Flourishing through architecture

Our built environment can dramatically impact our physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. People are shaped by the spaces they inhabit.

and smells of the surrounding bush to its fullest – but we did provide a roof to protect from the rain.

Richard Dalman Managing Director, Dalman Architects dalman.co.nz

As architects, we look to design spaces that positively contribute to how we live and feel, creating enriching spaces that evoke positive human emotion.

So how do we do this?

Firstly, we try not to make people sick! VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are found in many modern materials such as glues, urethanes, and paints and can be emitted into the atmosphere. Fortunately, now there are many product alternatives that do not release these chemicals. Providing healthy homes and buildings has become a focus of architects.

If we can open up our buildings more to the outside, we can reap the benefits of fresh air, sunshine, and a connection with the surrounding environment. In our temperate climate, this is often achievable; however, challenges need to be overcome in the central city, where noise, security, and pollution can be a problem.

Outside urban environments, we may not need walls at all. At Te Waonui Forest Retreat in Franz Josef, we provided no walls to the stairwells and corridors to the rooms so guests could experience the sounds, sights, kamomarsh.co.nz

These connections with the outdoors and nature have been proven to improve our health, and they form the underlying principles of Biophilic Design.

Other Biophilic Design architectural strategies include utilising natural materials and the patterns of nature in the architecture and décor and bringing plants indoors, as per the green wall at The George Hotel.

To truly flourish, we must live in the moment and be open to different feelings and experiences. Architecture can help set the scene.

Sometimes we want to feel enclosed, safe and secure, like sitting beside the fireplace at the Frond Bar at Te Waonui.

At other times we may want to be more exposed and open to the elements, like standing out on the pier deck over the Avon Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai at the Water House.

Lastly, having a sense of place created by being connected to the environment, the local community and our past can help us make sense of our world and provide meaning to our lives. Architects create spaces to allow and enhance these positive connections, which are good for our health and help us flourish as human beings.

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Kamo Marsh is a landscape architecture company based in Central Christchurch and Queenstown. As well as residential design, we have worked and collaborated on a variety of subdivisions, educational and commercial projects throughout our 40 years in business.

We value the guidance and relationships we have developed with tangata whenua and our designs honour the whakapapa of the landscapes we work within.

Kamo Marsh Landscape Architects take pride in offering a friendly and personal approach to each project we are involved in. Our talented team look forward to working with you on your next residential or commercial project.