-satisfied through well-being.

I usually consume lots of interior products.

In terms of interior space, my personality is more important than the function. I try to focus on color and styles more than the function of furniture.

6 Environmental oriented lifestyle

I am interested in persevering the natural environment and is actively participating in waste sorting.

Experiential oriented lifestyle

I prefer the private space as a working environment.

Finally, to understand the participants' perceptions of biophilic design-based home offices, they were asked to freely express their opinions about the general perception of the application of biophilic design elements in the home office environment.

3.4 Virtual Reality Experiment After studying preferences of home office spaces focusing on particular design elements (i.e., furniture and interior color), the occupant satisfaction towards each suggested home offices regarding different lifestyles are studied using Virtual Reality (VR) technology. The purpose of examining occupant satisfaction is to validate suggested home office design. Due to the development of technology, virtual environments can be created using software such as Revit and SketchUp along with a VR headset. The VR technology allows users to see how they are felt in the virtual environment by having a high sense of realism.

3.4.1 Experimental Design In the second stage of the study, responses regarding occupant satisfaction in VEs representing HO spaces are analyzed through a VR experiment. Here, two single rooms, one representing an emotion-oriented lifestyle and one representing an environmentoriented lifestyle, and one bedroom representing an experience-oriented lifestyle were used for the experiment. Specifically, for the first experimental setting, a case, Yeoksam Central

I-Park (Table 23), was selected to design an HO with wooden materials and lighting as its representative design elements, making it suitable for an emotion-oriented lifestyle. Second, an apartment in RAEMIAN Elinity (Table 11) was used as a reference to determine design elements (i.e., indoor plants and interior colors), but the overall design was based on the first experimental setting because the analysis of the preference study showed that users preferred a built-in desk over a single desk. The third experimental setting was designed with reference to a type A apartment in Songpa Signature Lotte Castle (Table 17), because an office layout influences users’ psychological satisfaction in an HO. This is because most participants pointed out that they preferred a workstation to face a wall located behind a bed to more closely focus on tasks.

3.4.2 Experimental Setup Figure 5 shows an overall workflow of creating a VR experimental setting. To create a realistic immersive virtual home office space, first, a bedroom with the size of 2700mm x 3600mm and a single room with the size of 2700mm x 4255mm were modeled using BIM software from Autodesk, namely Revit 2021. To ensure validity, the size of two rooms were selected from the cases done previously. After modeling the basic architecture details such as walls (thickness of the walls setup as 200mm), floors, and ceiling (i.e., height of a ceiling setup as 2300mm), specific interior details such as furniture and missing walls were custom modeled with the addition to material types to make three types of home offices uniformed. Here, some missing furniture and materials were imported using blocks

Revit (i.e., parametric families in Revit) and Enscape. The Enscape version used for this study was 3.2.

Figure 5.Workflow of creating VR experiment setting Table 10 shows the floorplans and rendered indoor images of four settings. Next, following is a description of how a VR experiment can be set up. In addition to a laptop called GIGABYTE AERO 15 equipped with a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphic card, a head-mounted display (HMD) called Oculus Quest 2 with two controllers were used. The two controllers help participants to identify movement in virtual environments.

Table 10. Experimental Settings Images

Item No. Floorplans

Images

Emotional (mood)orientation “Wood”

Emotional (mood)orientation “Concrete”

Environmenta l (nature)orientation “With plants”

Environmenta l (nature)orientation “Without plants”

Experiential (furniture layout)orientation “Facing walls”

Experiential (furniture layout)orientation “Facing windows”

3.4.3 Experimental Procedure The experimental study procedure involved three steps. First, the test’s aims and procedures were briefly explained to the participants. Second, participants were asked to experience all six VEs as this study utilized within subjects. To ensure reliability, the order of the exposure was randomly selected. In other words, if the first participant experienced a VE of an HO with wooden materials, then one with concrete materials, the next participant was first exposed to a VE with concrete materials and then to a VE with wooden materials. Third, participants were asked to remove the Oculus Quest 2 and complete a survey to evaluate their perceived emotional satisfaction for each setting. The experimental procedure is shown in detail in Figure 6.

Figure 6. Experimental Procedure.

3.4.4 Survey Questionnaire A survey questionnaire on satisfaction was conducted after the VR experiment to measure the occupant satisfaction with the HO spaces. In terms of emotion-oriented and environment-oriented lifestyles, relaxation was measured and summarized to find out the psychological satisfaction of participants. Thus, the circumplex model of affect (Bakker et al., 2014) was used to understand the state of mind of the participants in the VEs. The items used in this questionnaire survey were comfort, calmness, pleasantness, peacefulness, and

satisfaction. Each item was measured on a 7-point Likert scale (1: Completely dissatisfied; 2: Mostly dissatisfied; 3: Somewhat dissatisfied, 4: Neither satisfied or dissatisfied, 5: Somewhat satisfied; 6: Mostly satisfied; 7: Completely satisfied). In terms of an experienceoriented lifestyle, the criterion of concentration was evaluated in addition to the five abovementioned items.

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Case Study Analysis 4.1.1 RAEMIAN Elinity The following Table 11 is the property information of RAEMIAN Elinity with the floorplan and an image of a room that can be used as a home office. Table 11. Case 1 Analysis (1) Name Location Supply Area Exclusive Area Construction Company Move in Year and Month Total Number of Households

Property Overview RAEMIAN Elinity Yongdu-dong Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 114.85m2 84.99m2 Samsung C&T 08/2022 1048

Floorplan

Room Interior

Source: Raemian Elinity8

Table 12. Case 1 Analysis (2) Characteristics of Interior Design Elements Design Elements Spatial Planning Furniture Materials 8

Characteristics A single room is provided to adjust based on individual’s personal taste Wooden table, shelf, chair Wooden flooring

https://www.raemian.co.kr/sales/s/elinity

Displayed Items Fabric Lighting Biophilic Design Elements

Artwork with blue painting on a wall, greenery plant on a table and a shelf, book, whiteboard, picture Black and white curtain, rug Task lamp, track light Wooden material, greenery, window

4.1.2 E Pyeonhansesang Gwangjin Grand Park The following Table 13 is the property information of E Pyeonhansesang Gwangjin Grand Park with the floorplan and an image of a room that can be used as a home office.

