Wellness within institutional buildings of the UAE
Written by: Laraib Rehman Rana
Course Title: D60DA Dissertation (Architecture)
EGIS
23 December 2022
Abstract
The UAE is known as a hub for immigrants to study and work, creating an overwhelming pressure to be "successful" as living in UAE is a status for many people back home, and many people are leaving their home country due to either natural or government crises. For many, it is home since it provides more affluence and education than their nation. But are they truly at peace? There is a distinct absence of personal relationships with communities and an ongoing condition of stress and overwork. One must be able to understand our surroundings by how we learn, remember, and feel about them. Designers should understand how a group of people might feel about the same environment. Through interviews, we need to talk to them about how students and staff feel about their journey from the parking lot to get to their workstations. Connect with people for architecture to connect with them as we have no control over who enters or exits the space. One must first grasp space, the inside, the outside, and finally the relationship between the two. This is significant because the persistent state of stress leads to worry because there are few public resources for mental relief. Unsettling spaces that turn corners or are otherwise difficult to visualize might trigger anxiety. Some sense of design is implicit in any setting that provides mental awareness, a sense of mental sanctuary, and comfort. Using WELL standards, architecture can drive users to genuinely be present, transforming space into a designed experience rather than a passive infrastructure. By constructing more sustainable architecture, we can create a more sustainable society.
Keywords: wellbeing, communicative, in-between, anxiety, rediscovery, WELL standards.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
- Aim and Research Question
- Significance of wellbeing in architecture
2. Wellbeing in Architecture
- Spatial characteristics according to WELL standards
- User groups: Students and Faculty
3. Dubai as a context
- The urban setting
- The contribution to mental health
4. Contextualizing Wellbeing
- Wellbeing in an Institutional building
- Comparative Analysis
- HWUD old campus
- HWUD new campus
- Interviews
- Integration of the WELL standards
5. Designing Well-being
- Implementing WELL standards
- Sustainable Architecture
6. Conclusion
7. References
When one hears about well-being, it is mainly defined as how one makes time out of schedule or dedicates a whole day just to look after themselves maybe it is their self-care Sunday, a day to just be soaked in the bath with a face mask and slices of cucumber on their eyes, calming the body down after a week of hard work and busy schedule as well as taking a break from take outs and making their home-made meal for a change. Everyone has their different versions of looking after themselves, either they want to stay in or stay out, some might be available for it, and some might not. These activities are away from work/study spaces.
Tragically, many individuals do not prioritize their emotional well-being until they are in distress. This is true especially at work when employment pressures might leave less time or energy for anything else. Mental health is a major concern in today's culture (The Reality of Mental Health in the Workplace, 2022) Moreover, UAE is all about the status of being successful and how everyone is so consumed by their work to make a living for themselves and future generations, these include students also. Those hardworking parents make sure their kids are getting a good education and those kids doing their best and trying not to disappoint their parents who are compromising a lot for them. The pressure is never ending on both ends, and the cycle repeats as soon as those kids start making a living, usually, when they do, their parents find it safe to go back to their home country as their “retirement” to escape the work life and expect their children to earn for themselves and them
The context that would be focused on is here in the UAE. The majority of the UAE’s population are immigrants who are job seekers, workers, and students. There is always a fight for who is struggling more or/and who is earning more. To learn, remember, and feel about our surroundings, we must be able to comprehend them. Consider the following queries: Do you feel anxiety before going to work or school? Are the architectural layouts ominous? Do you get anxious walking to your seat in the room? Is there a place at work where you can relax? Or must you leave the structure to feel calm, collected, and able to breathe? Designers must be able to research people who suffer from mental disorders or, at the very least, comprehend how a large group of people could have similar feelings about the same surroundings.
Two campus buildings in the UAE need to be researched to conduct a comparative analysis for this study. Academic City, the former campus of The Heriot-Watt University Dubai, and Knowledge Park, the current campus. Interviews with Heriot-Watt faculty and students who have visited both campuses will be held.
The buildings’ users will be questioned on the following topics: Asking the users what they consider to be a good institutional building should come first. They were then questioned about the kinds of leisure and work activities that should be allowed in an institutional building. What did they like and dislike about Heriot-Watt University's Academic City Campus and Knowledge Village Campus? What then could have improved their time on each campus? And what did they find to be the least enjoyable experience at each university? Finally, they evaluated their experience and chose which campus they liked best. Additionally, they were shown images of diverse designs for the same spaces to determine which design elements are most likely to make them feel uneasy. The entrance, corridor, classrooms/offices, food court/cafeteria, and communal social space are significant areas in an institutional building that have been considered. These are the primary physical triggers that have been seen to have an effect on people's behavior in that area and the rest of the day.
