Meet 2024 Next Work Environment Competition wellness category student winners: Mary Kate Torpey, Selina Bui and Krista Smith and their Sporesphere submission.
The Iowa State student and recent alumni are now pursuing careers in interior and industrial design. Keep up with what’s next for Mary, Selina and Krista on LinkedIn!
Mary Kate Torpey
Selina Bui
Krista Smith
Check out the video and summary of the submission below:
We aim to decrease workplace stress by designing an office that better connects users to the company culture, other employees and the outside environment. In the future, we imagine this would be done by utilizing innovative technology and natural elements. Elements within the physical space utilize natural and tactile elements to increase surrounding awareness and mindful interactions through sunlight design, biophilic technology, and interactive art displays.
“Sporesphere” focuses on nature’s persistence against the forces of a continually changing world and hopes to connect nature and wellness with people in the workplace. “Sporesphere” hopes to combat the lack of connection to one’s environment through sunlight therapy, interactive art displays, and biophilic technology. Nova is a faux pharmaceutical company with a global reach, providing and developing most of the world’s medicine. The company is involved in humanity efforts that provide healthcare to those without it and has a strong sustainability pledge.
We want to create a space that enforces the company’s values through thoughtful design by researching different methods that could be implemented into an office space to counteract the adverse effects of having a typical 9-5 office job. Workplace stress is common due to tight deadlines, overworking, and a sedentary lifestyle. Increased stress leads to physical and mental ailments, and high turnover rates (Bickford 2005).
Elements within the physical space utilize natural and tactile elements to increase surrounding awareness and mindful interactions through sunlight design, biophilic technology, and interactive art displays. Sunlight is brought into all spaces and diffused within workspaces further into the building, enhancing employees’ interaction with sunlight and improving productivity and mood (Kent et al., 2009). Nature is also incorporated digitally using biophilic screens that replicate the feeling of being outside with nature, which can effectively calm users’ minds and provide a more tranquil setting for workers (Qinghua et al., 2021). Lastly, interactive displays in the office effectively create a closer community and a feeling of comradery (Smiraglia, 2014).
“Sporesphere” is not just a concept for a physical space but also extends into a virtual space using our Nova app. Both “spaces” are designed to enhance the well-being of users by integrating tools that increase mindfulness, share important moments, and stimulate connection to the natural and surrounding environment. Some features of the app include a social platform, a work calendar, and mental health awareness. The Nova app offers a platform for their employees to share their thoughts, videos and images with their fellow employees and create a closer community in their office. Mood, physical activity, and work productivity can be tracked daily, and reports are given to the user, acting as a private journal to help with work-life balance. With many more opportunities for employee wellness, the app works seamlessly within the space, allowing users to reserve rooms, schedule meetings, and navigate through the office efficiently. 
Combining natural elements with advanced technology, “Sporesphere” creates a balanced work environment that supports employee well-being and aligns with Nova’s values. Our approach aims to reduce stress, promote a healthier work-life balance, and strengthen connections within the workplace. Through innovative solutions, “Sporesphere” envisions a future where workspaces are functional, nurturing, and connected to the outside world.
We connected with the team to see how Sporesphere has evolved since entering the competition:
After submitting this project, there are still more ideas that we would like to build upon if given the chance. We focused on wellness and productivity, and how that can be affected by the climate and environment surrounding you. We hope to prepare for a world where climate change is more of an issue than it is for us now, assuming the causes of climate change have not ceased. It is important to prepare for possible outcomes like access to less power, air conditioning, or resources than we do now. If we were to continue working on this project we would want to explore sustainable energy resources for the office, better and more sustainable materials, and different approaches to enhancing wellness in the workplace outside of interactions with a natural environment. It would also be interesting to explore how to maximize biophilic office features that integrate plant life, water, and real biophilic elements within the manmade setting along with technological biophilic elements.
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Special thanks to our 2024 Innovative Brand Partners:
