Kitchen & Bath Business November/December 2022 - 12

WELLNE S S
MO VEMENT
Designing for Well-Being
Understanding how our environments can play a part in our health
THE FUTURE OF RESIDENTIAL design is in creating
spaces that support our health and wellness
- those that heal. Today, we are embarking on a
revolution in the way we approach design. As
we gain a greater understanding of how humans
engage with the built environment, the design
of our spaces and the products we specify are
adapting to support this.
THE CONVERGENCE OF SCIENCE & DESIGN
It is no longer a theory that our physical environment
signifi cantly aff ects our physical and
psychological well-being. In fact, for more than
30 years, science has been studying the impact
our environments have on our emotions and
health. Professors and academia from the world
of neuroesthetics and medicine now have empirical
evidence that support this claim.
" Our brains and bodies are always sensing and
interpreting the world around us, " said Susan
Magsamen, executive director of the International
Arts + Mind Lab at the Johns Hopkins
School of Medicine. " And we know that the design
of spaces impacts our biology. Th e opportunity
to use this knowledge, to design and create
intentional spaces that support our health and
well-being, that is the future of design. "
In 2018, the Quebec Medical Association in
Canada embarked on a new initiative, whereas
doctors could write prescriptions for patients to
visit art galleries, museums and design centers
instead of prescribing pills. Th ey based this on
the science that identifi es that beauty and nature
are healing. Th e results speak for themselves with
patients demonstrating a decrease in blood pressure,
as well as a reduction in the stress-related
hormones cortisol and adrenaline.
A NEW ERA IN WELLNESS
Today, we fi nd ourselves spending 90% of our time
indoors or in vehicles; living in concrete jungles or
small 600-sq.-ft. condos; working and living in environments
that are not conducive to good health.
As a result, we are seeing the profound negative
impact this is having on our health. Despite our
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/ NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2022
attempts to improve indoor environment quality, we cannot ignore the positive
impact nature, beauty and fi ne design off er.
Early in this decade, two infl uential giants of biology and technology,
Craig Venter and Steve Jobs, made the following prediction: " If the 20th
century was the century of physics, then the 21st century will be the century
of biology. " It is biology that can apply new and existing knowledge to solve
the pressing problems of our times like our serious concerns for human
health, emerging and pandemic diseases and the critical need to address
the environmental crises of global climate change.
" Ideal spaces that support well-being and allow
humans to flourish are a result of designs that
include beauty and nature. "
HUMAN NEED FOR BEAUTY & NATURE
Our well-being is rooted in nature and beauty. Being in nature or even just
viewing scenes of nature reduces anger, fear and stress and increases pleasant
feelings. Th is is an increase in the parasympathetic activity for positive emotions.
Exposure to nature and beauty not only makes you feel better emotionally, but
it also contributes to your physical well-being, reducing blood pressure, heart
rate, muscle tension and the production of stress-relieving hormones.
In addition, humans need an emotionally healthy environment to thrive.
Th is is what interior design professionals and architects off er. Ideal spaces
that support well-being and allow humans to fl ourish are a result of designs
that include beauty and nature. Th e commercial sector has been using these
concepts in design of public spaces for some time. Companies like Amazon,
Apple, Etsy and Facebook have fi gured out that designing healthier work
environments supports employee well-being. In turn, these spaces increase
creativity, productivity and reduce absenteeism, all leading to attracting the
best talent, thus improving the bottom line. Unfortunately, the residential
sector has not caught up. We still focus on trends and allow clients to drive
product and color decisions. Th e more we uncover, the more we realize that
our industry plays a key role in improving health and well-being.
Dr. Claudia Miller of the University of Texas Health Science Center at
San Antonio stands fi rmly behind the belief that " Interior designers and
architects have a greater impact on public health than medical professionals. "
It's important to know and trust: Designers and architects improve
health when creating beauty and fi ne design. So, the next time your client
pulls out a red pen to mark up your designs, tell them that they are in fact
aff ecting their own health and well-being.
By Linda Kafka, WELL AP, CAPS, CLIPP, co-founder of Science in Design
Summit, scienceindesignsummit.com
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http://www.scienceindesignsummit.com
Kitchen & Bath Business November/December 2022

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