Perceived Restoration of Hotel Lobbies: An Examination of Biophilic Design Attribute Organized Complexity and Attention Restoration Theory

Abstract

Previous researchers have shown that a sense of connection with nature can improve human health and well-being. Attention Restoration Theory (ART) frequently uses immersion in natural or nature-inspired environments as a means of helping people recover from mental fatigue, stress, and exhaustion. Simultaneously, biophilic design has become increasingly influential in design fields, and has been associated with a wide array of benefits in human performance, health outcomes, and quality of life. Some design principles that are promoted in the biophilic design literature, such as the use of natural light, have been strongly supported by empirical research findings. Other components of biophilic design, however, particularly those related to more abstract elements and indirect invocations of nature, have received less empirical study. The current research focused on the principle of “organized complexity” as it is advocated in the biophilic design literature. An interior design based around the principle of organized complexity was created for a hotel lobby, a vital service-industry context that has not received much attention in biophilic design research compared to other settings such as healthcare and retail. Three different designs were created for the hotel lobby, each of which was very similar except for the level of organized complexity. For example, identical carpet patterns were used in each design, but the intricacy and size of the pattern was adjusted for low-, medium-, and high-complexity conditions. A randomized between-subject study was carried out by immersing participants in virtual-reality models of these designs, and obtaining and triangulating their fatigue-related and environmental preference responses on three survey instruments. Potential moderator variables were also considered, including gender, prior experience with virtual-reality, and prior experience working or studying in design professions. The results of the study did not show a statistically significant relationship between the objective organized complexity levels and attention restoration. However, the findings did indicate a positive relationship between perceived environmental complexity and attention restoration, as well as a correlation between self-reported environmental preferences and attention restoration. These findings appear to indicate that individual baselines and preferences are a crucial factor in the benefits associated with organized complexity in biophilic design. Further research will need to be carried out to confirm this result and to determine if any demographic patterns can be identified in these environmental preferences and benefits.