Being creative in a dingy hovel with people shouting at you is probably not the best environment to encourage optimal creativity. In practice, you need a range of measures to help this fragile flower bloom.
Environments which are dirty, cramped, uncomfortable and noisy are not the best for encouraging creative thinking. If we can design our general working environment with care and concern.
A comfortable environment helps people forget about how uncomfortable they are and focus on the work at hand. Ergonomic chairs and desks. Good lighting. Clean and bright walls. Warm colors. Soft carpets. These and more help to create a sense of comfort. They also signal that our employers care about us, and hence motivate us further to extend ourselves in our work.
Dispatches From The Front 