Relationships between physical environments and creativity: A scoping review

Abstract

Does the environment influence creativity? Several studies have reported that the physical environment can significantly impact creativity and innovation. While recognizing the multifaceted characteristics and processes associated with creativity, this study identifies investigations in the literature that stress the positive effect of physical environment on individual and/or organizational creativity. This scoping review systematically investigates 33 relevant articles–searching for trends and front, research characteristics, and relationships between adult creativity and the physical environment. Creativity is conceptualized from three perspectives: creative thinking abilities, the potential for creative work performance, and how culture/climates stimulate creativity. Significant physical environments are categorized according to 15 physical attributes (i.e., light, furniture, visual stimulation, indoor plants, window, privacy, proximity, air quality, sounds, odors, volume, technical support, spatial variety, sense of control, and personal or cultural reflection), and seven spatial types (i.e., open spaces, social spaces, exploration zones, recharging spaces, mixed-use spaces, balanced layouts, and production labs) that support creativity. The creative press literature demonstrates that visual stimulation and social space constitute creative output's most significant physical aspects. The study discusses the identified relationships among specific creativity concepts and physical environmental elements and presents an agenda for future research.

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