Table 13. Case 2 Analysis (1) Name Location Supply Area Exclusive Area Construction Company Move in Year and Month Total Number of Households

Property Overview E Pyeonhansesang Gwangjin GrandPark Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 107.46m2 84.97m2 DL E&C 01/ 2022 730

Floorplan

Room Interior

Source: E Pyeonhansesang9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG1H9mc4EXQ

Table 14. Case 2 Analysis (2) Characteristics of Interior Design Elements Design Elements Spatial Planning Furniture Materials Displayed Items Fabric Lighting Biophilic Design Elements

Characteristics A workspace incorporated in a bedroom Bed, chair Wooden flooring Artwork with horses painting on a wall, greenery plant on a table and a frame with abstract painting on a table Grey curtain Task lamp, accent lamp Wooden material, greenery plant on a table

4.1.3 Sindongtan fore Xi The following Table 15 is the property information of Sindongtan fore Xi with the floorplan and an image of a room that can be used as a home office.

Table 15. Case 3 Analysis (1) Name Location Supply Area Exclusive Area Construction Company Move in Year and Month Total Number of Households

Property Overview Sindongtan fore Xi Banwol-dong, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do 108.51m2 84.97m2 GS C&T 02/2023 1,297

Floorplan

Room Interior

Source: Singdongtan10

Table 16. Case 3 Analysis (2) Characteristics of Interior Design Elements Design Elements Spatial Planning Furniture Materials 10

Characteristics A workspace incorporated in a bedroom Bed, chair, bedside table Wooden flooring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MEoagI_T_M

Displayed Items Fabric Lighting Biophilic Design Elements

Computer, book, greenery plant on a shelf Grey curtain, cushion Pendant light, lamp in floating wall shelf, accent lamp, flooring light Wooden material, greenery, view through a window

4.1.4 Songpa Signature Lotte Castle- type A The following Table 17 is the property information of Songpa Signature Lotte Castle – type A with the floorplan and an image of a room that can be used as a home office.

Table 17. Case 4 Analysis (1) Name Location Supply Area Exclusive Area Construction Company Move in Year and Month Total Number of Households

Property Overview Songpa Signature Lotte Castle Geoyeo-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 111.88m2 84.98m2 LOTTE 01/2022 1,945

Floorplan

Room Interior

Source: LotteCastle11

https://www.lottecastle.co.kr/APT/AT00245/main/index.do

Table 18. Case 4 Analysis (2) Characteristics of Interior Design Elements Design Elements Spatial Planning Furniture Materials Displayed Items Fabric Lighting Biophilic Design Elements

Characteristics A workspace incorporated in a bedroom Bed, chair, built-in desk Fabric, plastic, gypsum Computer, book, greenery plant and an album on a shelf Grey curtain, cushion Light in a floating wall shelf Green tone colored wallpaper, greenery plant on a shelf, view through a window

4.1.5 Songpa Signature Lotte Castle – type B The following Table 19 is the property information of Songpa Signature Lotte Castle – type B with the floorplan and an image of a room that can be used as a home office.

Table 19. Case 5 Analysis (1) Name Location Supply Area Exclusive Area Construction Company Move in Year and Month Total Number of Households

Property Overview Songpa Signature Lotte Castle Geoyeo-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 110.95m2 84.98m2 LOTTE 01/2022 1,945

Floorplan

Room Interior

Source: LotteCastle12

https://www.lottecastle.co.kr/APT/AT00245/main/index.do

Table 20. Case 5 Analysis (2) Characteristics of Interior Design Elements Design Elements Spatial Planning Furniture Materials Displayed Items Fabric Lighting Biophilic Design Elements

Characteristics A workspace incorporated in a bedroom Bed, chair, table Wooden flooring Computer, book, greenery plant and an album on a shelf Grey curtain, cushion Pendant light View through a window

4.1.6 THE SHAPR Park Prestige The following Table 21 is the property information of THE SHAPR Park Prestige with the floorplan and an image of a room that can be used as a home office.

Table 21. Case 6 Analysis (1) Name Location Supply Area Exclusive Area Construction Company Move in Year and Month Total Number of Households

Property Overview THE SHAPR Park Prestige Singil-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 115.84 m2 84.9m2 LOTTE 07/2022 799

Floorplan

Room Interior

Source: THE SHAPR13

THE SHARP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_7bcISQ4-w

Table 22. Case 6 Analysis (2) Characteristics of Interior Design Elements Design Elements Spatial Planning Furniture Materials Displayed Items Fabric Lighting Biophilic Design Elements

Characteristics A workspace incorporated in a bedroom Bed, chair, table Wooden flooring Computer, book, artwork Grey curtain, cushion Table light View through a window

4.1.7 Yeoksam Central I-PARK The following Table 23 is the property information of Yeoksam Central I-Park with the floorplan and an image of a room that can be used as a home office.

Table 23. Case 7 Analysis (1) Name Location Supply Area Exclusive Area Construction Company Move in Year and Month Total Number of Households

Property Overview Yeoksam Central I-PARK Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 110.9 m2 84.99 m2 HDC D&C 05/2022 499

Floorplan

Room Interior

Source: IPARK 14

IPARK http://hdc.i-park.com/yeoksamcentral/plane

Table 24. Case 7 Analysis (2) Characteristics of Interior Design Elements Design Elements Characteristics Spatial Planning A single room is provided to adjust based on individual’s personal taste Furniture Built-in desk, chair Materials Wooden flooring, wooden wall Displayed Items Computer, built-in shelf Fabric Grey curtain Lighting Light on a wall shelf Biophilic Design Elements View through a window, wooden materials, light

4.1.8 Case Investigation Results Table 25. Case Analysis Results – Biophilic Design

Cases can be categorized into three types according to the experimental orientation (i.e., type A: a single home office, type B: a workspace facing the window inside a bedroom, and type C: a workspace facing the side wall inside a bedroom). In terms of biophilic design

elements incorporated in the case images, the presence of plants and the wood application are apparent characteristics of current model houses of Korean new apartments. Plants were placed on the shelves the most among desks, shelves, and side tables. Wood was the most used floor finishes. Finally, among the natural wood tones, grey tones, and green tones that Kellert mentioned in his book, the color of the wallpaper was the most widely used as achromatic grey tones. Four main images which represent emotional-oriented lifestyles (Case 7 & 2) and environmental-oriented lifestyles (Case 1 & 4) are selected for the online survey to understand how knowledge workers perceive biophilic design-based home office. Thus, with these images, the further investigation on users’ preferences, and the following Table 26 and 27 are those images selected for the purpose of online survey.

