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Description
Outcomes of three complementary experiments investigating the influence of biophilic interventions and their mediating effects on adaptive acoustic comfort in office environments are presented. The experiments were conducted across three settings: a non-immersive laboratory, an immersive visualization laboratory (IVL), and a real-world field environment. Indoor greenery (examined in the non-immersive and IVL settings) and birdsong masking (examined in the IVL and field settings) were investigated as key biophilic variables influencing the perception of traffic noise intrusion through open windows. Statistical analyses, structural equation modeling and repeated-measures ANOVA, consistently indicate that both visual and auditory biophilic elements enhance perceived soundscape pleasantness. Indoor greenery, particularly at coverage levels of 10–15%, significantly improved pleasantness evaluations. In field conditions, birdsong masking enhanced pleasantness without increasing overall sound pressure levels by more than 3 dBA. Furthermore, perceptible open-window view increased the perceived appropriateness of intrusive traffic noise, with biophilic elements acting as mediators of adaptive acoustic comfort. Although soundscape assessment scales based on ISO/TS 12913-3 and indoor soundscape constructs demonstrated strong correlations, notable differences emerged between the Eventfulness and Content dimensions in their relationships with overall satisfaction. The consistency of findings across experimental settings highlights the robustness of the identified perceptual pathways. Moreover, the convergence of results across different levels of experimental fidelity supports the validity of non-immersive methods for investigating underexplored aspects of indoor soundscapes. Overall, as adaptation conditions for acoustic comfort remain underexplored, this study contributes to the understanding of these mechanisms and demonstrates the significant role of biophilic design strategies as adaptation factors in enhancing adaptive acoustic comfort in office environments.