| When one thinks of all the aspects of designing or | | | | wall of the room. First, draw the floor plan of your |
| remodeling an office, usually the "health" of the space | | | | room or "bird's eye view," including the doorway and |
| isn't on the top 10 list of things to be concerned with. | | | | windows, and then plot/draw the corresponding life |
| But, did you know that there is actually a science | | | | areas around the perimeter. Still a little confused? |
| devoted to the health of buildings? The study of | | | | Stand in the entryway of your room and look INTO |
| Bau-Biology (the study of the life of a building) dates | | | | the space. If the door/entry is in the LEFT corner |
| back to the 1950s after WWII-when fast, inexpensive | | | | looking in, you enter the room from the Knowledge |
| construction was the norm. Occupants of tract housing | | | | Spirituality area. If you enter the room from the |
| and office buildings started becoming ill with no | | | | CENTER of the entryway wall, you enter the room |
| apparent cause. However, the cause was found to be | | | | from the Career/Life Path area. Lastly, if you enter the |
| off-gassing from toxins and chemicals used in the new | | | | room from the RIGHT corner, you enter the room |
| building materials (plastics, MDF, veneers, nylons, | | | | from the Helpful People/Travel area. Then you can |
| polyesters), textiles and air-tight construction that | | | | plot out the rest of the room with the Bagua. See |
| allowed no ventilation. So, how does Bau-Biology play | | | | what "areas" need to be worked on, or what areas |
| into 2009 office design? Well, eco-friendly and | | | | you'd like to work on. You will analyze furniture |
| sustainability not-withstanding, designing a space that | | | | placement, accessories and/or piles of clutter. Once |
| takes into the account the health of the occupants not | | | | you get the concept of the Bagua and how to |
| only decreases sick days, but helps increase | | | | properly line up the grid, you will be able to work on |
| productivity, efficiency AND help saves energy costs! | | | | any space and be able to identify the corresponding |
| I use what I call Integrative Lifestyle Design (ILD) when | | | | life area. |
| designing spaces. ILD takes into account how the | | | | Now that you have the Bagua board plotted out on |
| space will be used, who will be using the space and | | | | your floor plan, you can then "activate" these areas by |
| how to maximize efficiency of both. When | | | | using the element, color, shape, item or direction that is |
| (re)designing an office (or cubicle) one must first | | | | associated with that particular life area (i.e. pink hearts |
| determine what is staying (this includes all old papers!), | | | | can be used in the Relationship area or a coin dish can |
| color scheme, space-planning and accessory | | | | be placed in Wealth/Abundance). See below: |
| placement. | | | | Wealth/Abundance |
| ***ILD is the fusion of Eastern (Feng Shui) and | | | | Purple/Metallic |
| Western (eco-friendly/healthy) design principles to | | | | Water Element |
| create a unique, supportive and healthy space for all | | | | Wavy lines |
| occupants. *** | | | | SE |
| No matter what the project is, a thorough purge must | | | | Success/Fame |
| take place. For the office this means going through | | | | Red |
| files, office supplies, drawers, furniture and your email. | | | | Fire Element |
| The Japanese have even made this "purging" into a | | | | Triangle |
| holiday (oosooji) that takes place at the end of every | | | | S |
| year so as not to bring "dirt from the old year into the | | | | Relationships |
| new-even school children take part with a thorough | | | | Red/Pink/Peach |
| purging of old papers and a cleaning of their desks. For | | | | Earth Element |
| furniture, accessories, pictures and/or un-needed office | | | | SW |
| supplies, see if you can donate them to a school, | | | | Squares |
| non-profit or even a company rummage sale. Once | | | | Family |
| you've done a purge, do a thorough cleaning-natural, | | | | Green |
| eco-friendly cleaners please. You don't want to do all | | | | Wood Element |
| this great cleansing and then load up the space with | | | | Rectangle |
| chemicals. | | | | E |
| ***Carpeting is the #1 indoor air pollutant, followed by | | | | Health/Well-Being |
| paint. Carpeting made from fibers derived from | | | | Yellow/Earth-tones |