Table 26. Images selected for survey – Single Room Category Emotional oriented

Single room Images

Reason This room evokes the warm and cozy atmosphere due to wood and light.

Environmental oriented

Indoor greenery plants provoke an idea of an environment.

Table 27. Images selected for survey – Bedroom Category Emotional oriented

Bedroom Images

Environmental oriented

Reason This room evokes the warm and cozy atmosphere due to wood and light.

Indoor greenery plants and green color provoke an idea of an environment.

4.2 Online Survey Analysis After launching the survey online, a total of 105 subjects participated in the survey data collection. The following is the demographic information of the participants: 1) gender: fifty two participants (51.6%) are male, while fifty three participants (50.5%) are female.; age: twenty seven (25.7%) of participants are from 20 to 29, thirty six (34.3%) of participants are from 30 to 39, and forty two (40 %) of participants are from 40 to 49; job: nearly half of participants (46.7%) were general workers, while thirty one (29.5%) of participants were profession or professor and a rest of them were working as a finance or freelancer; a number of households were various. The results show that it is significant to have a private home office as eleven participants (10.5%) have three households and twenty-three (21.9%) participants have four households in their family. Then, when they were asked whether they feel connected with nature in their current working-from-home space, almost seventy-five (71.4%) of participants said they do not. Lastly, to ensure reliability, a question whether participants experienced WFH was asked. Of 105 people, forty (38.1%) participants stated they have worked from home once a week, thirty-one (29.5%) stated they WFH twice a week, seventeen (16.2%) said they WFH three times a week, fourteen (13.3%) stated they WFH more than three times a week, and three (2.9%) stated they work full time at home. Next, the participants were asked to the following question using five images, two images of independent home office and three images of a home office incorporated in a bedroom. Thus, the following tables provide the information about how the subjects gave

the reasons behind their preference choices of each design elements along with the mean value and percentage. Because the answers were given in a short answer, keywords which are adjectives and nouns were extracted from the answers and rated based on the frequency of repeated keywords. The adjective-based evaluation is one of well-established tools to understand individual emotions, and to analyze them, the word cloud is typically used (Kuliga et al., 2015).

Table 28. Question 1 Q.1: Which design element is preferable to find in your home office? Option 1 Option 2

Table 29. Question 1 Frequency Option 1

Frequency 85

Percentage 81%

Option 2

19%

Total

105

100.0%

Question 1 (Table 28 & Table 29) in part 1 of the survey was Which design is more preferable to find in your home office. The results showed that 81% of the participants preferred option 1 where wood and light is apparent in the image, compared to option 2 which has a simple design. Repeated keywords included from option 1 were rated as follows: warm (28%) > bright (21%) > wide storage (19%) > sensual (11%) > able to concentrate (6%) > organized (5%) > opened (4%) > neat (4%) > soft (2%) > collaborative (1%); whereas repeated keywords included from option 2 were rated as follows: plants (30%) > simple (30%) > opened (20%) > efficient (10%) > organized (10%). Further, another question related to environmental orientation was asked as follows: Question: How

much do you think the interest in the natural environment increases if a plant has a plant on a desk or space? Of 105 participants, seventy-four (70.5%) people stated that placing a plant in a home office would increase the interest in the natural environment. Of seventyfour people, a 5-point Likert scale was used to identify how much the interest in natural environment will increase. The mean value of the results was 3. 878 (SD = 0.906).

Table 30. Question 2 Q.2: Which furniture design is preferable to find in your home office? Option 1 Option 2

Table 31. Question 2 Frequency

Option 1

Frequency 68

Percentage 64.8%

Option 2

35.2%

Total

105

100.0%

Question 2 (Table 30 & Table 31) in part 1 of the survey was Which furniture design is preferable to find in your home office. The results showed that 64.8% of the participants preferred option 1 with built-in desk, compared to option 2 which has a single desk. Repeated keywords included from option 1 were rated as follows: wide (44%) > usability (19%) > simple (12%) > neat (9%) > workable (7%) > organized (6%) > linear workstation (3%); whereas repeated keywords included from option 2 were rated as follows: simple (32%) > modern (24%) > neat (19%) > opened (16%) > fit organization (8%).

Table 32. Question 3 Q,3: Which design element is preferable to find in your home office? Option 1 Option 2

Table 33. Question 3 Frequency Option 1

Frequency 34

Percentage 32.4%

Option 2

67.6%

Total

105

100.0%

Question 3 (Table 32 & Table 33) in part 1 of the survey was Which design is preferable to find in your home office. The results showed that 32.4% of participants preferred option 2 with a wooden desk and light more than option 1 with a non-wooden desk. Repeated keywords included from option 1 were rated as follows: modern (44%), simple (38%) > black and white (12%) > flexible furniture (3%) > comfort (3%); whereas repeated keywords included from option 2 were rated as follows: bright (31%) > wood (17%) > color (15%) > comfortable mood (14%) > modern (11%) > natural (7%) > wide (4%).

Table 34. Question 4 Q.4: Which workstation is preferable is preferable to find in your home office? Option 1 Option 2

Table 35. Question 4 Frequency Option 1

Frequency 38

Percentage 36.2%

Option 2

63.8%

Total

105

100.0%

Question 4 (Table 34 & Table 35) in part 1 of the survey was Which workstation design/ location is preferable to find in your home office. The results showed that 36.2% of the participants preferred option 1 with a desk facing a window, and rest of them preferred option 2 where a desk is facing wall. Repeated keywords included from option 1 were rated

as follows: view to outside (66%) > window in front (21%) > comfort (13%); whereas repeated keywords included from option 2 were rated as follows: not able to see a bed (30%) > workstation location (21%) > less distraction (13%) > able to concentrate (12%) > stable (9%) > spatial usability (6%) > window on the side (4%) > separated work and rest areas (4%).

