Aspecta and the Biophilic Design Trend
A Q&A with Robert Langstaff, Director of Design, Aspecta
What exactly is “biophilic design”?
Robert Langstaff: Biophilic design is a conscious effort to integrate nature into the built environment in meaningful ways. It’s not just about making something beautiful; it’s about providing something that will connect the interior with the people who will use it. Research proves that biophilic designs can produce measurable improvements in how people experience the built environment. That is why biophilic design now drives the creation of Aspecta products.
How does it apply to restaurants?
RL: There is a quality to biophilic design initially found in the health care industry. People responded positively and recovered faster when they were exposed to biophilic elements and biophilic design, such as windows and sunlight. I think the same is true whether it’s in the office, at home or in restaurants. People respond to this in a very positive way; it’s very inviting.
A restaurant meal should be enjoyed in a nurturing environment. Rather than a hard-surfaced, angular and industrial space, a biophilically influenced environment with natural forms, softer lighting and beautiful views helps us relax and have a better dining experience.
Aspecta Five flooring in the Mason Oak design brings the “look of outdoors” inside.
Is it something only for high-end restaurants or is it applicable to all types of operations?
RL: Yes. Even chain restaurants could use this. People want a restaurant to be relaxing and comfortable.
How can biophilic design be used for restaurant flooring?
RL: Flooring can be the pathway to biophilic design — literally, the groundwork to integrating it into a commercial environment. As designers, that’s where we should start to build the desired atmosphere we want to achieve for the space. Resilient flooring effectively replicates natural materials and patterns, making it one of the most versatile yet low-maintenance materials to help achieve biophilic design objectives. Biophilic design appeal in flooring also occurs whenever there’s an interplay of light and shadow: diffuse and variable, integrated with spatial properties.
Biophilically designed Aspecta Tilt & Tones will debut in March 2019.
How is Aspecta integrating biophilic design into its product line?
RL: At Aspecta, we have inherently used biophilic influences in our designs — wood grains, stone or even abstract looks inspired by nature — for decades. We know these looks resonate most deeply with designers, architects and end users.
We are applying biophilic design elements and principles in our line of luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring. The Aspecta One Ornamental collection, for example, builds on reclaimed materials with innovative, nature-inspired design motifs.
Coming in March 2019, our Tilt & Tones flooring incorporates two biophilic design elements. The collection features 24-inch by 24-inch tiles presented in four color groups. Each consists of four unique Tilt tile designs that can be paired with two companion Tones tiles. The Tilt design was inspired by geometric shapes created in the shadows that the sun casts on outdoor surfaces such as deserts and beaches. The Tones evolved from the look of fabric-embossed ceramics and natural stone-based colors, expressed in neutral colorways. The range reflects Aspecta’s immersion in biophilic design as an influence in the creation of our ever-evolving product lines.