169 The diagram illustrates the full range of considerations that designers need to take into account to create thoughtful spaces that nurture the health and well-being of those who inhabit them multiple sources, because it adds general interest and is uplifting for most users. Dynamic or circadian lighting can also be incorporated a substitute for natural light to provide natural balance and benefit people’s productivity and sleep cycles. Generally, both indoor air quality and acoustics are deemed as technical issues that are best dealt with by engineers. However, there is ample design research demonstrating that a lack of wellconsidered sound design is one of the most common complaints in the built environment. Most restaurant experiences today are a testament to this grievance. Poor acoustics increase blood pressure, reduce productivity and negatively impact sleep, and therefore overall wellness. It is important to also consider thermal comfort when discussing health and wellness. Research has shown that thermal discomfort is not only a source of dissatisfaction, but it also negatively impacts health and how people experience activities. In bright sunlit space, it’s essential to control solar heat gain. For optimal wellness and well-being outcomes, it’s recommended that designers provide users with individual thermal control over their immediate environment. These are some of the elements that allow the designer to create spaces that fully support the optimal health and wellbeing of those who use them. According to the IFI Interiors Declaration, which was formulated in 2011 by unanimous consensus of the IFI Interior Architecture/ Design community across 88 countries, designers fundamentally “form spaces that respond to human needs, synthesise human and environmental ecologies, and translate science to beauty addressing all of the senses”. When expertly incorporated and creatively choreographed, these design basics become invisible to the user, allowing what’s most important to come to the fore – the uplifting way a space makes people feel. The considered integration of these more technical sensory basics and ingredients such as form, colour, shape, scale, texture and pattern, can improve the human condition and provide optimal support for each person, and their well-being. Shashi Caan is founder and partner at the SC Collective and Globally We Design, and CEO of IFI – The International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers A rigorous design process to deliver maximal support and wellbeing Aspects such as light, acoustics, thermal comfort, air quality and mental and social wellness need to be considered in both research and developmental phases
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=