Table 36. Question 5 Q.5: Which shelf is preferable to find in your home office? Option 1 Option 2

Table 37. Question 5 Frequency Option 1

Frequency 58

Percentage 55.2%

Option 2

44.8%

Total

105

100.0%

Question 5 (Table 36 & Table 37) in part 1 of the survey was Which shelf design is preferable to find in your home office. The results showed that 55.2% of the participants preferred option 1 with a built-in shelf, compared to option 2 with a hanging framed shelf. Repeated keywords included from option 1 were rated as follows: looks safe (38%) > stable (29%) > better storage (16%) > looks organized (12%) > location (5%); whereas repeated keywords included from option 2 were rated as follows: opened (38%) > stylish (21%) > design (19%) > near workstation (15%) > wide (6%).

Table 38. Question 6 Q.6: Which color (achromatic color vs chromatic color) is preferable to find in your home office? Option 1

Option 2

Table 39. Question 6 Frequency Option 1

Frequency 51

Percentage 48.6%

Option 2

51.4%

Total

105

100.0%

Question 6 (Table 38 & Table 39) in part 1 of the survey was Which color scheme (achromatic vs chromatic) is preferable to find in your home office. The results showed that 48.6% of the participants preferred option 1 with achromatic color, and 51.4% of participants preferred option 2 with chromatic color. Repeated keywords included from option 1 were rated as follows: not get distracted (41%) > comfortable (29%) > personal taste (18%) > not get bored (12%); whereas option 2 rated as follows: bright (35%) > able to think creatively (20%) > not feeling bored (17%) > looks lively (15%) > point (6%) > natural color (4%) > warm tone (2%) > good for eyes (2%).

4.2.5 Lifestyle Questionnaire Results Table 40. Lifestyle Questionnaire Mean Item No. 1

Cronbach’s alphas values 0.743

Mean 4.2

SD 0.77

0.714

3.6

1.09

0.709

3.7

1.08

0. 738

2.8

1.03

0.742

3.0

1.06

0. 752

3.0

1.03

0.739

3.9

0.92

0.760

4.5

0.75

The second part of the survey included lifestyle questionnaires. An average of all the answers to the questions related to lifestyle was scored based on a 5-point Likert scale (1: Not at all; 2: A little; 3: Moderately, 4: Much, 5: Very Much). The Cronbach's alpha for all variables was above 0.7, according to the reliability test findings. The study's scales were all internally consistent and reliable. The results can be summarized from three perspectives. First, as privacy is stressed factor when working from previous literature, participants preferred an independent space with an average score, 4.5. Second, an item 1, ‘I am usually interested in health.’ (4.2) scored second highest of all items. All three items related to wellbeing scored higher than the items related to personality. Also, an item 7, ‘I am interested in persevering the natural environment and is actively participating in waste sorting.’ (3.9) also scored high, indicating that participants are more prone to participate in

pro-environmental activity such as waste sorting. This result shows that the people are more willing to seek products which can make them healthier.

4.2.6 Summary of Online Survey Results Finally, the last question required a short answer about residents’ perceptions of the application of biophilic design in an HO. First, some participants indicated that an HO with a biophilic design can increase the efficiency of home workers. For example, some participants indicated that they found it beneficial to grow plants in their HO. In addition, several participants emphasized the warmth provided by wood-like surfaces, which can have a positive impact on their emotional wellbeing. Although it is difficult to create a direct connection with nature in a small space such as a HO, it is important to create indirect connections, such as through wooden furniture, photos of forests, and natural colors. Most importantly, a number of participants recognized the importance of biophilic design in their spaces in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the urbanization of modern times. Overall, to answer research question 1, How would occupants perceive a biophilic-design-based HO, a preferences-based online survey was conducted. The results show that most participants prefer an emotion-oriented lifestyle reflected HO because it feels warmer, brighter, and more comfortable. In addition, a view while working to reduce stress and refresh oneself was another key consideration. However, regarding the placement of furniture, the reasons for preferences were twofold: a workstation could be placed facing

a wall with a window on the side to assist concentration, or it could be placed in front of a window to provide a view.

4.2.7 Recommendations Based on Online Survey Results Based on the results of the online survey, further recommendations can be made for the design of HOs in response to individual lifestyles. First, rooms with natural materials such as wood are recommended for emotion-oriented people, because wooden materials give the feeling that the HO is cozy and warm. Interestingly, according to a previous study on the benefits of biophilic design elements on the psychological and physiological wellbeing of workers conducted by Yin (2019), participants preferred indoor plants to wooden materials. However, in this study, wooden materials were preferred to indoor plants by the participants. Second, the use of natural colors such as green is recommended in an HO where people are prone to stress, so that occupants can refresh themselves. Third, although optimization of the biophilic design in the context of an HO is important, one should pay attention to creating places without distractions. For example, as shown in Table 41, a workstation facing a wall is recommended to help people focus on tasks. However, since some people like to connect with nature to relieve stress, the suggestion of a workstation facing a window should not be neglected.

Table 41. Suggestions based on Lifestyle Orientation Images

Item Single Room

Bedroom

Emotional orientation “Warm and cozy”

Environmental orientation “Refreshed”

Experiential orientation ‘Concentration”

Then, the following hypothesis were proposed as follows to verify the suggested designs. H1: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “comfort” in between the shelf made of wood and concrete. H2: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “calm” in between the shelf made of wood and concrete.

H3: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “peaceful” in between the shelf made of wood and concrete. H4: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “satisfied” in between the shelf made of wood and concrete. H5: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “comfort” in between the home office with plants and no plants. H6: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “calm” in between the home office with plants and no plants. H7: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “peaceful” in between the home office with plants and no plants. H8: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “satisfied” in between the home office with plants and no plants. H9: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “comfort” in between the workstation facing walls and facing windows. H10: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “calm” in between the workstation facing walls and facing windows. H11: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “peaceful” in between the workstation facing walls and facing windows.

