Type of Document	Thesis
Author	Gullikson, Christina L.
URN	etd-07212010-170305
Title	Human Connection to Nature Within the Built Environment: An Exploration of Office Employee Perception of Nature Connectedness
Degree	Master of Fine Arts
Department	Interior Design, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Jill Pable Committee Chair Lisa Waxman Committee Member Peter Munton Committee Member
Keywords	Office Users LEED Biophilic Design Theory of Biophilia Human Connection to Nature
Date of Defense	2010-06-11
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract Since research has shown a connection to nature is beneficial to human well-being, it is problematic that human connections to nature are under-represented within built environments in the United States. The objective of this qualitative study was to define what constitutes a human connection to nature within the built environment using Stephen R. Kellert’s framework of biophilic design. This study took place at Interface’s Showroom and Offices in Atlanta, Georgia, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Commercial Interior (CI) platinum-certified office environment. Emergent themes resulting from the data indicated the following: (a)participants felt connected to nature and felt the connection positively affected their health, attitude, job performance and job satisfaction; (b)outside views and natural daylight facilitated a number of nature-connections; (c)more subtle nature-connections were valued by participants, but not overtly recognized as connections to nature; (d)the surrounding community development created positive experiences for participants within the interior environment; and (e)vernacular connections (relating to Interface’s mission as a company) were also found to be a valued part of the interior environment. Additionally, author review of the LEED-CI Version 2.0 Rating System (which guided Interface’s Showroom renovation) indicated the system is not yet fully addressing the issue of a human connection to nature. Hopefully this research will serve to inform others on varied ways to create human connections to nature within the built environment using a framework of biophilic design. It is also hoped these research findings could inform empirical research on the human-centered and financial benefits of creating human connections to nature within the built environment.
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