5. PRESENCE OF WATER

PATTERNS

INCREASE Heart Rate Recovery (8)
RESTORE Energy (7)
IMPROVE Relaxation (7, 8)

PHYSICAL

INTELLECTUAL

INCREASE Attentiveness (2, 8, 9)
IMPROVE Mental Engagement (2, 8)
INCREASE Productivity (2)

EMOTIONAL

POSITIVELY Impact Emotional State (3-5, 7)
FASTER Stress Recovery (1, 8)
IMPROVE Relaxation (8)
REDUCE Feelings of Anger, Aggression and Fear (4)
INCREASE Preference (3-7)

SOCIAL

REDUCE Feelings of Anger, Aggression and Fear (4)

WELL-BEING BENEFITS

(1) Alvarsson et al., 2010; (2) Berto, 2005; Browning et al., 2014; (3) Human Spaces, 2015; (4) Hunter et al., 2010; (5) Karmanov & Hamel, 2008; (6) Kellert, 2008; (7) Pheasant et al., 2010; (8) Ulrich et al., 1991; (9) Windhager et al., 2011

“Not necessary to life, but rather life itself, you fill us with a gratification that exceeds the delight of the senses. Of the riches that exist in the world, you are the rarest and also the most delicate: you, water, are a proud divinity.”

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Basics

THE BASICS

Presence of Water offers many of the benefits listed in Visual Connection with Nature, Non-Visual Connection with Nature and Non-Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli. Water contact improves restorative responses and preference (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). It's interaction with sunlight, reflectivity, and motion contributes to rhythmic and Unexpected Sensory Stimuli, creating a calming effect and reducing stress. As far as preference is concerned, market value of housing near a presence of water gives an indication of how highly these locations are valued.

Skip to Image Examples

(1) Berto, 2005; (2) Grinde & Patil, 2009; (3) Karmanov & Hamel, 2008; (4) Kellert, 2008; (5) Ulrich et al., 1991

most wanted element in the workplace (6)

view of the sea is the

We use water for sustenance, recreation,

contemplation, healing, religion, and inspiration

Multi-Sensory Experience

Touch: The ability to touch water or watch aquatic elements (a fish tank or movement of natural water and animal life surrounding it) increases complexity and allows a multi-sensory experience (visual, auditory, haptic, and olfactory).

Sound: Restoration can be up to 37% faster when using nature sounds as white noise than with louder urban noises (7). But water that is too loud may be considered distracting.

Moving water even has the capability to vary in ways that mimic music, something humans have been drawn to likely as long as they have connected to nature (8).

Research Fun Fact #14: Reaction to sound can be manipulated through imagery

Ocean waves and car traffic have a similar frequency and are perceived a constant roar.

Participants who saw an image of an ocean while hearing traffic noises responded to the sounds as pleasurable, but when viewing an image of traffic, found the same sounds displeasing (9).

(6) Human Spaces, 2015; (7) Alvarsson et al., 2010; (8) Mador, 2008; (9) Hunter et al., 2010

Photo Credit: Nicole Craanen

Keep it clean!
The added benefits disappear when the water appears dirty and stagnant

(in fact, there can even be negative effects)

PRESENCE OF WATER CAN BE INTEGRATED AT A VARIETY OF SCALES (10)

Variety of Scales

Photo Credit: Nicole Craanen

SMALLSCALE

A structural component of the fundamental design of the building,

with its absence requiring significant changes

Strictly interior element, with no tie to the architecture (almost as furniture)

Simulated: Direct Experience
- Roof top gardens and green roofs
- Shape of plumbing fixtures (mini waterfall?)
- Interior pool
- Aquarium
- Waterfall, fountain or cascading water that produces sounds
Simulated: Indirect Experience
- Materials or lighting that evoke water
- Integration of sculpture or art in a water feature that can add beauty, a moment for attention restoration, and/or sound
- Use of an audible water feature or a digital representation of water as white noise

Simulated: Direct Experience
- Interior pool
- Aquarium
- Waterfall, fountain or cascading water that produces sounds
Simulated: Indirect Experience
- Integration of sculpture or art in a water feature that can add beauty, a moment for attention restoration, and/or sound

Naturally Occurring
- Integrated connection to river, stream or lake
Simulated: Direct Experience
- Pool Feature
- Exterior water gardens
- Roof top gardens and green roofs
- Waterfall, fountain or cascading water that produces sounds
- Use of elements to blur the distinction between inside and out (reflecting pool, wall adjacent to feature, actual flow of water)

Naturally Occurring
- Integrated connection to river, stream or lake
Simulated: Direct Experience
- Roof top gardens and green roofs unified with landscape
- Use of elements to blur the distinction between inside and out (reflecting pool, wall adjacent to feature, actual flow of water from outdoor to indoor)