H12: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “concentration” in between the workstation facing walls and facing windows. H13: There is a significant difference of the workers’ perceived “satisfied” in between the workstation facing walls and facing windows.

4.3 Virtual Reality Experiment Analysis 4.3.1 Data Collection The experiment was conducted from 12th to 16th and 27th of May in five offices located in Gangnam-gu, South Korea where offices of knowledge workers are congregated. A total of fifty subjects were involved in the experiment. The demographic information of them are as follows: While thirty-three (66%) subjects are male, seventeen (34%) subjects are female. In terms of age, twelve subjects (24%) are between 40 to 49, thirty-one subjects (62%) are between 30 to 39, and seven subjects (14%) are between 20 to 29.

4.3.2 Analysis Methods and Results In the experimental study, paired sample t-test was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics 26. To test the reliability, Cronbach’s alpha was conducted. All items were above 0.8.

Table 42. Mean of Results of Psychological Satisfaction Based on Emotional (Mood)Oriented Lifestyle Items

Mean

Standard deviation

Standard error mean

Comfort (Wood)

5.480

1.249

0.177

Comfort (Concrete)

4.340

1.349

0.191

Calm (Wood)

5.400

1.370

0.194

Calm (Concrete)

4.740

1.440

0.204

Peaceful (Wood)

5.420

1.247

0.176

Peaceful (Concrete)

4.320

1.253

0.177

Satisfied (Wood)

5.280

1.400

0.198

Satisfied (Concrete)

4.340

1.379

0.195

Average (Wood)

5.395

1.197

0.169

Average (Concrete)

4.435

1.209

0.171

Note: * 7-point Likert scale (1: Completely dissatisfied; 2: Mostly dissatisfied; 3: Somewhat dissatisfied, 4: Neither satisfied or dissatisfied, 5: Somewhat satisfied; 6: Mostly satisfied; 7: Completely satisfied)

Table 42 shows the results of emotional (mood)-oriented lifestyle. When the average of all items was compared, overall psychological satisfaction when looking a shelf made of wood was higher than a shelf made of concrete with Average – Wood (M = 5.395, SD = 1.197) > Average – Concrete (M = 4.435, SD = 1.209). Specifically, each items’ data were as follows: Comfort – Wood (M = 5.480, SD = 1.249) > Peaceful – Wood (M = 5.420,

SD = 1.247) > Calm -Wood (M = 5.400, SD = 1.370) > Satisfied –Wood (M = 5.280, SD = 1.400); whereas each items’ data of satisfaction of home office with concrete were as follows: Calm - Concrete (M = 4.740, SD = 1.440) > Comfort – Concrete (M = 4.340, SD = 1.349) > Satisfied – Concrete (M = 4.340, SD = 1.379) > Peaceful – Concrete (M = 4.320, SD = 1.253).

Table 43. Mean Results of Psychological Satisfaction based on Environmental (Nature) Oriented Lifestyle Items

Mean

Standard deviation

Standard error mean

Comfort (Presence)

5.580

1.357

0.192

Comfort (Absence)

5.120

1.081

0.153

Calm (Presence)

5.500

1.389

0.196

Calm (Absence)

5.020

1.186

0.168

Peaceful (Presence)

5.580

1.401

0.198

Peaceful (Absence)

4.980

1.152

0.163

Satisfied (Presence)

5.480

1.418

0.200

Satisfied (Absence)

4.800

1.161

0.164

Average (Presence)

5.535

1.308

0.185

Average (Absence)

4.980

1.047

0.148

Table 43 shows the results of environmental (nature)-oriented lifestyle. When the average of all items was compared, overall psychological satisfaction when looking a home office with plants was higher than the home office without plants with Average - Presence (M = 5.535, SD = 1.308) > Average – Absence (M = 4.980, SD = 1.047). Specifically, each items’ data were as follows: Comfort – Presence (M = 5.580, SD = 1.357) > Peaceful – Presence (M = 5.580, SD = 1.401) > Calm – Presence (M = 5.500, SD = 1.389) > Satisfied – Presence (M = 5.480, SD = 1.418); whereas each items’ data of satisfaction towards home office without plant were as follows: Comfort – Absence (M = 5.120, SD = 1.081) > Calm –Absence (M = 5.020, SD = 1.186) > Peaceful – Absence (M = 4.980, SD = 1.152) > Satisfied – Absence (M = 4.800, SD = 1.161).

Table 44. Mean Results of the Psychological Satisfaction based on Experiential (Function)-Oriented Lifestyle Items

Mean

Standard deviation

Standard error mean

Comfort (Window)

4.680

1.392

0.197

Comfort (Side)

5.300

1.199

0.170

Calm (Window)

4.580

1.430

0.202

Calm (Side)

5.320

1.220

0.172

Peaceful (Window)

4.760

1.255

0.177

Peaceful (Side)

5.300

1.329

0.188

Concentration (Window)

4.100

1.753

0.248

Concentration (Side)

5.000

1.616

0.229

Satisfied (Window)

4.360

1.467

0.208

Satisfied (Side)

5.240

1.408

0.199

Average (Window)

4.496

1.311

0.185

Average (Side)

5.232

1.157

0.164

Table 44 shows the results of experiential (function)-oriented lifestyle. When the average of all items was compared, overall psychological satisfaction of a home office where a workstation faces a wall is higher than a workstation faces a window with an Average – Side (M = 5.232, SD = 1.157) > Average – Window (M = 4.496, SD = 1.311). Specifically, each items’ data were as follows: Calm – Side (M = 5.320, SD= 1.220) > Comfort – Side (M = 5.300, SD = 1.199) > Peaceful- Side (M = 5.300, SD = 1.329) > Satisfied – Side (M = 5.240, SD = 1.408) > Concentration – Side (M = 5.000, SD = 1.616), whereas each items’ data of satisfaction towards home office where the workstation faces the window were as follows: Peaceful – Window (M = 4.760, SD = 1.255) > Comfort – Window (M = 4.680, SD = 1.392) > Calm – Window (M = 4.580, SD = 1.430) > Satisfied – Window (M = 4.360, SD = 1.467) > Concentration - Window (M = 4.100, SD = 1.753).

