Use biophilic design to improve customer experience

Show Notes

Olivia, an interiors and graphic designer at Catersales, discusses the importance of incorporating biophilic design principles in coffee shops and other hospitality spaces. She explains that these principles not only contribute to sustainability but also enhance the guest experience, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. 

Olivia emphasises that even businesses without a specific focus on sustainability can benefit from implementing these design principles. She provides practical advice on layout, seating, incorporating plants, choosing warm lighting, maximising natural light, and promoting energy efficiency. Olivia also shares a case study of a coffee shop that successfully implemented biophilic design principles.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
02:00 Qualifying the Problem
04:04 Benefits of Implementing Design Principles
07:36 Design Principles for Coffee Shops
09:40 Designing on a Budget
10:11 Layout and Seating
11:52 Incorporating Plants
13:51 Choosing Warm Lighting
15:37 Maximizing Natural Light
18:00 Energy Efficiency
19:26 Case Studies
20:51 Conclusion

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Awesome and I've got Olivia, thank you so much for being here, lovely to meet you. Lovely to meet you too. So this is going to... I mentioned this before we started, this is going to be an interesting and challenging conversation for me because I know nothing about this. So I'm really, really interested to see what we're going to be we're going to be learning about today. But before we do, before we get into any of it, can you just give us sort of 60 seconds, if you wouldn't mind, on who you are, which business you work in, guess what your role is and why this topic is important to you personally? Yeah, perfect. So, yes, lovely introduction. I'm Olivia. I work at. cater sales and we're kind of a 360 degree design agency.

We do design, manufacture and build and I'm an interiors and graphic designer here. I studied interior design in Cape Town in South Africa and a big part of my studies and kind of where this topic really took off for me on a personal level was during my studies. We learnt a lot about sustainable building methods and just like my university's kind of ethos was they wanted to send designers into the world who have a really good understanding on environmental practices and practices that benefit everyone's mental health as well as you know sustainability and everything. And very interesting, it's often kind of implemented in all sectors of design.

That's something for me that I've been able to go into the team, has been into hospitality, which, yeah, I think this is obviously why I'm here. But yeah, just different ways people can implement this practically. Yeah, superb, brilliant. So let's start by, I guess, like qualifying the problem a little bit. So if, let's say for argument's sake, I was opening a coffee shop or, you know, small restaurants or something, and I'm at the design stage right now. or probably like every person who's listening to this podcast, you know, they've got some concept in their mind for the future. That tends to be the way people work, isn't it? Even if you're not, you know, already have a business open. What what are the what would be the problem if I didn't think about putting these practices in? Why should I? There's another way of putting it. Right. So, well, it's almost one of those topics where you don't know what you're missing out on until you do it. So I think a lot of the benefits, there's a whole sustainability aspect, which is obviously really important in kind of the beginning stages of the business and just going forward a really important practice.

But a lot of the benefits kind of come with customers and staff and general satisfaction.

And often people kind of only find that out when... have not gone ahead and implemented these design principles and once they do then it's quite a big difference. So there's all sorts of enhanced guest experience, stress reduction, health and wellbeing and obviously within the context of the hospitality industry.

It's really beneficial to your business and it can implement impact profits indirectly and directly. So it's really, of course it's not. the biggest thing to consider in starting a business, but it's definitely a great add-on and something to be thinking about when you're at that stage of conceptually developing or after when you've opened something, you can also implement strategies. It's not just kind of reserved for before you've planned or opened anything. Yeah, because one of the things which struck me when you first mentioned this to me is that there will be some concepts out there where... these design principles of bringing, let's say for want of a better way, bringing nature inside is like inherent to the brand, you know, like if I'm sort of an ethical model business that saves maybe, you know, vegan food or whatever it is, it seems really obvious that my customers would want me to have these type of principles in. So I think that's kind of a bit of a given, isn't it really? But I'm kind of interested in why. Other businesses who don't necessarily have those values instilled in their brand. Why, why should they, have you got any like tangible, tangible sort of ideas about way, why they should continue listening to this? Yes, definitely. Um, so like you said, great for the brands that do value sustainability and kind of vegan veganism and everything.

Um, but obviously it's not realistic to all types of businesses. Um, so. definitely practical ways is you can implement these design principles.

It's called directly or indirectly. So directly are creating physical touch points with nature.

That's plants, water features, kind of natural light. And indirectly, if you don't have those types of resources, can be through wallpapers or things that emulate the natural environment.

which doesn't necessarily have to be instilled in your brand like you kind of said. So ways you can do it like I said directly, indirectly.