| petrochemicals can off-gas up to 5 years. Paint can | | | | Earth Element |
| off-gas up to 18 months. *** | | | | Squares |
| Next up is floor and wall-coverings. The key here is to | | | | Center |
| choose items that are NO or LOW VOC (volatile | | | | Creativity/Kids |
| organic compound) which is the chemicals and toxins | | | | White/Metallic |
| that off-gas. For flooring options, hard surfaces are | | | | Metal Element |
| better as they are easier to maintain and a healthier | | | | Circles |
| choice for your space. Think tile, hardwood (or | | | | W |
| engineered wood), linoleum, rubber (also a GREAT | | | | Knowledge/Spirituality |
| sound deadener and less stress when standing) or | | | | Blue |
| marble. An accent/area rug can be used for color, | | | | Earth Element |
| warmth and to create a "soft" surface to trap sound | | | | Squares |
| so it doesn't "echo" in the space. If you must have | | | | NE |
| wall-to-wall carpet, look for wool (which also | | | | Career/Life Path |
| self-extinguishes if a fire breaks out!) or other natural | | | | Black |
| fiber. Make sure to get RUBBER padding as this will | | | | Water Element |
| help extend the life of the carpet, ease stress when | | | | Wavy Lines |
| standing and if carpet gets damaged, you only have to | | | | N |
| replace the portion of the padding that was damaged. | | | | Helpful People/Travel |
| ***There are great strides being made in the | | | | Gray |
| manufacturing of carpet (it's also a large contributor to | | | | Metal Element |
| landfills). Carpeting made from recycled plastic bottles | | | | Circles |
| to paper, recycling old carpeting & padding into | | | | NW |
| new padding, strides are being made to "green" this | | | | Here's an example: One of my client's is a busy doctor |
| industry.*** | | | | and his office reflects that...can you say piles of |
| For wall-covering options, paint is the easiest, quickest | | | | paperwork and medical books EVERYWHERE? |
| and most cost efficient choice. All paint manufacturers | | | | Although walking into the room causes me to |
| have a low or no VOC option-all you have to do is | | | | hyperventilate, he states that he "know where |
| ask for it. VOCs in paint include anti-microbial, quick | | | | everything is." It should be noted that the office is in |
| drying agents that give the room that "new paint" smell. | | | | RELATIONSHIP area of the home's floor plan, |
| If using wallpaper, try to find some that is made from a | | | | therefore clutter and chaos in this area can have an |
| natural fiber or is recycled. You also need to use a | | | | impact on all legal relationships (romantic and business). |
| non-toxic adhesive to stop off-gassing. If in doubt, ask. | | | | Now, I didn't want to make his office a shrine to his |
| I use Feng Shui principles when laying out any | | | | ROMANTIC relationship, but adding some pictures of |
| space-plan, but the main tip is to plan the room around | | | | he and his wife is appropriate. The office will be |
| the most important item of furniture. In this case, it's the | | | | painted a red-orange color to accent the EARTH |
| desk. The desk should be placed in the Power Point | | | | element of the RELATIOSHIP area. The current |
| position. This is the DIAGONAL CORNER from the | | | | accessories that decorate the office (college diplomas, |
| entryway into the space. This is the most | | | | family pictures and other souvenirs from travels) are |
| psychologically secure position of the room. The desk | | | | staying, although being moved to their appropriate |
| should face INTO the space-not looking out a window | | | | areas according to the Bagua. We are moving the |
| or at a wall. The WORST location for the desk is | | | | pictures of him and his wife to the RELATIONSHIP |
| directly in line with the door/entryway. In Feng Shui | | | | area, moving the photos of his children to the |
| terms this is called the "death position" and you don't | | | | CREATIVITY/KIDS area, and his Mom to the FAMILY |
| want that! This is due to the person sitting at the desk | | | | area. |
| being vulnerable with each person passing the door; | | | | You can also use the Bagua to help pick out your |
| there is no security in this location. | | | | office color scheme. Do you want a better relationship |
| ***You want to have the desk facing IN the room so | | | | with clients, co-workers and vendors? Pick from the |