Table 45. Paired t-test of psychological satisfaction based on Emotional (Mood) Oriented Lifestyle Paired differences Mean

Items

Standard error mean

95% Confidence interval of the difference Lower

Upper

p -value

Comfort

1.140

1.666

0.236

0.666

1.614

4.838

0.000***

Calm

0.660

1.825

0.258

0.141

1.179

2.557

0.014*

Peaceful

1.100

1.607

0.227

0.643

1.557

4.841

0.000***

Satisfied

0.940

1.973

0.279

0.379

1.501

3.368

0.001**

Average

0.960

1.552

0.220

0.519

1.401

4.374

0.000***

Note: * denotes p < 0.05, ** denotes p < 0.01, *** denotes p < 0.001

Then, Table 45 shows that all data were statistically significant (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001) between the shelf with wooden and concrete materials with the paired t-test of psychological satisfaction conducted from the emotional (mood) oriented lifestyle context. All items of mean difference were positive (comfort - M = 1.140, SD = 1.666; calm – M = 0.660, SD = 1.825, peaceful – M = 1.100, SD = 1.607; satisfied – M = 0.940, SD = 1.973; average – M = 0.960, SD = 1.552), which indicates that the perceived relaxation looking at

the wooden materials was higher than looking the concrete materials. Here, the hypotheses 1, 2, 3, and 4 are supported.

Table 46. Paired t-test of Psychological Satisfaction based on Environmental (Nature) Oriented Lifestyle Paired differences Mean

Items

Standard error mean

95% Confidence interval of the difference Lower

Upper

p -value

Comfort

0.460

1.606

0.227

0.004

0.916

2.025

0.048*

Calm

0.480

1.776

0.251

-0.025

0.985

1.912

0.062

Peaceful

0.600

1.702

0.241

0.116

1.084

2.492

0.016*

Satisfied

0.680

1.789

0.253

0.171

1.189

2.687

0.010*

Average

0.555

1.589

0.225

0.104

1.006

2.470

0.017*

Note: * denotes p < 0.05, ** denotes p < 0.01

Table 46 shows the environmental (nature) oriented lifestyle data. Although all items were positive (comfort - M = 0. 460, SD = 1.606; calm - M = 0.480, SD = 1.776, peaceful - M = 0.600, SD = 1.702; satisfied - M = 0.680, SD = 1.789; average - M = 0.555, SD = 1.589), this was statistically significant (p < 0.05) in relation to “comfort (t = 2.025, p = 0.048)”, "peaceful (t = 2.492, p = 0.016)”, "satisfied (t = 2.687, p = 0.010)”, and "average (t = 2.470, p = 0.017)”, but not statistically significant in relation to "calm (t = 1.912, p = 0.062)”. These results indicate that perceived relaxation was higher in the environment where plants were present than in the environment where there were no plants, which may be because the sight of plants gives a peaceful feeling. Here, the hypothesis 6 is not supported, but the hypotheses 5, 7, and 8 are supported.

Table 47. Paired t-test of Psychological Satisfaction based on Experiential (Function) Oriented Lifestyle Paired differences Mean

Items

Standard error mean

95% Confidence interval of the difference Lower

Upper

p -value

Comfort

-0.620

2.009

0.284

-1.191

-0.049

-2.182

0.034*

Calm

-0.740

2.039

0.288

-1.319

-0.161

-2.567

0.013*

Peaceful

-0.540

2.131

0.301

-1.145

0.065

-1.792

0.079

Concentration

-0.900

2.652

0.375

-1.654

-0.146

-2.400

0.020*

Satisfied

-0.880

2.191

0.310

-1.503

-0.257

-2.840

0.007**

Average

-0.736

1.965

0.278

-1.294

-0.178

-2.648

0.011*

Note: * denotes p < 0.05, ** denotes p < 0.01

Table 47 shows the experiential (function)-oriented lifestyle data. Here, all items change was negative (comfort - M = -0.620, SD = 2.009; calm – M = -0.740, SD = 2.039; peaceful – M = -0.540, SD = 2.131; concentration – M = -0.900, SD = 2.652; satisfied – M = -0.880, SD = 2.191; satisfied – M = -0.880, SD = 2.191; average – M = -0.736, SD =

1.965). There was statistically significant in relation to “comfort (t = -2.182, p = 0.034)”, “concentration (t = -2.400, p = 0.020)”, “satisfied (t = -2.840, p = 0.007)” and “average (t = -2. 648, p = 0.011)”, but not in relation to “peaceful (t = -1.792, p = 0.079)”. Here, the hypothesis 11 is not supported, but the hypotheses 9, 10, 12, and 13 are supported.

4.3.3 Summary of Psychological Satisfaction Results Using the circumplex model of affect, the VR experiment was conducted to determine the ways in which workers in a biophilic design-based home office are satisfied with respect to three lifestyle orientations. The results show that participants found the home office with the wood shelving and walls to be more comfortable, calm, peaceful, and psychologically satisfied than the room with the concrete shelving and walls. When comparing the home offices with and without plants, results showed that the sight of plants was associated with higher sense of psychological comfort, calm and satisfaction. In addition, participants were psychologically more satisfied with the home office where the workstation faced the walls rather than the windows, as they felt more comfortable, calm and were better able to concentrate on their work. Thus, overall psychological satisfaction towards home office that is enhanced due to relaxed feelings ultimately make home office workers happier and reduce stress.

CHAPTER 5 PLANNING DIRECTIONS OF BIOPHILIC DESIGNBASED HOME OFFICE

5.1 Recommendations for Emotional (Mood)-oriented Lifestyle The use of wooden materials is a simple way to bring nature indoors. Based on the results of this study, bookshelves made of wood are recommended for emotion-oriented individuals because they make them feel warmer. It is because the mood-oriented individuals preferred a HO with a wooden desk and a wooden bookshelf. Furthermore, the fact that a brighter atmosphere can be created by integrating lighting in wooden furniture was an advantage emphasized by the participants. Although people could choose between various wood types and colors, many participants preferred the wooden materials over other materials because of their brightness; therefore, a bright wood is recommended. Accordingly, the value of using wooden interiors can be enhanced for consumers with an emotion-oriented lifestyle because it enhances their psychological satisfaction.

