Consider for a moment how your home or workplace supports you.
How do you feel in different areas, at different times of the day?
Are there spaces and aspects that activate and rejuvenate? Calm and restore?
Are there spaces and aspects that are draining, or you feel may negatively affect your health?
Architecture and urban and interior design physically shape our surroundings and influence behavior, lifestyle, and health. We are constantly experiencing and reacting to the effects of our environment. While a seemingly innocuous detail (or odor) may not have a noticeable impact if briefly experienced a few times, the cumulative effect over time can be detrimental. In contrast, a feature that benefits health can brighten your mood momentarily or provide deeper levels of long-term support.
Wellness Design/ Wellness Architecture considers health impacts the built environment (buildings, landscape, public spaces) can have on people. Features that support the well-being of occupants, ranging improving ventilation to selecting an accent wall color, are then integrated into the building’s design.
At heare, whether you are finding, renovating or building, we first consider your intentions, needs and desired outcomes along with any current, fundamental, and potential challenges. Our background in holistic health modalities (informed by certifications and years of work with architects and designers) offers an additional layer to client and site assessment, imbalances, and potential remedies.
Practice Areas in Wellness Design :
Evidence Based Design
“EBD” uses scientific research, data and user interviews to inform design so the best possible outcomes for the health, safety and well-being of occupants in a particular space can be reached. EBD is the foundational process for many of the following strategies.
Material Health
Considering the toxicity of building materials and furniture is a fundamental part of Wellness Design. The terms ‘off gassing,’ ‘VOCs’ and ‘indoor air quality’ (IAQ) are becoming more common terms as we learn about the effects of prevalent toxics. In the U.S.A., chemicals are typically considered safe unless rigorously and repeatedly proven to be harmful. Due to lack of regulation, it is the responsibility of project owners and designers to request and specify healthy material options.
As this is a relatively new consideration in construction, looking at material health early in a project allows much-needed time to research and source options and alternatives.
Toxics in building and furniture materials have been shown to contribute to :
- asthma
- autism
- cancer risk
- reproductive issues
- endocrine disruption
Biophilic Design
Biophilia is a hypothesis that humans have an innate connection to, and a tendency to seek connection with nature. Only very recently (in the scope of a 550k year evolutionary history) have we lived so separated from the natural environment as we do now.
Biophilic Design is a method that integrates nature (materials, patterns, proportions, references) into our built surroundings. Specific principles that support this inherent connection are applied, and health benefits can range from accelerated healing to reduced employee turnover.
- creativity
- productivity
- stress reduction
- reduce absenteeism
- overall mood + well-being
- employee/ tenant retention
Active Design
Active Design incorporates opportunities for movement in buildings and their surroundings. Features range from designing inviting, prominent stairways that encourage stair use over elevators, to ergonomic furniture and assessing the ‘walk score’ of a neighborhood for convenient access to food and fitness amenities.
Up to 90% of our time is spent sitting indoors. Physical inactivity contributes to risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, and some cancers. In addition to the well-known physical benefits of exercise and movement, studies have shown it to support cognitive performance.
Active design can support many areas including :
- healthy weight
- cognitive function
- reduce absenteeism
- cardiovascular health
- musculoskeletal health
- overall mood + energy level
Wellness Building Standards
Organizations like fitwel and WELL have established standards that reduce the negative impact of the built environment on occupants and promote health within spaces. Similar to LEED, a project earns points for requirements that are completed successfully. At this time, the standards do not cover single-family residences (WELL is working on one as of Spring 2022), but the thinking and principles can be applied to any building.
In addition to Biophilic and Active Design details, there are requirements for air and water quality, lighting and acoustics, and cleaning methods. Organizational protocols, like mental and physical health support and travel policies, offer business owners additional ways to support the employee and tenant health.
Feng Shui
Feng Shui observes how energy flowing through a building and the surrounding land can affect inhabitants. Many aspects are considered including the landscape, object placement, elements, colors, materials, and occupant constitution and health. Adjustments are made to support the following areas :
- health
- career
- family
- finances
- reputation
- partnerships
- self-knowledge
- general support
- creativity/ children
Revisiting the questions at the top :
How do you feel in different areas, at different times of the day?
- Does lighting or temperature make a difference?
- Does your energy level or activity affect your perception?
- How does additional sensory input (music, noise, smell) change your experience?
Are there spaces and aspects that are activating and rejuvenating? Calming and restorative?
Are there spaces and aspects that are draining, or you feel may negatively affect your health?
For each of the above :
- What colors and materials are featured in these spaces?
- Are there natural elements and lighting?
- How is the layout and flow of the space?
- What activities happen in the space?
Can you make changes to the spaces you feel don’t support your health?
Please contact us if we can help optimize a space for your well-being.