| the person sitting at the desk can see anyone entering | | | | RELATIONSHIP (red/earth-tones) and HELPFUL |
| (again security). You also want a solid wall behind the | | | | PEOPLE areas (grays/whites/metallics). Work in a |
| chair for support and security-no window-so you don't | | | | bank or other financial institution? Look to the |
| have to worry about people passing behind you. *** | | | | WEALTH area (purples/greens/black/metallics). Work |
| Next, make sure the office has an efficient lay-out. Is | | | | for a non-profit? I'd choose from the SUCCESS (red), |
| everything you need easily accessible? Can you open | | | | CREATIVITY (white/metallic) and HELPFUL PEOPLE |
| drawers and file cabinets easily? Can you walk | | | | (grays/white) areas. This can also be used in helping to |
| through the office with out tripping over, stepping over | | | | pick out a color scheme for branding and logo design. |
| or bumping into anything? If not, change it. Bruises, cuts | | | | Remember that there are shade, tints and tones of |
| and irritation at moving an item to reach another item | | | | ALL colors and that red, doesn't necessarily mean |
| causes stress which isn't good on any level. For | | | | Candy Apple Red. Also remember that color can be |
| placement of accessories and furniture, see the | | | | brought in through accessories (metal frames) and |
| paragraphs on Feng Shui. | | | | furniture (wood desk, metal file cabinet) and not just |
| A quick Feng Shui history-(from my book, "Designing | | | | paint. |
| the Life of Your Dreams from the Outside In"): Feng | | | | Other tips to help make your office more "healthy" are |
| shui is the 5000 yr old Chinese science that focuses | | | | to: |
| on living in harmony with your environment or how you | | | | - Make use of any natural light that enters the space. |
| interact with your surroundings through your furniture | | | | This is good for morale and helps in the production of |
| arrangement, color scheme and accessories and | | | | melatonin in our bodies (lack of this is cause of the |
| collections choices. These choices can either block or | | | | SADD disorder). Strategically placed mirrors will help |
| improve your energy (chi). When energy flows freely, | | | | bring this light throughout the space. |
| life is fabulous, things get finished on time, and you feel | | | | - Hang/place plants by computers, copiers and printers. |
| happy and eager to learn new things. When energy is | | | | All emit EMF (electromagnetic fields) and the copier |
| blocked, you feel overwhelmed, unhappy and drained. | | | | and printer toner also off-gasses which we breathe in. |
| I use the Western school (Black Hat Sect) of Feng | | | | Plants such as spider plants help detoxify the air. You |
| Shui, which uses a tool called a Bagua Board to help | | | | should ideally have 1 plant for every 100 sq feet of |
| with the layout of a space. Bagua is a Chinese word | | | | space to help clean the air! |
| that translated means an "8-sided figure" or octagon | | | | - Only have accessories/pictures that are positive and |
| shaped. This figure is then divided into segments, like a | | | | supportive of your company mission statement. |
| pie, with a center piece-giving you nine areas. Think of | | | | Anything else can be confusing, and just add to mental |
| a tic-tac-toe board. These nine areas are then | | | | clutter. |
| assigned names, colors, shapes and an element that | | | | - Make sure everyone has an ergonomically sound |
| corresponds to an assigned life area. The nine life | | | | chair for them to sit on to encourage proper posture. |
| areas are: Career/Life Path, Knowledge/Spirituality, | | | | - Use eco-friendly, natural cleaners. |
| Family, Wealth/Abundance, Success/Fame/Luck, | | | | - Make sure every space has task lighting to cut down |
| Relationships, Creativity/Kids, Helpful People/Travel, and | | | | on eyestrain, and that computer monitors have a |
| Health/Well-Being. The Bagua board can be used to | | | | screen to cut down on glare. |
| space plan, accessorize and plan your color scheme. | | | | With all of these "quick" tips, you and your office |
| In using and applying the Bagua board to your space, | | | | mates will not only have a beautiful, productive space |
| line up the bottom row (Knowledge/Spirituality, Career | | | | in which to work, but one that benefits the health of all |
| Life Path and Helpful People/Travel) with the entryway | | | | who enter! |