Creating Greener, Healthier Workspaces: How Many Plants Do You Really Need?
Introduction
One of the most common questions we get from designers and clients is this:
"How many plants do we need to experience the benefits you've been talking about?"
It’s a fair question. After all, if plants can improve productivity, reduce stress, and boost creativity, there must be a magic number, right?
Well, there used to be. But today, the focus has shifted from counting plants to prioritizing visibility and integration. Let’s dive into the details.
The WELL Building Standard: Then and Now
The Original WELL Guidelines
The original WELL Building Standard, developed by the International WELL Building Institute, prescribed specific plant quantities:
Office spaces: 2 plants per 100m²
Restorative spaces (e.g., breakout areas or canteens): 30 plants per 100m²
For example, in a 100m² office with 14 people (assuming 7m² per person) and a 10m² canteen, you’d need:
Office: 1m² of planting (~2 medium-sized floor plants)
Canteen: 1.5m² of planting (~3 medium-sized floor plants)
While these figures provided helpful benchmarks, two plants in an office of 14 people often felt sparse and uninspiring. It became clear that numbers alone weren’t enough to deliver meaningful benefits.
The Shift to WELL V2
Recognizing this, WELL V2 abandoned rigid numbers in favor of qualitative design principles. Feature 88: Biophilia I – Qualitative emphasizes:
Natural elements and patterns
Visual connections to greenery
Interactive experiences with nature
Instead of counting plants, the new focus is on ensuring that every employee has sightlines to greenery within 10 meters (33 feet).
Beyond Numbers: The Power of Plant Visibility
The takeaway? The impact of plants isn’t about coverage percentages; it’s about visibility. Employees don’t need to be surrounded by a jungle, but they do need to see green from their desks.
Plants and Air Quality: Do They Really Work?
This brings us to another question: Do plants improve air quality?
Professor Dr. Tove Fjeld’s 1990s studies found that plants positively affected physical health, particularly air-quality-related symptoms, likely due to increased humidity and localized air purification. While modern ventilation systems do provide clean filtered air, plants can still enhance local air quality and humidity when placed near employees.
Recommendations: Designing Plant-Friendly Offices
Given the evolving guidelines, how should you approach office planting?
One Plant Per Desk: Ensure every employee has a sightline to greenery without cluttering their workspace.
Cluster Plants in Breakout Areas: Create lush, restorative spaces with dense plant arrangements to encourage relaxation and focus.
Focus on Visual Impact: Use large floor-standing plants, statement pieces, or troughs to make a bold statement rather than scattering small pots.
Don’t Overthink Air Purification: Treat plants as a bonus, not a substitute, for ventilation.
Tailoring Designs for Small vs. Large Offices
Small Offices:
Desks, shelves, and windowsills are ideal for small potted plants.
Maintenance can often be handled in-house.
Large Offices:
Opt for bespoke joinery, living walls, or large installations to create dramatic visual impact.
Outsource maintenance for reliability and consistency.
Budget Considerations: Balancing Cost and Impact
Plants can transform a space, but costs vary:
Floorstanding plants: Depending on the planter and plant the price varies and there is a high upfront cost of acquisition.
Rental schemes: These provide the option to obtain greenery around spaces with out the high upfront cost, and our hassle free maintenance along with replacement guarantee make it extremely cost efficient option.
Living walls and bespoke joinery: Higher costs but unmatched visual appeal
For budget-conscious designs, rentals provide flexibility without compromising aesthetics.
Conclusion
The right number of plants isn’t about formulas or quotas—it’s about visibility, density, and impact. WELL guidelines offer a great starting point, but the goal should be to create an environment where greenery feels natural, abundant, and purposeful.
Focus on sightlines, clusters, and statement pieces to make greenery a central part of your workspace design. With the right balance, you’ll create a healthier, more inspiring environment where both plants and people can thrive.