MANAGING THE PARADOX
ten M = 10 x 1 000 = 10 000
Permanent houses and agriculture
are about 10 000 years old, leading to a
civilisatory paradox...
THE EVOLUTIONARY CODE
Humans have
evolved over more than 300 000 years in a natural environment (...).
Considering how much our
lives have changed in the past 10 000 years, in evolutionary terms in a very
short time, it becomes clear that the human organism has not had sufficient time
to adapt to the many radical changes to our modern environmental condition.
We
do function only in a certain range of environmental parameters and an adaptation
to new conditions is possible, but only in small steps. Significant changes do
need a long time to be implemented, about 5 000 to 10 000 years. We are
simply not adequately adapted to the environment our civilization has shaped.
It is rather a great paradox that we have struggled during the entire history
of human mankind to improve our living conditions and that we now, that we have
succeeded, discover that it comes with a wide range of disadvantages.
We were
indeed so successful in evolutionary terms that we have detached our self from
the conditions we were used to. David M. Buss describes it like this “…, we
carry around a Stone Age brain in a modern environment (Buss 2008). One could
call that an evolutionary mismatch or paradox of civilization.
This knowledge
is continuously extended by a wide array of scientific fields ranging from
brain research, psychology and medicine and spanning to cognitive neuroscience,
behavioral genetics, evolutionary biology and medicine, cognitive psychology
and biological anthropology. Cross referencing findings between different
scientific disciplines allows a truly transdisciplinary way of verification.
There is
for the first time a theoretical framework into which data from transdisciplinary
findings can be integrated. The underlying principles are beyond personal
characteristics and cultural differences. They touch on the very nature of
humankind.
There is coherence between environmental settings in nature and
positive reactions of humans. This applies to all aspects of life and
represents a significant opportunity to improve health and well being in a wider
range. Not least in respect of workplace design.
A useful concept to implement in offices is
biophilia as part of an approach through evolutionary psychology. (...)
Space can be seen as a cluster of sensory information like colour, sent, form,
dimension, light, and acoustics besides others. To study and understand the
complex and contextual influence of each of these parameters is essential for a
human centric design approach. It is however even vital not only to consider
the mental aspects of our predisposition. The lack of movement is for
instance a paramount challenge for workers health and performance.
Understanding the benefits of a design with the right neural and physical “composition”
can represent substantial financial benefits. Evidence based offices can
improve employee’s health, engagement and productivity. Communication and
creativity can be enhanced as well as it is easier to attract new talents and
retain existing ones. Considering the relation between salary cost and office
rent, it becomes clear that true Human Capital Management is a promising way to
enhancing business profitability. Using the unconscious influence of space is a
strong tool in this pursuit and a sound economic investment.
Current workplaces
are only designed with focus on cost, function and usability. An evolutionary
perspective adds a new dimension and offers additional value on a corporate as
well as on an individual level. (...) The best approach is to develop the
way we live and work by the implementation of natural elements which are
beneficial to us. We can create space in a way so that it fits our species in a
better way.
It is in this way possible
to design workspaces which enhance productivity, wellbeing, creativity and
communication substantially.
Architecture can be
defined as a symbolic and sensual code and we are about to understand it better
than ever before.
This is nothing less than a new paradigm.
Ostner, S. (2021) The Office as Habitat, Das menschliche Büro - The human(e) office,
Springer Vieweg