Unit 2 Report – Nature In

Introduction

My project aims to re-connect people to nature by bringing the outside indoors, focusing on hospitality venues. The project challenges convention through developing natural events, experiences and designs that develop 1-1 personal connections to nature by evoking the senses and allowing individuals to experience the health benefits of interacting with nature¹. Hospitality is the focus due to the popularity of the spaces², the current lack of biophilic design³, the rise in sustainably conscious venues⁴ and the lifting of covid restrictions creating an opportunity to reattract customers in innovative and dynamic ways.

Question

Through the journey of my research, my question has evolved to become:

How can connections to nature be improved through visiting hospitality businesses that serve food and drink in cities?

Research Methodology

To explore the aims of my project I have deployed a plethora of research methods. Including, consulting books, academic texts, meeting with experts and stakeholders; visiting hospitality and natural spaces for inspiration and observing applications of nature. The knowledge gathered from this research has been utilised to develop the most suitable and impactful interventions to generate change amongst my stakeholders.

Research

The foundation of my project has been derived from academic texts and books. Reading ‘Design a Healthy Home’⁵ provided the details of how to apply biophilic concepts into physical spaces. Exploring the academic iterations of scales, such as the Inclusion of Nature in Self Scale⁶ to measure connections to nature deciphered the appropriate format to measure changes in connection with my Herb Event. The springboard for my most recent creative ideas regarding future iterations of my interventions has been reading ‘Rewild Yourself’7. The book offered alternative perspectives on barriers to nature alongside the vastness of nature, which led to considering unique areas of and ways to access nature in future interventions. Additional knowledge has been obtained from visits to different hospitality venues to assess their uses of nature, as demonstrated on the Instagram page @nature.i.n.8. Inspiration and market awareness were gained from discovering sustainability campaigns such as ‘Good Nature’ at Selfridges⁹.

Furthermore, I have consulted with biophilic experts including Kristina Libby¹⁰ and Hedi Leneartz¹¹ to discuss directions for my work, its impacts, outcomes, and iterations. I have spoken with hospitality business¹² and customers¹³ to establish their different desires towards incorporating nature. Valuable feedback in these meetings were the catalyst for developing the online sharing group, to gather greater data of this type.

My first panel discussion¹⁴ was ultimately utilised for research, rather than an intervention, because there was no live audience as intended. Biophilic and biomimetic experts discussed the most effective and innovative applications of nature that could be introduced into hospitality spaces. Discussion provided insightful ideas regarding how to target the senses and technobiophilia. Such conversations contributed to developing the Herb Event, playing off the herb’s scents, textures, and tastes.

A key discovery in my research process has been Technobiophilia. Research led to the work of Sue Thomas, a pioneer in the field whose work I have analysed15, which directed questioning of how technology and nature can be fused together to develop unique methods for connecting to nature. Subsequently, a technobiophilic event is set to occur around 22nd September at Chelsea College of Arts once the canteen space has reopened¹⁶.

Interventions

Chelsea College of Arts – Herb Event 20^th – 21^st July I have developed a contact in the head of catering at Chelsea College of Arts, which has provided the opportunity to hold interventions in their hospitality spaces17. The event involved an array of herbs being presented for customers to come and pick to go with their food or to take home with them18. Upon arrival, I asked customers to complete a series of 4 questions based upon the measure of Inclusion of Nature in Self to rate their connection to nature¹⁷. Before participants left, I re-asked the questions to assess if there had been any change in their connection to nature. I provided customers with herb cuttings of their choice to take home and a card explaining different ways to utilise the herbs, alongside a QR code to an online survey form for added feedback.

Results determined that there was a slight increase in connection to nature from this event of 2.5%¹⁹among the 40 participants, but this could be increased if participants had longer to engage with the herbs. A stunning 85% of participants stated that they would actively visit a hospitality venue if it was offering a natural event or experience, suggesting a large market for this work. Throughout the event, many customers stated they felt disconnected from nature living in London, which led to defining cities in my question as an area where many people lack but are ready to receive nature²⁰.