In light of this, it is important to conclude how the users perceive various spaces and how architecture can be improved in the future to ensure that students in institutional buildings have a positive experience during their final years of academic success and that the faculties lead a relaxing lifestyle outside of and in between working hours.
In addition, it is important to examine how these institutional buildings have incorporated the WELL standards into their designs and whether their effects are strong enough for building occupants to notice them. To use a universal design code that has not received recognition in the United Arab Emirates.
Aims and Research Question
UAE lost its historic architectural elements during its rapid development, which was driven by the desire to always build better structures than those that had already been constructed. Today, traditional designs are rare and only found in deserted areas because most of the architecture in the UAE is influenced by other nations. It can be seen how each building is in a competition which each other to see which building stands out the most, especially on Sheikh Zayed Road, where the interiors are frequently overlooked The interiors of these extravagant buildings are frequently so disjointed that they give the impression of being two separate entities when one enters them. The same design principles are often employed in all of these buildings, making it monotonous and suffocating to see the same interior layout in each one. The views from these buildings are usually the only things that make them worthwhile.
Designing the interiors over time has simply never really been developed properly, but only the exteriors have as first impressions matter to attract people Repeated designs later feel waste of money as it almost feels like only the most luxurious building's interior would just be somewhat spacious and what is in your budget feel cramped. Due to the immigrants' already high-stress levels from going to work and school, these design layouts do little to improve their mental health. They already face many challenges. These apply to the majority of residential, commercial, and institutional buildings.
Office buildings are despised in this context. Office buildings are just generic boxes with glass all around them, and the interiors are just nerve-wracking. Sharp turns, crowded working tables, isolated working units, and the lack of proper break spaces in the building are all things that can cause mental health issues. If one is lucky enough to work in a high-end or luxury department, the façade of the building may look more appealing than the average salary workplace. These offices prioritize providing workers with a place to work over other key factors, such as the environment, the users' health, and the workspace's qualities. This is because they are so concerned with workers getting the work done no matter what. There is just so much chaos and so much going on at once, it can be seen that the workers inside the building would have to leave the building to feel some sort of escape, a place to relax and catch their break, even if it is just the entrance steps of the building. If a fancy, big building cannot even accommodate a place for people to gather safely and rest, what is the point? The same can be said for institutional buildings where students and staff just come together to get their education/ work done regardless of how the spaces are built.
The primary goal of this dissertation is to investigate how institution buildings can be designed once the WELL standards are implemented because there is a lot of formality in the spaces in-between in this urban setting. Doing so, it will be possible to connect well-being in this city that thrives for success as Dubai and to be able to create a safe environment for these immigrants who are unknowingly going through so much at once.
Research Question is:
- How can we redefine these in-between spaces in formal spaces?
- How can architects implement well-being in the institutional buildings of the UAE?
- What is the impact of WELL standards in institutional buildings?
Significance of stress due to architecture
Significant effects of this stress on the built environment appear to be completely ignored or accepted as a fact. According to a survey by Princeton Research Associates study, 75% of participants said they believed that today's workers experience more workplace stress than their predecessors did. However, environmental stress is not limited to the workplace. Stress can be brought on by almost any environment where people spend a lot of time.
Organizational (ineffective processes), environmental (noise, temperature), social, physical, biological, and chemical (VOCs) stressors are just a few of the many categories that exist. Organizations that receive reports of these environmental stressors experience higher rates of worker turnover, chronic tardiness, and absenteeism. The expense of filling an open position with a backfill exceeds just the new employee's salary. It also includes the loss of productivity while the space is vacant, as well as the time the person isn't productive as they decide to leave.
(Rickard-Brideau, 2019)2. WELLBEING IN ARCHITECTURE
Spatial Characteristics
Spatial Design:
Since cities now house more than 50% of the world's population, most structures are made with cost and energy efficiency in mind. This is particularly true in office settings, where spaces frequently lack windows and only feature artificial lighting.
In daily architecture practices, the majority of people are not aware of the psychological effects of these environments because we are so used to the typical urban building. Spaces that lack tactile stimulation, have constant lighting, and the same background noises throughout the day cause sensory deprivation that can result in a variety of psychological problems, such as depression and depersonalization, where some people start to lose touch with reality. Many have experienced the feeling of being lost and unfocused after leaving a brightly lit artificial environment. We eventually come to ignore this effect or stop being aware of it, but it still has an impact on us.
