Environmental Design Innovation in Hospitality: A Sustainable Framework for Evaluating Biophilic Interiors in Rooftop Restaurants

Abstract

Biophilic design (BD) has become one of the most critical design approaches for improving the user experience and sustainability in hospitality settings. This paper examines how Biophilic Design Elements (BDEs) can be integrated into the interior architecture of rooftop restaurants and how the presence of BDEs can enhance guest satisfaction and restaurant operations. The study is based on the Nature Preferences Theory (NPT) and Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT), creating a framework that explores the relationship between biophilic principles and measurable user outcomes, as well as design innovation. A mixed-methods design was employed, where qualitative insights gathered from a Delphi panel of interior design and hospitality professionals were integrated with quantitative data collected through guest surveys. The study suggested that some high-performance BDEs, which are natural materials, utilise daylight, greenery, and water, as well as culturally embedded design motifs. The results indicate that users are positive about an environment with principles of well-being, authenticity, and sensory connection with nature. Researchers focused on context-sensitive, flexible, and low-cost strategies that are adaptable to rooftops in developing urban cities. The study is significant as it presents real-life biophilic design methods applicable in hospitality environments atop buildings and demonstrates how they may align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The suggested framework applies to both academic studies and the industry, focusing future designs on nature, user experience, and operational sustainability.