Online Sharing Group

I have developed a sharing group via Facebook where customers of hospitality spaces post applications of nature that they like, or dislike accompanied by short comments as to why they hold this opinion²¹. Change was to be created utilising the data to develop to applications of nature that are attractive to customers. Results from the group have been limited in user posts, but the group has gained members and likes²². It appeared there was an audience for this idea, but the platform was wrong to engage people. The Nature.In Instagram page has instead been utilised to promote hospitality spaces showcasing nature, to encourage customers to visit such spaces and connect with nature in this way. This page is also helping to form a conversation and community in the comments section, through the page’s growing following which is currently at over 70 followers²².

2^nd Panel Discussion – 26^th August via Stream Yard

My second panel included 4 biophilic experts and a live audience to learn how they can apply nature in spaces and ask questions²³. The panel aimed to establish pioneering adaptations of the interventions I have been conducting. Discussion flowed through a series of question prompts encouraging analysis of each intervention and ideas for future events²⁴. Measuring connection via blood pressure changes, utilising unusual spaces for events, exploring alternative media options for sharing groups and technobiophilia were readily discussed²⁵.

Audience

My stakeholders are split into three key groups: biophilic experts, hospitality professionals and hospitality customers. My interventions have been derived to ensure all stakeholder groups are part of the research.

Intervention	Stakeholders Targeted
1^st Panel Discussion	Experts in biophilic and biomimetic design
Herb Event	Hospitality business and customers
Online Sharing Group	Hospitality business and customers
2^nd Panel Discussion	Experts in biophilic and biomimetic design Hospitality business and customers invited as an audience to online live stream

Conclusion

I feel my communication with stakeholders in analysing what aspects of natural experiences are ground-breaking and beneficial to all parties has led to the success my project has seen so far. This is something I look to continue and grow my network into Unit 3. Alternatively, a weakness in my process was around the start of July when I spent a long time in May–July securing a hospitality site to test my natural concepts in. Perseverance here led to a key breakthrough in securing the opportunity to run interventions at Chelsea College of Arts and later a meeting with The Marylebone hotel. However, in reflection placing so much emphasis on the importance of securing a testing venue was a slight oversight in my research process.

Looking forward, I feel to push this project further I need to move past my current standing further into the unknown. I believe this new angle may lie around technobiophilia²⁶. I look forward to meeting with Sue Thomas and Hedi Leneartz over the coming week to explore this avenue further and continue to develop original iterations of my interventions building upon the most effective aspects so far.

Footnotes

Mind (2018) “Nature and Mental Health” Mind [Online] https://www.mind.org.uk/media-a/2931/nature-and-mental-health-2018.pdf Accessed 06/07/21
Statista (2021) “Number of People Visiting Restaurants in Great Britain From 2018-2021” Statista [Online]https://www.statista.com/statistics/586195/restaurant-usage-in-the-uk-frequency/ Accessed 14/08/21
Blog – https://nicoleparkes.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2021/05/07/defining-what-sector-of-hospitality-to-focus-upon/
Visit Britain (2021) “Reimagine your future events: UK venues making sustainable impact” Visit Britain [Online]https://www.visitbritain.com/gb/en/business/blog/reimagine-your-future-events-uk-venues-making-sustainable-impact Accessed 16/07/21
Heath, O. (2021) Design a Healthy Home, Penguin Random House, London.

Blog – https://nicoleparkes.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2021/05/22/arranging-panel-discussion-and-reading-design-a-healthy-home/

Kleespies, M.W., Braun, T., Dierkes, P.W. and Wenzel, V., 2021. “Measuring connection to nature—a illustrated extension of the inclusion of nature in self scale.” Sustainability, 13(4), p.1761.

Martin, C. and Czellar, S. (2016) “The extended inclusion of nature in self scale.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, 47, pp.181-194.

Schultz, P.W., (2002). “Inclusion with nature: The psychology of human-nature relations.” In Psychology of sustainable development (pp. 61-78). Springer, Boston, MA.

Blog – https://nicoleparkes.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2021/07/19/preparing-for-herb-event-intervention-at-chelsea-collage-of-arts/