5.2 Recommendations for Plants in the Home Office To design a biophilic based HO, implementing plants is suggested. Among them, Dracaena plants are suggested on a website called “A House for Today” (Figure 7), which

are air-purifying plants that can be easily grown and require little attention. They have a reasonably rapid growth rate and can live in a variety of environments, including in direct sun and shaded areas (Saiyood et al., 2010). Monstera plants (Figure 8), which have round leaves, may also be suitable. According to Kurazumi et al. (2018), looking at non-Euclidean shapes such as curves may help the viewer feel comfortable. Although Monstera can be grown well at room temperature, a shaded area is recommended instead of a place with direct sun to maintain humidity (The Sill, 2020). Moreover, it is possible to cultivate Monstera in both soil and water, making it suitable for people wishing to see the growth of the roots. Note that, in accordance with the case study conducted in the first phase, the location of the plants was not set in the model house, with some plants located on a shelf and others placed on a desk, which can be considered disorganized. In the latter case, a USM modular furniture system can be used to integrate planters directly into furniture systems, as shown in Figure 9. In addition, the irrigation systems offered by USM help to easily control the watering cycle and simplify the care of plants.

Figure 7. Dracaena.15 Figure 8. Monstera16. Figure 9. USM Modular Furniture System. 17 https://ohou.se/advices/6149 https://www.vanshomecenter.com/blog/home-office-house-plants 17 https://www.usm.com/en/office/products/usm-haller-collection/a-world-of-plants-for-usm-haller/ 15 16

Integrating plants into furniture presents one way to directly experience nature in a home office (HO); thus, one should consider their placement in the home. From the case studies considered herein, plants were most often placed on furniture items such as shelves, desks, or end tables. Here, another area suggested for plant placement is the windowsill since exposure to the sun is essential for plant growth.

5.3 Recommendations for Experiential (Function) oriented Lifestyle As mentioned in Chapter 2, a home office is a dedicated space where work and living areas are separated. However, many home-based workers with families would find it difficult to have a dedicated space for work. Based on the results of this study, several suggestions for a function-oriented lifestyle can be made here. Firstly, in a residential space, the furniture arrangement is one of the most important features to consider as it is related to the behavior in and perception of the HO environment. Finding ways to control visual distractions is important to reduce disturbances to HO workers. In a bedroom where a workspace is integrated into a sleeping space, HO workers can arrange their workspaces to face the walls so that they are not visually distracted by the bed or outdoor views from windows. In addition, visual access to an outdoor view, while refreshing, can be considered constraint if the workstation is directly in front of a window. If the workstation is in front of a window, direct sunlight can interfere with the view while working.

5.4 Further Implication One should consider that HOs vary in size in relation to the overall size of apartments. For example, although the HO size was limited to 84 m2 in this study, it can vary from 59 to 108 m2 or beyond. This study suggests integrating nature into HOs as follows. Regarding emotional orientation, one can use materials made from wood, such as oak, not only for furniture, such as desks and bookcases, but also for partition walls. Concerning environmental (nature) orientation, one can implement a domestic pocket garden indoors or on a balcony; as mentioned in the introduction, experiencing nature in modern society has become difficult due to urbanization. Views of green spaces can also improve the psychological well-being of HO workers and increase the overall quality of life by improving the air quality; in addition, gardening can reduce stress (Amerio et al., 2020; Triguero-Mas et al., 2020). Furthermore, the benefit of gardening is a response to experientially oriented lifestyles, as people’s behavior is influenced by the presence of their own garden, which allows workers to improve their physical activity through gardening. Since home gardening should not interfere with the work of HO workers, I suggest incorporating pocket gardens, which are relatively small and easier to maintain.

5.5 Why is the application of biophilia concept in a home office beneficial? In today’s world, most people spend much of their time indoors, leading to various syndromes related to mental illness and negative impacts on their wellbeing. Implementing

a biophilic design that brings nature inside through plants and natural materials such as wood is a way to reduce feelings of stress, making workers feel more comfortable and calmer while increasing their productivity. When people feel comfortable, they can be happy, and their emotional wellbeing can be enhanced. In addition, incorporating nature into spaces through plants contributes to not only the psychological wellbeing of users, but also to a respectful and conscious approach to the planetary environment. For example, word certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) can be used for flooring, walls, and furniture such as shelving in an HO as a way to achieve a sustainable approach; wood is also less toxic and more environmentally friendly than other materials (Furniture, 2022). This idea is especially important because of the essentialness of solving the problem of global warming in this generation.

CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION

6.1 Conclusion The purpose of this study was to make suggestions for an HO based on biophilic design that corresponds to three different lifestyle orientations, namely emotional (mood) orientation, environmental (nature) orientation, and experiential (functional) orientation. After reviewing the literature on the concept of biophilic design and lifestyle, the current trend in Korean apartments was first investigated. All three orientations are related to the concept of biophilic design because they evoke a sense of connection with nature through visual connection with nature and access to a view. The experiential lifestyle correlates with the function of the HO based on the furniture arrangement, which influences the behavior of workers. After classifying the images into two types in terms of experiential orientation, namely a single office and a bedroom, the images were compared again and the reasons for the preferences were analyzed on the basis of the emotional and environmental orientations. As a result of this analysis, the first research question could be answered. In relation to the emotion-oriented lifestyle, it was found that workers perceived a wooden shelf as warmer and brighter than a painted shelf with plants. In relation to the environment-oriented lifestyle, the presence

of plants was the reason why some individuals preferred the HO with plants to the HO with wooden materials. In relation to the experience-oriented lifestyle, the arrangement of furniture such that residents could not get visual distraction from the bed, with a window to the side of the desk rather than in front, was preferable from the viewpoint of concentration. Next, the general psychological satisfaction with the HO design was investigated in a VR experiment. The results of the experiment confirmed that an HO based on biophilic design was more highly evaluated than one without biophilic design elements. The main objective of the experimental study was to answer the second research question: how can an HO based on biophilic design be proposed to workers in accordance with their lifestyle? Three suggestions could be derived from the results. First, individuals who want to feel relaxed can design an HO with wooden materials to make them feel comfortable, calm, peaceful, and psychologically satisfied while working from home. Second, individuals who want to relax by feeling peaceful should include plants in their HO. Third, regarding the experience-oriented (functional) lifestyle, it is important to consider that the location of the workplace can affect the satisfaction of the individual. Most importantly, the bed should be kept out of sight while people work so that they can clearly separate periods of work and rest. In the case study, most WFH rooms had a desk with a view out of the windows in the bedroom. However, according to the results of this study, a workstation facing the wall is more suitable than a workstation facing the window, so this is recommended when designing WFH rooms. Although a view is one of the ways to connect with the outside

world, the arrangement of the workstation should be considered so as not to disrupt concentration.

