The Northsea Region is characterized by large urbanized areas where business and other human activities pile up. Densely packed  apartments and a high traffic rate leave limited space for green area’s where people can relax, recharge their batteries.

Our knowledge society and high technological surroundings require a new way of working. Since we are connected all the time, we are constantly in a state of alertness.  The downtime we had before (being on the road, in between meetings, etc) is gone, replaced with quick mails, calls or internet searches. More and more we see that for many workers this burden becomes too heavy. According to the World Health Organization 50% of sick employees in Europe suffer from a stress-related illness.

The crisis of these last years and the transition economy we are experiencing now makes it hard for entrepreneurs to cope. Finding new solutions and approaches is key. Organizations and their employees need to be resilient to be able to develop innovative and creative ideas.

Research points out that nature has a strong impact on human health and wellbeing. Many examples of nature based therapies can be found. The effects of these are measured and prove to be effective.

Reinforcing the  natural bond between man and nature is not only healthy, it also has strong economic effects. In working environments where nature is clearly present (by natural light, view on landscapes, plants,..) wellbeing is high, productivity rises and costs caused by absenteeism decreases.

In addition to a nature-based working environment it is also important to reorganize working attitudes. New ways of working and technology makes working possible wherever and whenever. Building in downtime moments is important to mentally recharge, stand still and open your mind for creative and innovative ideas. Creating (silent) working environments where people can work undisturbed and focused, could be one of the elements of reorganizing work.

In this project we want to establish a physical site where entrepreneurs, organizations and their employees can experience the immediate effect of a nature-based environment where focus and downtime is balanced. We aim to provide education, guidance and practical tools to apply these principles within their own working environments. To lower the threshold to participate we think about developing also a mobile unit that we can use as a trigger e.g. in business parks, business networking events, etc.

Enhancing resilience of companies, organizations and their employees by

-          Restoring the natural bond between man and nature.

-          Restoring balance between working, focus and downtime in a society where working wherever and whenever is possible

Enhancing the understanding the importance of ecosystem services, and where possible develop new ecosystem services

 -> companies, organizations experience the immediate effect of nature and silence on their wellbeing. This will make people more aware of the importance of a well preserved environment. 

-          A physical site showing how a nature based design has an effect on wellbeing and work. 

-          Research for good practices 

-          Toolbox with practical tips, guidance, examples 

-          Educational pathways

-          Nature based activities

-          Involvement of companies, organizations as participants

-          Implementation of nature based principles within working environments

several Flemish partners

Nature based Therapy initiative / Research  

(green) Interior designer