Promoting Mental Wellness Through Architectural Design
Hello, readers! Welcome to the Architecture Plus blog! We provide useful information concerning architectural design, unique trends, and essential aspects of the residential and commercial building process. Based out of Charleston, our full-service firm specializes in new residential construction, renovation, and commercial design. We aim to create sustainable structures which facilitate the health of their inhabitants while pairing harmoniously with their surrounding community. We encourage you to take a look at our residential and commercial galleries to glimpse our work and assess our artistic vision. If you need any additional information, reach out to us! We are members of the Better Business Bureau, the American Institute of Architects, the National Association of Home Builders, the Royal Institute of British Architects, and are licensed in South Carolina, North Carolina, as well as several other states. The members of our firm hold over sixty years of combined experience and are dedicated to continued excellence. You can contact us through our website or by calling (843) 718-3416.
Our latest article was an in-depth explanation of the pre-design phase, full of tips on how to conceptualize your next project. For architects, the pre-design phase is the stage during which site selection, zoning analysis, budgeting, and a host of other preliminary processes occur. For clients, the pre-design phase is the stage during which their imaginations take the front seat. We discussed defining project goals and why this should be the first thing you do. Is the goal of your design project functionality, accessibility, preservation, or sustainability? The possibilities are endless! Design objectives help guide the entire design process and make decisions easier down the line. In addition to defining objectives, we also gave a few tips for conceptualization, including vision boards and sketching. Architectural design can be (and should be) a collaborative process, that’s why we dedicated our last article to how you can express your unique vision. We hope you’ll give it a quick read (after you read this)!
Today, we’re discussing how architectural design can influence mental health. This article could be considered a continuation of our previous article, How Buildings Can Give Back to Their Community, in which we explored the ramifications of architectural design on public health and how design features can contribute to cleaner air and safer living environments. This time, we’re shifting our focus towards mental health. It’s no secret our surroundings influence how we feel and how we think, but to what degree? Can architectural design help or hinder our psychological wellness? While there may not exist a definitive answer one way or another, this article will serve to explore the topic in-depth. If you’re interested in learning more about architectural design and mental health, read on!
Neuroarchitecture: The Link Between Design and Mental Health
There are spaces for work and there are spaces for living. There are spaces for exercising and there are spaces for receiving medical care. Even within our living spaces, there are further sub-spaces for eating, bathing, and resting. Each space we occupy serves a purpose and, ordinarily, this purpose dictates the design aspects present in said space. When design aspects are ill-conceived, poorly executed, or entirely missing from a space, these spaces can cause us to feel stressed and upset. Imagine a bathroom in which the door won’t open if one of the sink cabinets is open, or a kitchen layout which does not allow for the oven door to be opened fully. While these design elements may seem insignificant, they contribute to the functionality of a space and, thus, the enjoyability of a space.
Neuroarchitecture is defined as “the application of neuroscience in built spaces, aiming to better comprehend the impact of architecture on the human brain and behavior… [neuroarchitecture] assumes that the environment has a direct influence on the most primitive patterns of brain functioning, which escape from conscious perception. The application of neuroarchitecture consists in trying to create environments that can stimulate or inhibit some of these determined patterns, depending on the purpose of the space in question. In that sense, architects that make use of applied neuroscience can design with the explicit purpose of affecting human behaviours, even those that are beyond conscious perception and control.” In other words, when architects take into account the influence of their designs on brain chemistry, human behavior, and mental health, they can design buildings which are more intuitive, productive, and pleasing to occupy.
Three researchers at the Auckland University of Technology have dedicated their research to understanding, in a real-world context, how built environments influence mood on a grand scale. Dr. Zohreh Doborjeh, a cognitive psychologist at AUT, says: “While in recent years, many researchers have started to undertake investigations regarding the impacts of our buildings and urban areas on the physical health of users, mental health has not been widely emphasized. In professional practice, architectural design is always considered an iterative process that requires multifaceted consideration of numerous parameters. This process can be further optimized through its incorporation with neuroscience to explore the short and long-term psychological effects of our proposed designs. We want to live and work in houses, offices and urban areas that are efficiently designed to elevate our mental health towards a happier and more pleasant lifestyle.” According to Dr. Doborjeh, “by simulating building interiors and subtly changing variables such as colour, light, smell, sound, or temperature, the engagement of the brain in positive-negative responses is identified in order to create the best experience within that specific environment. Providing a platform for neuroscientists and psychologists to collaborate with architects and urban designers during early design stages of built environments is essential to highlight users’ mental health as a major concern.”
The design objectives of a built project will differ depending on the project’s purpose, but the psychological well-being of the project’s inhabitants should always be prioritized. When the psychological well-being of an architectural design project isn’t taken into consideration, this is a cause for concern, as evidenced by the backlash surrounding the plans for Munger Hall on the University of California, Santa Barbara campus. The plans for Munger Hall include eleven stories and an estimated 4,500 student occupants. Around 94% of occupants would not have access to a window.
In protest, Dennis McFadden, a consulting architect who served on the UCSB’s Design Review Committee for over fifteen years, resigned. McFadden argued “[an] ample body of documented evidence shows that interior environments with access to natural light, air, and views to nature improve both the physical and mental wellbeing of occupants. The Munger Hall design ignores this evidence and seems to take the position that it doesn’t matter.” He went on to write in his resignation letter that “the building is a social and psychological experiment with an unknown impact on the lives and personal development of the undergraduates the university serves…” and the plans for the dorm were “unsupportable from my perspective as an architect, a parent, and a human being.”
While McFadden’s resignation did little to slow down the impending construction of the behemoth Munger Hall, his insistence showcases the level of dedication each architect must have concerning the psychological–as well as physical–wellbeing of occupants. Psychiatric hospitals and long-term wellness centers have taken on the mantle of using neuroarchitecture to the benefit of patients already. The University of Arizona Behavioral Health Pavilion & Crisis Response Center in Tucson, Arizona utilized 27 architects, planners, designers, engineers, programmers, and advisers to develop the final design. Every element of the design was geared towards promoting the wellness of patients, such as “including indoor and outdoor activity areas for patients, and utilizing glazed window walls to bring in natural light and views,” as well as “bringing the outdoors in through courtyards and atria that aid in circulation.”
Likewise, psychiatric hospitals have begun consulting with architects to “address the unique challenges and needs of psychiatric hospitals.” As a result, many psychiatric facilities have begun to resemble homes rather than hospitals. This shift towards less sterile, increasingly comfortable spaces has led to better patient outcomes and “patient-positive psyche.”
Neuroarchitecture can be applied to any type of space. It’s time for architects and project leaders alike to take into account the psychological ramifications of their designs. We hope you’ve enjoyed this article! If you’re interested in learning more about our work, please take a look around our website or reach out to us. For more information on architectural design and building, keep up-to-date with the Architecture Plus blog! If you’re ready to sit down with an experienced team of designers and hash out the elements of your next project, reach out to us! We’re eager to hear from you. Until next time, thank you for reading!