From indoor greening to vertical gardens
Want to spend as much time outside as you can, even at work? Years ago, this wasn’t a priority but nowadays, more and more companies are looking at ways of offering their employees a great outdoor experience in their work environment. Indoor greening, vertical gardens, and green solutions around office spaces. Lunch together at a long outdoor table or meetings in the shade of an office tree. Happy together, that’s our ambition.
Everyone knows that getting some fresh air and spending time outdoors is hugely beneficial, reducing stress, improving our concentration and boosting our mental and physical health. But how aware are we of the impact of outdoor spaces or an outdoor experience at work? The pandemic has forced us all to re-examine our way of working and give up certain routines. Switching to hybrid working has also made employees around the world more aware of benefits of a good workplace environment, with indoor greening and green solutions around office spaces as a nice bonus. “More and more companies are investing in a green building envelope”, says Ties van Lambalgen of Van den Berk Nurseries. “In addition to the impact on our mental well-being, there is also the ecological value pattern, and you can increase productivity within the workplace environment. Having lunch together outside, meeting in green surroundings, these are all things that are becoming increasingly important in the workplace.” This year, in June, people around the world consciously sought out a workplace in nature or urban green spaces as part of the fifth Outdoor Office Day.
Van den Berk Nurseries respond to green trends
“Because of the noticeable lack in green space around office buildings, we are now taking an increasingly technical approach”, Ties adds. “We have observed a rise in vertical greenery both indoors and outdoors, as there is less and less full soil for the roots of trees in cities or around buildings. The demand for green blocks of flats is also on the rise, where we plant trees on balconies and roofs for an instant impression of greenery.” This, of course, is in stark contrast with the slowness of nature. “On average, it takes 16 years to get a tree from the nursery to the customer. This requires us to hazard a guess today about trends in twenty years from now. We have noticed increased demand for multi-stemmed magnolias, birches and fruit trees, both for private homes and in the workplace environment. Because of the visibility, shade and privacy they provide, in addition to the natural experience. Pines are also popular, because of their gnarly structure, which pairs nicely with a more architectural design.”
About NOA:
NOA outdoor living is an experience park for outdoor design in Kruisem. In the theme gardens, you can find inspiration to decorate your garden. These gardens combine architecture, landscape, and interior, and welcome architects, landscape architects, designers, and contractors as well as private prospects. In this inspiration park, you will find luxurious garden furniture and designs by more than 30 high-end partners, who are happy to advise you as you bring your dream garden to life. Moreover, the park is the perfect professional networking location; the conference rooms, covered patio, spacious showroom, and plaza of NOA outdoor living are the ideal setting for your conference, product presentation, or product launch.
