Green Olivia – this is the name given to the evolutionary changes that have been introduced at Olivia Centre in Gdańsk since 2020. Pocket gardens, recreational fields, avenues of green trees and an exotic garden are being created on its premises. All this with the well-being of employees in mind, who had the opportunity to speak about the direction of changes during the workshops preceding the changes.
The benefits of the presence of nature in human life have been the subject of a number of scientific studies. The conclusions from them prove that there is practically no area of life that would not be positively affected by greenery and vegetation. So far, however, green areas have dominated in residential areas and in urban spaces, but the currently dominant trend of putting human well-being in the center of attention means that pocket gardens are also being developed in workplaces, providing places for relaxation among greenery.
One of the latest studies, published by the Journal of Environmental Psychology , contains a broad compendium of the positive impact of human contact with nature. The beneficial effects include reducing stress levels, beneficial effects on the development and stimulation of the senses, and strengthening social bonds. Greenery is also often a very effective barrier, reducing noise levels, allowing you to experience contact with vivid colors, smells, insects. All this reduces stress levels, allows you to soothe, relax and calm down. The positive effects of greenery in the human environment are also important in the professional area: they translate into greater creativity, better relationships in the workplace and efficiency.
Communing with nature can also be inspiring and stimulate the creation of inventions that imitate solutions that have been present in nature for centuries. This area is dealt with by the field of knowledge called biomimetics, and it is said that the art of its application was perfectly mastered by Leonardo Da Vinci, whose numerous inventions, such as the construction of a submarine or a helicopter, were inspired by nature.
The development of green areas therefore introduces a number of benefits and it is not surprising that this positive impact has also been noticed and is used to an increasing extent in office centres. An excellent example is Olivia Centre in Gdańsk, the largest Polish business centre, which currently has 26,000 inhabitants. m.kw. biologically active areas, among which there is already a green patio with relaxation areas, a fountain, an alley of trees and a pocket garden, as well as 8000m3 of the exotic Olivia Garden. The process of change was initiated on the basis of the results of research among employees of companies that have their offices in Olivia and design thinking workshops, during which they were involved in creative processes of transformation of the environment of their daily work. The projects initiated at that time resulted in the creation of Olivia Garden, the first exotic garden available in a business center in Poland, as well as numerous changes that residents can observe over the past years. However, this is not all and The investor has already started working on the transformation of further public spaces. Thanks to this project, more and more spaces are gradually being turned into green areas and pocket parks full of places to relax.
– In opposition to the ubiquitous high and intensive development, we took care not only of the natural environment, but above all of the comfort of work and rest of Olivia’s residents – says Karolina Bernisz-Grabska, designer from the architectural studio Design Anatomy, which is responsible for the implementation of the project of changes in green spaces in Olivia Centre. ” This natural, friendly and slightly unusual space was created not only to allow the centre to obtain BREEAM or LEED certificates, but also to enable users to return to nature and provide a nice meeting place on hot days. To this end, we have reduced paved areas to a minimum in favor of green islands. They are full of plants, force air flow, store water and are a shelter for insects. The space was met with great approval, and its popularity exceeded our wildest expectations. Encouraged by this success, the investor follows the blow and turns more land into new boutique gardens. Before the reconstruction of the patio, the percentage of greenery was about 5%, after the metamorphosis, greenery accounts for almost 50% of the area. We would like more, but we are limited by the necessary fire roads or communication routes. In the next stages, there will be such curiosities as a section of wild strawberries, strawberries or fruit trees. There will also be a place for a rose garden. Our patio is alive and it is difficult to determine the number of plants. Natural seedlings or self-sown plants appear. Each subsequent season surprises us positively.
One of the most original formats that can be found in office centers is also the exotic Olivia Garden, which has been available to Olivia employees, residents of the Tri-City and tourists since 2021. It is a unique space that is a real oasis of vegetation, where 4 thousand plants from 5 continents and reaching up to 11 meters are located. In the garden there are places for quiet work, integration meetings, a café and a bistro. It is not only an original, but also a very popular place where employees can meet to organize creative brainstorms, focus on work or simply meet with friends during and after work. For tourists, Olivia Garden is a unique space where they can eat exotic dishes, meet friends and relax surrounded by majestic nature.
From the very beginning, green areas have been filled with public areas of Olivia Centre and experience has shown that in the season deckchairs spread on the patio, near the fountain, are among the most crowded common areas of Olivia – says Bogusław Wieczorek, representative of the management board of Olivia Centre. It is no different with the avenue of trees, offering shade and respite from the heat on the warmest days of the year. Our first test project of a pocket park was the space between Olivia Star and Olivia Prime and we can openly admit that the popularity of this place exceeded all our expectations. The garden has been developing over the years and enriches our space in a unique way, which is why we are taking further steps to green other spaces of the Olivia Centre.