You can incorporate plants, super easy one, great in design aspect too. Like I said water features, natural light where you can and also this kind of trickles into the third place concept. which is the idea popularized by Ray Oldenburg and his book that went crazy. So there's the first place which is your home and your second place which is your work and the hospitality industry and coffee shops find themselves in the third place which is kind of an amalgamation of both. And it's a place where people can gather, interact and build community. So creating spaces that are more comfortable and kind of uplifting are kind of really essential to the third place concept. So that can be seating arrangements.

That's something definitely to consider, which different types of seating cause for different types of, depends why you're going to a coffee shop or third place. inviting layouts, that's obviously something to consider in the design phase, you know, making the most of natural light, natural resources in the area, and also community tables. We're seeing a lot of community engagement come to the forefront of these third type of places, so definitely incorporating like community spaces and tables and everything like that. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Convert into the preacher. So I love working in a coffee shop. It's like one of my favourite things to do. Yeah. So to visit a coffee shop, sort of, you know, probably five or six times a week.

And I love to get my laptop out or make a call or whatever it is in a coffee shop. Yeah. And it's definitely, so I like coffee, but I'm not sort of a coffee nut. So I don't. I'm not obsessive, I'm not a coffee nerd. Some of the people who have had this podcast are absolutely amazing coffee nerds, I love it. But I'm not really like that. For me, it's actually about the space more than anything. So I choose a coffee, I like a really cozy coffee shop. So I like the lights gotta be nice and the seating's gotta be nice and all that type of stuff. So I think from a business point of view, there's definitely, you know, even, I can... I can say anecdotally, you know, you're going to get my business if you're, if you're designing in this way, I can't be the only person, surely.

Yeah, exactly. And like you said, it's not about essentially the product. You're going there for an experience and kind of implementing these also positive guest reviews and reputations.

Like you said, if you know it's a cosy space, it's comfortable, you know, that's got to do with the seating they offer too. You're going to have repeat customers and repeat business obviously huge contributor to profitability but there's also a competitive advantage I think maybe like I definitely analyze shops and stuff a lot more than the normal person because it's my job but I think just to the naked eye you would much prefer going to a space that feels comfortable the lighting's comfortable as opposed to somewhere with like dining style tables and chairs and rows with white lighting and it feels very sterile. So there is that competitive advantage which is something to take note of. Okay, so let's go back to the example. Let's assume that I'm opening this coffee shop and I'm sold, I want to start incorporating some of these design principles.

But I want to budget to engage somebody and I want to start doing a lot of this myself.

What advice would you give me to start thinking about the layout and maybe we have to purchase some of these things? What advice have you got for that? So I would say when it comes to the layout, think different types of seating.

So practically just bar stalls, bar tables.

different amenities, obviously Wi-Fi, charges, etc. Then get your comfortable seating in there, as well as, like I said, big community tables.

So variation of seating is definitely key. So you know, people feel like there's a space for them, whether they come in a group of five, or whether they come by themselves to work.

So definitely take that into consideration.

Then I would say...

at incorporating plants where you can. That can be your local kind of place where you get plants. It doesn't have to be anything specific.

If you really want to go into it, you can look on Google about specific plants which help with air purity in really busy places like, for example, peace lilies. But just practically lay out different types of seating and get your plants in there if you can. and take advantage of natural light and look into warm lighting.

It makes the world of difference. You could have, you know, even if you've ignored the seating, the lighting is the biggest contributor to the overall ambience. So just opt for a warm light, comfortable seating, a warm colour scheme, plants and you should be, should be good for go. I want to go through them a little bit if possible because I know there will be people who are listening to this and maybe they're not, they just don't know where to start really.

So how many plants are too many? Oh wow, asking the wrong person, I would have them everywhere.

But obviously look for places where there's not going to be a tripping hazard or anything.

But I would look, honestly, the more plants the better. They're the biggest kind of contributor to the space in terms of they fill empty, awkward areas up and make them look purposeful. Obviously I wouldn't suggest having them hanging. on the counters and food and stuff but where you can I would pop a plant it makes honestly everyone feel a lot more comfortable and at ease and yeah I would just go a bit crazy with the plants.

And is there anything to avoid? Are there any types of plants or anything like that to avoid when you're thinking about indoors? I would say low maintenance plants like people at the garden centre will be the best. person to tell you but definitely not kind of like cactuses or anything like that which are a bit of a health and safety hazard but in terms of go to your local garden center and just ask for low maintenance indoor plants you've got your fig leafs you've got different types of palms and it's all kind of dependent on the space and how much natural sunlight and daylight you get in but the garden center are the best people to kind of ask and I would also avoid putting them near touch points like near food and coffee stations and stuff. Yeah so I guess you kind of want them in and around the seating space really where people are going to be relaxing.

Yes. Is that right? Exactly, exactly. Okay.

