Restorative environments are those secret spots we go to feel whole, or grounded, or to be reminded of who we really are and what it’s really all about.
Environmental psychologists have shown that environments that meet the following four conditions restore our attention:
Being away
Removing yourself from the demanding environment.
Compatibility
Going to a place that allows you to be there doing the things you want to do to restore.
Extent
A place with enough to do, but not so much that it’s overwhelming.
Soft Fascination
Elements that effortlessly evoke your attention in a soft (versus riveting) way.
It's important to note it's not enough to just get away, or to only pay attention to something softly fascinating. For an environment to restore directed attention, it must meet all of these conditions at the same time.
For example, if you were in a lovely garden, sitting on a bench, watching a bee pollinate a flower, but the garden was in someone's yard and you weren't supposed to be there, you'd be away in a softly fascinating environment with extent, but it wouldn't be restorative because it you weren't allowed to be there. It’s not “compatible” with restoration. Restorative environments come in all shapes and sizes and they are shaped by our lived experiences and personal histories. Learn more about how they affect our attention.
