How Are Mental Health Considerations Integrated Into Architectural Designs?
Architect Today
How Are Mental Health Considerations Integrated Into Architectural Designs?
In the quest to create spaces that nurture mental health and well-being, we've gathered insights from top architects and design executives. From maximizing natural light for stress relief to incorporating interactive installations that foster community connection, explore four innovative strategies these professionals implement in their architectural designs.
- Maximize Natural Light for Stress Relief
- Functional Design Enhances Mental Well-Being
- Soundproofing and Dedicated Spaces for Serenity
- Interactive Installations Foster Community Connection
Maximize Natural Light for Stress Relief
As an architect, I focus on specific mental health factors in my designs. For example, in a recent beach home, we chose floor-to-ceiling windows along the ocean side to maximize natural light. The openness and views have significantly decreased the client's stress and anxiety, according to their feedback.
In a children's hospital, we incorporated playful colors, interactive installations, and outdoor green spaces. The positive distractions and access to nature have sped up recovery times, reduced boredom and restlessness, and the staff also reported less stress and burnout.
For a suburban development, we included walking trails, community parks, and front porches instead of garages. Residents now interact more, strengthening social ties that combat isolation and depression. Design can influence well-being in subtle yet impactful ways. Understanding clients' needs and applying evidence-based strategies helps create supportive, therapeutic spaces.
Functional Design Enhances Mental Well-Being
Designing a space involves creating an environment that is human-friendly, aesthetic, and functional. Every space has unique functional requirements and impacts human experience. As architects, our initial focus before designing a space is envisioning how our design will influence users' mental experiences and their overall well-being.
All our projects are meticulously tailored to align with both functional needs and the unspoken requirements for mental peace and well-being. For instance, when designing spaces for commercial and residential projects, both the interior and exterior of the building significantly impact users. The building's landscape, featuring a symmetrical layout and rhythmic elements, encourages users to step outside the confines of their work and enjoy stress-free breaks.
Similarly, minimal interior elements play a crucial role in enhancing user experience. Considerations such as room color, which are chosen based on the room's function, are vital. For example, in bedrooms, elements like bedsheets, curtains, wall hangings, wall colors, and closets are carefully chosen to positively influence human mood. Therefore, we opt for lighter colors, employing combinations of two to three shades in monochromatic schemes, and adopt minimalist furniture designs.
This demonstrates how even the smallest design elements can profoundly impact human mental health and well-being.
Soundproofing and Dedicated Spaces for Serenity
As an architect focused on design-build renovations in NYC, mental health and well-being are top priorities in our work. For an Upper West Side apartment remodel, the client wanted an open-concept space but was concerned about noise. We included high-performance soundproofing between the living room and bedrooms, using rockwool insulation and double drywall. The client later told us the soundproofing reduced stress from city noises and arguments with family members.
For a Brooklyn townhouse gut renovation, the owners wanted spaces for hobbies and creative pursuits alongside family areas. We designed a garden level with an art studio, music room, and gym, with a bathroom/shower and separate entrance. Having dedicated spaces for individual interests and an easy way to decompress from the main house has given the owners a refuge for well-being.
Flexible, multi-purpose spaces are key. For a Manhattan studio, moving walls allow the space to transform from a living room into a home office or dining area. The modular design gives the resident control over their environment. Movable furniture, ample storage, neutral tones, and natural materials provide a calming feel. Three months after completion, the client said the flexible layout and storage reduced clutter and anxiety. Her mood and productivity improved.
Good design considers both physical and mental health. By listening to clients and providing spaces tailored to their well-being, we've seen how architecture impacts lives for the better.
Interactive Installations Foster Community Connection
Mental health and well-being prosper when we feel a sense of belonging, and belonging thrives from expression, recognition, and ownership. We should harness architecture's power as a social infrastructure to bring people together, create generosity, and foster the creation of new types of communities.
In a temporary public installation at Times Square for Valentine's Day, we proposed a public sculpture. The installation comprises two 22' L x 11' H walls intersecting in the middle at a 90-degree angle. The center of both walls has a cut-out heart shape, creating four intersections with a heart shape in the middle. Each side of both walls is covered with reversible sequin skin. One side of the skin is finished with brushed metal, and the other is a mirrored, red metal. As visitors brush their hands over the skin, the sequins flip from one side to the other, creating an interactive wall and allowing people to write words on both sides of the heart. The design invites visitors to express their love, ranging from names of loved ones to statements of passion.
