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Ask the Expert: Staying on-trend with office flooring inspired by nature
Now, more than ever, taking a human-centred approach is critical in workspace design. Jason Holmes, Head of Design Textiles at Forbo Flooring Systems explains how to incorporate design inspired by nature.
Feature in partnership with
01/05/2020
3 min read
Tessera Earthscape 3255 Desert
Office design trends are continuing to evolve at an increasing pace but one concept that remains ever-present is the desire to create commercial office environments that promote employee wellbeing. Now, more than ever, taking a human-centred approach is critical in workspace design. In the past, repeated studies have shown that a focus on wellbeing can result in improved productivity, increased morale, reduced absenteeism and better staff retention but now we also need to consider factors such as social distancing, employee protection and hygiene, whilst trying to create a sense of calm through a balanced ambiance.
One way to do this is to incorporate design inspired by nature. With rising rates of urbanisation, it is apparent that we are becoming increasingly disconnected with the outside world. As biologist, Edward O. Wilson, suggested in the 1980s, humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life, consequently by incorporating elements and influences of nature into the places where we live and work, this can help end-users to re-establish their connection to the outdoors, resulting in a positive impact on wellbeing.
Tessera Earthscape 3251 Moraine
Designers can blur the lines between the outside and inside by integrating indirect elements that mimic nature into the office environment. Texture plays a huge role in creating a tactile and visual experience to reflect the great outdoors, which can be emphasised further when used in contrast with more modern, smooth and lustrous surfaces to clearly distinguish between areas, designated spaces or rooms.
This trend also influences colour and can be seen especially in the palettes used in office flooring design. While neutrals remain dominant, warmer tones are being brought to the forefront as we are seeing an increased use of beiges such as honey, bronze and pale rust shades. Hues inspired by nature have extended past just the use of green shades, with colours associated with earth, soil, ore, rocks, leather, fruit, moss, heathers, and lichens for example, all being introduced to help to build on this notion of ‘bringing the outside in’. As a result, patterns have followed suit with organic designs that are softer and more fluid, as shapes are becoming less defined.
Inspired by the patterns, textures and colours found upon the canvas of the earth and reflecting the latest trends in office flooring, Forbo Flooring Systems has launched its new carpet tile collection, Tessera Earthscape. The heavily textured composition, combined with its natural organic design, creates a warm and inviting surface that will complement a range of office interiors; creating inviting, comfortable spaces.
The new Tessera Earthscape collection has been cleverly designed, as the 50 x 50cm tiles can be laid monolithic to create a beautiful seamless finish. The heavy pile weight will not only be comfortable and pleasing on the eye for end users; it also offers 26 dB impact sound reduction for minimal noise transmission – helping you to create better indoor environments.
Tessera Earthscape can also be easily combined with Allura Flex Luxury Vinyl Tiles using the same tackifier, without the need for transition strips, additional profiles or the inconvenient build-up of a subfloor. This makes the collection an ideal solution for office refurbishments and fit-outs where integrated flooring schemes are desired, in order to meet the needs of each area within a working space.
For more information on Forbo’s Tessera Earthscape collection please visit the Forbo website.
TESSERA EARTHSCAPE 3258 TERRAIN
