How Architecture can Encourage Health and Wellness

 


Whether you’re aware of it or not, your immediate surroundings can have a big impact on your health and your mood. For example, have you ever spent a long period of time in a room with no windows? Or in an office that only had harsh, overhead fluorescent lighting? 

Architects today put just as much emphasis on well-being as they do on design and aesthetics, and in fact, these elements often go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s designing your dream home or building a new office, great importance is placed on creating a space that is good for the physical and mental health of the employees, clients and visitors. 

How Can Architecture Improve Health?

Wellness architecture focuses on creating spaces where people feel at ease. From choosing non-toxic paints to using acoustics that reduce noise, there are many ways architects build spaces that encourage health and wellness. Some of the most common ways are to:

 Use daylighting to brighten a space.

There’s a reason so many office buildings have floor to ceiling windows, and there’s a reason why large windows in homes are so desirable. A growing body of research has shown that daylight encourages feelings of safety and alertness, increases comfort and productivity, and helps regulate our circadian rhythm. Also, more daylight means fewer artificial lights are needed, saving you energy and money. 

 Go touchless to limit the spread of germs.

Think about how many people touch high-traffic areas like office bathrooms and kitchens. Motion detection can help reduce the spread of germs, especially in crowded public places, on surfaces like soap dispensers, faucets, hand dryers, flush buttons on toilets, and even the bathroom door. 

Some hi-tech offices even have touchless lighting and temperature controls that occupants can adjust using an app on their phone, so people won’t have to touch a singular control panel all day long. 

 Add Biophilic design to reduce stress.

Biophilic design is a concept used by architects that aims to increase the connection to the natural environment by incorporating elements like rooftop gardens and living walls into the overall design. It’s long been known that using plants and other greenery in interior design has many positive effects on peoples’ physical and mental health, including reducing stress and improving air quality. And there are many options to choose from, including indoor potted plants, living walls, and even rooftop gardens where space is limited. 

Ask your architect about incorporating design elements that encourage health and wellness. It’s important that we feel mentally and physically comfortable, especially in places where we spend a lot of time like at home and at work. Wellness architecture contributes to our overall well-being, so whether you’re renovating or starting from scratch, we recommend you work with an experienced architect who can guide you through this process. 

For more information about how architecture can encourage health and wellness, or if you have any questions for our architect, please contact us today at: https://leeb-architecture.com/

This blog was originally published at https://leeb-architecture.com/architecture-can-encourage-health/


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How Biophilic Design Can Increase Workplace Productivity

Image
Biophilic design has changed how we think about creating workspaces. By bringing natural elements into the built environment, biophilic design creates a peaceful and productive atmosphere that significantly affects how people are in the workplace. In this article, our team of  commercial architects in NJ  discuss the biophilic design concept and how it can change the way people work for the better.  What is “Biophilic Design” and How Does it Affect Work Environments? Biophilic design is a new way of building that tries to bring people closer to nature by using natural elements, materials, and shapes in buildings. It considers the fact that people innately have the need to be in touch with nature, and utilizes that connection to make us healthier and more productive. Research  has shown that the way a workplace is designed can have a significant effect on how employees feel and how well they do their jobs. Biophilic office design uses natural light, plants, and organic materials to lowe
Read more

Essential Restaurant Design Tips from a Commercial Architect

Image
A successful restaurant brings many different elements together to deliver a comprehensively enjoyable experience to diners – and one of the most critical of these elements is the design of the space itself. Here are some insights from a  commercial architect  in NJ on how to make the most of your restaurant design. Prioritize your spending:  Restaurant design and fitment costs can escalate rapidly and the sky’s the limit. It’s best to first focus your spending on the most critical areas – creating a functional layout for the kitchen and dining space, installing effective task and dining lighting, and investing in robust and comfortable seating that fits the space. Settle on your brand and image:  After the budget is set for those areas, look for a few striking elements to add personality to your space and advertise your brand. It’s important that these elements are well thought-out and directly align with the restaurant’s overall theme. Here, customization is a great idea – h
Read more

Ideas for Building a Flood-Proof Home

Image
During the rainy season, New Jersey homeowners are faced with the risk of their home flooding, causing structural damage and the loss of their belongings. According to National Flood Insurance program statistics for 2016, New Jersey homeowners accounted for over 232,000 policies worth $56 billion in flood insurance and received over $6.1 billion in claims payments between 1978 and 2015. With this in mind, it makes sense to incorporate strategies for flood prevention into your home’s architecture. Here are some tips from a  leading architect in NJ . Know if you’re in a high-risk zone:  A great source for information about flooding in your area are the FEMA Flood Zone Maps, which you can access online. These maps use aqua markers to indicate if an area is below the flood marker. Ask your architect to determine your BFE (base flood elevation) and DFE (design flood elevation) to ensure that your house is set at the correct height and according to building codes. Ask for a topo
Read more