The headquarters of Edileco Progettazione srl in Milan - Italy

Design Process

The Forest project was born from Edileco's desire to create a unique environment in the historic center of Milan, an office in which the energy redevelopment of the building, located between Via San Sisto and Via Medici, is the starting point for the creation of a Regenerative Environment in which people can enjoy maximum wellbeing at work.
The idea of ​​creating an office with the Biophilic Design approach was born from the desire to improve the quality of the internal air and to create a pleasant working environment for employees, bringing Nature inside the building and paying attention to the elimination of all the environmental stressors that usually characterize buildings in which adequate attention has not been paid to the well-being of the occupants. In fact, scientific research has widely demonstrated that the fastest and most effective way to recover from psychophysiological stress is exposure to Nature (Berto, 2014).

To give a scientific basis to its project idea, Edileco, which oversaw both the design and implementation of the Office, stipulated an agreement with the University of Valle d'Aosta, collaborating with the GREEN - LEAF research group directed by prof. Giuseppe Barbiero, leading expert on Biophilia in Italy and internationally recognized for his research on man's relationship with Nature. Furthermore, Edileco obtained an assessment of the potential for improving the quality of Biophilic Design of the "The forest" project and the degree of regeneration that these environments will offer to stakeholders by Dr. Rita Berto through the use of the Biophilic Quality Index (BQI). Finally, Edileco availed itself of the consultancy of Dr. Alice Venturella, already creator of the first biophilic school in Italy.

In compliance with the 15 Terrapin Bright Green patterns, Edileco has combined its twenty-year experience in the design and construction of eco-sustainable buildings to create something unique. The result, in fact, is an environment in which greenery is not just a parameter to be respected: it is the result of Edileco's philosophy. Nature blends with artistic design. The attention to the quality of air and lighting and the reduction of environmental stressors are aspects that can be perceived in the use of natural materials, in the creation of paths and perspectives, in the organic shapes and colors as well as in the presence of water and plants, arranged in a never banal way and always aimed at obtaining continuity between the interior and exterior of the building.

Biophilic Design

The term biophilia refers to the innate connection that humans have with Nature and life forms. The biophilia hypothesis is connected to two other complementary theories: ART and SRT. While the first focuses on the regeneration of attention skills, the second focuses on the relaxing and therapeutic effects of natural environments.

Biophilic Quality Index (BQI)

The Biophilic Quality Index (BQI) is an evaluation tool used to measure and quantify the level of Biophilic Design and regeneration of a given environment. The result of the BQI analysis is a score useful for understanding not only the value of the project, but also the margin for improvement of the same. It is a useful tool for obtaining an objective and standardized evaluation of Biophilic Design in order to stimulate the creation of environments characterized by high psychological and physical well-being of the occupants.

The Forest obtained a very high score, an expression of Edileco's ability to create quality environments for both visitors and its employees. The small margin for improvement certifies the degree of design maturity reached by the Cooperative, a sign that the road to obtaining maximum regeneration (that present only in Nature) is short.

Attention to the well-being of workers

The Forest project develops some fundamental concepts for the quality of life within work environments. The presence of natural elements, the use of sunlight, the elimination of distractions, the coherence and complexity of the rooms, the visual connection with Nature, the creation of perspectives, shelters, well-defined paths and the use of natural materials as well as the creation of organic shapes and patterns are some of the aspects that characterize an innovative way of designing spaces dedicated to work and exhibition.

THE PROJECT

From the outside of the building in which The Forest is located, one can sense the complex relationship between the built environment and Nature. The spaces available for advertising signs have been replaced with green walls characterized by essences that vary following the cycle of the seasons.
As soon as you enter the showroom you find yourself immersed in an environment where inside and outside merge, leaving room for large areas of greenery, natural materials, integrated furnishings with sinuous shapes, waterfalls and spaces/refuge for staff and visitors. Edileco's philosophy requires creating living spaces designed around people and their needs, eliminating environmental stressors as much as possible and putting stakeholders in a situation of comfort and safety. A work environment where task stress is reduced and employees find it enjoyable to spend time.

The Biophilic Design of the rooms that make up the Milan Building Office starts from the wonder effect found on the ground floor and continues on the mezzanine floor, where the workstations are located. There is a full-height central room, with a green artistic installation with the function of replacing and filtering the air. On the upper floor, where a maximum of 20 workers are expected to be employed, there is particular attention to attentive microregeneration; in fact, the vision of Nature, present in the essences, shapes and materials, triggers a soft fascination and offers an immediate response of relaxation. Complex and fascinating environments, in fact, stimulate a positive response without requiring intense cognitive efforts. The attention to the use of sunlight, the creation of organic shapes and the use of natural materials combines with attention to energy and acoustic insulation.
Finally, in the basement there are the most flexible and functional environments such as meeting rooms, material library and press room and those available to employees such as break areas, kitchens and leisure and relaxation areas.