The other thing you mentioned was light so what is warm light? Okay so yes I often forget like... This is my daily job so I need to, I kind of need to explain a bit more but your white lights, I'm sure in your house if you, like this happens to me, if you buy the wrong bulb and it's kind of a fluorescent, very white undertone, that's what you call a white light and warm lighting has got the yellow undertone and you can still get those energy colour of the light is to be more yellow and that actually is more complementary to food products and just the general ambience and it tends to make you feel a lot more relaxed. So in office spaces we use white lights because it keeps you alert and awake and in a coffee shop you want to relax a bit more so definitely the warmer yellowy undertone lights would be great. That's interesting.

what would that be looking for, if I went into a B&Q or something along those lines, what would that be looking for there? Well it would depend, you know, if you've chosen light fixtures, that you know, the fixtures totally up to you, but the light bulb itself, you're looking for a warm light, warm white light, not the, I think, it'll definitely specify, but it's the warmer kind of colour just from your local, it doesn't matter what kind of brand it is or anything.

Yeah, yeah, okay. So what about daylight? Is that is that classed as a white light? Um, no daylight is not classed. It's kind of it's definitely more on the like warmer tone. Because the white lights are like I said using offices, hospitals, they have a lot more of a harsh kind of undertone. And so yeah, daylight's more yellowy. and so it's kind of in between the two so what tips have you got for people to make the most of whatever light they may be getting on the side of the building or whatever so definitely don't block off your windows you know like if you have to put a bit of frosting i wouldn't suggest putting it all the way people have tend to have like high seating near the windows that's fine if you choose to do that but i'd say only frost as to the minimum, try to get as much sunlight as you can in as possible.

Obviously in the summer make use of the pavements and the outdoor areas. If you can incorporate an awning, people will often choose to sit outside if it's a nice day. So just maximising the little space you have outside is great.

When people are exposed to daylight there's so many... you know, different positive benefits.

So definitely make the most of it. Don't shut yourself off and kind of frost it all and put, you know, chunky dark furniture near it. Yeah.

And I guess, again, I totally it's kind of like making the most of the areas which capture the natural light because I want to see some coffee shops and, you know, they'll sort of mid afternoon or whatever. And they'll have a lovely empty space in front of the window with. Yeah. Natural light. Yeah. You should have it. You should have a. bar still or something there I'd love to sit there. Yeah yeah exactly yeah because you definitely are probably more drawn to that than the dark dingy corner and what depends if you're feeling happy that day or not but I would say for the most part definitely kind of optimizing those spaces. True yeah super so okay so we've done light, we've done seating, we've done plants Is there anything else in this principle that people need to consider and maybe should, you know, think about using?

Well, I would say that a lot of it could come before the design space, but I'm definitely aware in this setting that kind of it's mainly tenants, like you don't really have a say in how your building is built or anything, but along with the kind of sustainability aspect of everything. You can include some technology and equipment that's kind of environmentally friendly, whether that's dimmable light bulbs or cleaning equipment frequently, is actually a huge contributor for energy efficiency. I actually listened to a great talk on the coffee symposium, and he's all about environmental sustainability. And he said like cleaning behind your fridges and everything every two weeks has a huge effect on energy efficiency. So just kind of keeping on top of things that you can.

And this is not necessarily part of biophilic design, but it complements it kind of in like a seamless way. So just looking at what you can do energy efficiently, I would say. Brilliant.

OK. Are there any case studies, anybody who you've seen this, who you've seen do this particularly well, that maybe people can have a look on Instagram or something like that for some inspiration?

Yes, so there's quite a few. One most notably was actually the Gales, near where I live.

For about two years, it was just white and seating, and obviously Gales is amazing and it's gonna be busy. But after about a year and a half, two years I saw someone came along and just put a bunch of plants and natural textures and elements and I'm quite a fan I go like nearly every day and the amount of people in the first few weeks like it caused such a buzz wow I don't know you know can't quite put my hand on it looks amazing it's a lot brighter etc um so yeah it's just Like I said, you don't really know what you're missing out on till it's done, until everyone notices and think, oh, that's, you know, that's great. Um, so yeah, definitely, definitely a positive kind of outcome. Perfect. Superb. Listen, thank you so much for that. I think that will definitely give people, um, I guess something different to think about because it's, you know, so many different things when you open in a business, you know, you've got a massive to do list, haven't you? And I guess sometimes things can just kind of be forgotten or pushed down a to do list when you're opening or whatever. So brilliant.

Thank you so much. So what we're going to do is we're going to put your details into the show notes. So, listener, if you want to connect with Olivia and ask any more questions, please do so. And for me, thank you so much. That was really interesting. Thank you, yes hopefully it was and yeah my messages always open, everyone can kind of shoot me any questions they have, I'm always kind of happy to help. Perfect, thanks Olivia. Cool, thank you.