6.2 Suggestions and Limitation In this study, I have suggested ways to design an HO based on biophilic design with lifestyle in mind, and the results of the VR experiment support the biophilia hypothesis. This study contributes to the literature on the relaxing effects of interiors with biophilic design because the effects of simulated HOs in VEs on psychological comfort, calmness, and peacefulness were examined experimentally. The results will enable architects, designers, and even managers of buildings to understand how biophilic-design-based HOs are psychologically beneficial. In addition, model homes currently in the process of construction were presented to participants to find their preferences. Thus, the results of this study will help stakeholders in model homes, such as builders, property managers, and designers, understand users’ preferred design styles based on their lifestyles. However, this thesis study includes some limitations. First, the preference survey revealed few differences in the participants’ preference between grey and green tones; both colors were preferred because they rise calmness during work. Thus, future work should also consider users’ perceptions of colors, specifically hues. Second, this thesis study made some suggestions based on three lifestyle orientations. Therefore, future studies should consider a more holistic approach to investigate how to design a HO that reflects an individual’s lifestyle.

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APPENDIX Appendix 1 Online Survey Questionnaire………………………………………………106 Appendix 2 VR Experiment Survey Questionnaire……………………….….…………119

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Appendix 1 is the survey questionnaires of the online survey conducted in the first phase of the study.

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Appendix 2 is the survey questionnaires of the VR experiment conducted in the second phase of the study.

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ABSTRACT IN KOREAN

본 연구는 바이오필릭 디자인에 기반한 홈 오피스 디자인 방안을 감성 (무드) 지향성, 환경 (자연) 지향성, 경험 (기능) 지향성 라이프스타일 관점에 따라 제안한다. 사용자 입장에서 바이오필릭 디자인이 적용된 홈 오피스에 대한 연구가 미흡하기 때문에 이를 알아보기 위해 다음과 같은 연구 방법을 이용해 연구를 진행하였다. 구체적으로, 견본주택을 조사 대상지로 선정하여 사례조사를 진행한 후, 그 분석 결과를 바탕으로 사용자 선호도를 평가한 다음, 세 가지 라이프스타일 유형별로 나누어 제안한 홈 오피스 디자인에 대한 사용자 심리적 만족도를 조사 및 분석하기 위해 가상현실 VR 실험을 진행하였다.

선호도 조사 분석 결과, 우드로 된 가구가 있는 홈 오피스를 가장 선호했으며, 유채색과 무채색 중 유채색을 더 선호하였고, 선반의 경우, 안정성과 위치의 이유로 프레임 없는 선반을 더 선호했다. 이 결과를 바탕으로 세 라이프 스타일에 따라 홈 오피스의 디자인 제안이 가능하다. 첫째, 감성 지향적인 사람에게는 홈 오피스가 아늑하고 따뜻한 느낌을 주게 하므로 오목과 같은 재료를 사용하여 디자인하는 것을 제안한다. 둘째, 환경 지향성 관점에서는, 스트레스를 받기 쉬운 홈 오피스에서 사용자들이 기분전환을 할 수 있도록 녹색과 같은 자연스러운 색상과 식물의 이용을 제시할 수 있다. 셋째, 기능적인 면에서는 집중력을 높이는 공간적 계획이 중요하기 때문에 근로자들이 자기 일에 집중할 수 있도록 책상이 벽을 향하게 하여 시각적 방해 요인을 제거하는 것을 제안한다.

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더 나아가, 제안한 세 라이프스타일에 따른 바이오필릭 기반 홈 오피스에 대한 만족도 조사를 위해 두 번째 연구 방법인 가상현실 실험을 진행하였다. VR 실험 결과, 콘크리트가 적용된 홈 오피스보다 우드가 적용된 홈 오피스, 식물이 없는 홈 오피스보다 식물이 있는 홈 오피스에서 더 높은 심리적 안정감, 평온한 느낌, 차분한 느낌이 들었다는 결과가 도출되었다. 그리고, 책상이 창을 바라보는 것보다 벽을 바라보는 홈 오피스에서 더 심리적인 만족도뿐만 아니라 집중력이 더 향상될 것 같다는 결과가 도출되었다. 따라서, 이는 바이오필릭 디자인 홈 오피스를 통한 홈 오피스에 대한 심리적 만족도 향상은 근로자들을 더 행복하게 만들고 궁극적으로 스트레스를 주일 수 있다는 것을 보여준다.

본 연구의 의의는 라이프스타일을 고려하여 바이오필릭 홈 오피스를 디자인하는 방법을 제안한 것이다. 또한, VR 실험 결과는 바이오필리아 가설을 뒷받침하고 심리적 만족도에 미치는 영향을 조사하였기 때문에 바이오필릭 디자인이 적용된 실내 환경의 릴랙스 효과에 대한 문헌에 기여한다. 더 나아가, 본 연구는 모델하우스의 사례를 활용하여 사용자들이 어떤 이유로 만족하고 선호하는지 확인하였다. 최종적으로, 바이오필릭 디자인 기반 홈 오피스의 장점은 이용자들의 심리적 웰빙뿐만 아니라 우리 환경에 대한 존중에도 기여하게 한다는 점이다.

________________________________________________________________________ 핵심 되는 말: 재택근무, 홈 오피스, 바이오필릭 디자인, 라이프스타일.

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