Beyond meeting the human need for shelter or being visually
fascinating, good architecture has the ability to save lives according to the
American Institute of Architects (AIA).
The AIA has developed an interactive infographic entitled
Designing Communities, Shaping Health that demonstrates design elements in the
built environment that directly affect the physical and mental health of its
inhabitants.
“As an architect, your decisions can affect the mental and
physical health of everyone that comes into contact with your work,” explained
the AIA.
The infographic, designed by Link Studio, features eight
“design hotspots” within an illustration that appears to depict the ground
floor of a commercial building.
The design hotspots are interactive and by clicking over
areas such as the floor to ceiling windows, the entrance or a staircase, the
illustrations reveal information and statistics about ways design responds to
health.
Clicking on the staircase, for example, informs users about
vertical and horizontal circulation and talks about possibilities such as including
foliage along stairs and daylighting. It also communicates the benefits of
taking the stairs and the importance of a “well-integrated and designed
staircase,” which encourages physical activity by the buildings’ inhabitants.
Vertical and horizontal circulation
Furthermore, it outlines research from a Harvard study that
found “men who climbed at least 20 floors per week had a 20 per cent lower risk
of stroke or death from all causes.”
Clicking on the couch in the lobby, meanwhile reveals
information on material selection and specification. For example, it discusses
the toxicity of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in materials and their
ability to trigger respiratory health problems or worsen allergies.
The illustrated glass entrance discusses doors and windows,
the importance of natural light and its ability to raise productivity levels in
building users, while the window views were also credited for their ability to
visually connect people to views of nature offering “positive benefits related
to health and healing.”
Zoning details
Beyond holistic benefits, the chart covers on-site food
production along with the health impacts and possibilities in the mechanical,
electrical and plumbing and facility operations and management sections of the
built environment.
It also features a graphic which encourages “post-occupancy
plans, as well as publicly displayed signs and workplace programs” in design
environments to educate the public “on how architecture and design can
positively affect physical, mental, and social well-being over the life of a
building.”
Natural light improves productivity
The infographic also makes several references to New York’s
Active Design Guidelines and the US’ LEED rating system for their ability to
recognise architecture and interiors that have been designed to ameliorate the
well-being of its inhabitants.
While life-saving architecture is usually aligned with
buildings that are earthquake proof or built from resistant materials, in this
infographic, the AIA has demonstrated design details that are sometimes unknown
to the user that can actually make a difference, such as architecture that supports
the ageing population, spaces that encourage physical activity and materials
that can minimise allergy flare-ups.
Many designers are even combining medical research when
creating products or designing spaces to deliver the healthiest possible environments.
Greening staircases
In New York, healthy living real estate pioneer Delos has
developed what are believed to be the city’s healthiest apartment buildings.
Inside, holistic designs including posture supportive flooring, Vitamin C
infused shower water to reduce residual chlorine, and oxygenated planters and
vertical gardens for clean air.
In Australia, a study by Lynee Armitage and Ann Murugan of
Bond University further supports the AIA’s vision that design does indeed
impact or enrich lives.
Armitage and Murugan went to the commercial market to
conduct a survey of 351 employees who occupy 10 green office buildings (Green
Star-rated in accordance to the Green Building Council of Australia) and 159
employee respondents occupying 11 non-green office buildings.
Benefits of on-site food production
The findings revealed, “employees in green workplace
environments consider themselves to be happier and healthier than employees in
non-green workplace environments.”
“Human beings require certain environmental conditions in
order to function well both physically and psychologically,” the study showed.
“If we assume that access to natural light, views to the outside, clean air and
individual controllability are part of people’s essential needs, it would thus
explain why these attributes contribute to happiness and health in such a big
way for the people working in green office environments.”
Source: Sourceable.net
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