Feng shui, an environmental design practice from China, and the related Indian tradition, vastu shastra, are widely used worldwide, indicating deep cultural and psychological salience. Aligned with environmental psychology and sustainability, they offer whole system guidance that shapes human-centred environments while remaining accessible and influential (Bonaiuto, Bilotta, & Stolfa, 2010).
This study examines the application of feng shui principles in workplace design and their relation to personal and transpersonal preferences. Because people spend long hours at work, workplace configuration affects well-being, productivity, and quality of life. Integrating feng shui within environmental psychology highlights culturally embedded strategies that can enhance sustainability and psychological health.
Rooted in harmony, feng shui emphasises balance between the cosmos, nature, sustainability and human life, encouraging energy efficiency and nature-relatedness.
Findings from the study indicate a strong preference for feng shui-compatible workplaces. A quantitative methodology assessed individual preferences regarding feng shui-informed workplace environments. I hypothesise that compatible spaces elicit positive subjective preferences and measurable psychophysiological benefits. Spatial arrangements are evaluated online and in virtual reality, with responses captured through surveys and psychophysiological measures, including heart rate, eye tracking, emotional states, and stress.
In conclusion, the study supports integrating traditional frameworks within scientific paradigms and shows feng shui's potential to enhance wellness and sustainability in workplace design. Future research should examine long-term physiological and psychological effects and how sustainability principles, such as optimising natural resources, minimising environmental stressors, and promoting energy efficiency, support ecologically responsible, wellness-focused workplaces. Given its global influence, feng shui continues to shape architectural and urban planning decisions across diverse cultures, reinforcing its role as a universal framework for harmonising sustainability, well-being, and spatial balance worldwide.