Humans have evolved in environments that are full of physical stimuli, which is why. Even in a serene, neverchanging natural setting, the physical input changes constantly. The temperature rises and falls, the sunlight's wavelength varies, the sounds of animals or the water change, and the wind's direction shifts. All of your senses are stimulated by elements in healthy design, which treats them all equally.
Architecture that promotes physical activity is known as active design. Through active design, residents' daily routines can naturally incorporate physical activity. Collaboration between planners, architects, engineers, and local governments is necessary to accomplish this. Because a successful urban layout satisfies the distinct needs and expectations of the community, a dialogue between designers and users must be established. (Mongcal, 2021)
Spatial Quality:
For temperature-controlled buildings, sealing the structure is typically required for energy-efficient design. The air conditioning system allows pollutants to enter the building, but they cannot be properly vented back outside. The number of pollutants in the air indoors can, in some cases, exceed outdoor levels by more than 100 times. Black mold can develop inside the walls of older buildings, and ventilation ducts can introduce carbon monoxide from vehicles. Office supplies like photocopiers and printers release ozone-containing particles. One’s physical and mental health will be negatively impacted by each of these pollutants, which can cause memory issues. (Mongcal, 2021)
Spatial Experience:
People find architecture that conveys basic sensory experiences through the use of proportions, materials, light, color, and acoustics appealing. stepping back and reflecting on the fundamentals of the environments we inhabit is a good place to start, and one should start with oneself.
How we learn, feel, and remember spaces.
How does one acquire an appreciation for space? Each of us projects our sense of space into the world, which is why each person experiences a room differently. Everyone has a unique relationship with space. What can therefore calm them all down, especially those with mental health issues? We are aware of what makes a hut unique from a hall, and similarly to how we distinguish between light and dark, comfortable, and oppressive spaces. The alternative routes the brain takes to transmit information when certain brain regions are damaged are largely unknown. Therefore, we must rely on knowledge of how people interact with space and the results it produces. The most likely reaction that people will have been what we refer to as "normality." For instance, the bed, the fireplace, and the table are in the middle of the house, making them the most important areas for feeling comfortable and safe.
Remembering space: sensory experiences. The perception of light and dark areas in a room, as well as the distinction between a window and a door, are all first experiences with steps and changes in height. Our eye perceives brightness, motion, colors, and shapes at a phenomenal rate, sending straightforward electrical impulses to the brain where they are combined into beautiful images. For instance, landmarks offer orientation and bestow a certain standard on public areas. Unexpected spaces make one uneasy. To make people feel safe and happy, designers must envision spaces that give people a sense of orientation and space. To achieve this, a variety of unique qualities must be considered. In terms of architecture, spaces that are difficult to visualize or that have a clear composition that can be seen at a glance are unsettling and may make someone feel anxious. Large, glazed surfaces can add life and foster connections in hallways and communal areas, but they should be used sparingly in living spaces to prevent people from feeling exposed and uneasy.
Feeling space: We can only fully give ourselves over to sleep when we are at ease and protected from negative emotions. The feeling of comfort is a more general mental state that is influenced by numerous factors, of which space is only one. People who seek social interaction and contact venture outside of their comfort zones in search of conversation and friendship. By doing so, they expose themselves to
the company of others, making them vulnerable, but also making them happy that they have broken their isolation. The calming sound of music, the aroma of fresh flowers, and a comfortable place to relax are all elements that can bring about some degree of pleasure. Regardless of how much social anxiety someone has, the desire to engage with others and create new friends will always be present. Interiors that are cozy and appealing to all the senses can be created using local materials and a strong connection to the outside world.
(Fedderson, E., 2014)Target User Groups
When it comes to institutions, students and faculty members are the primary user groups of those structures because they use the building frequently. Building institutions is an excellent example of how everyone in that field strives to achieve more, develop a career, and maintain that profession via ongoing improvement. As part of their role, the faculty looks after the building and assists students to ensure that everyone has a smooth transition into university life. This research focuses on how faculty and students deal with mental health issues in an institutional setting.
3. DUBAI AS A CONTEXT
The Urban Setting
UAE especially Dubai, is very formal, everyone or at least the majority is here to work and/or study, it is just so busy as well. As the whole building, office spaces, and institutional space are so formal and uptight, with no space to relax and catch your breath, one would have to leave the building to experience some sort of calmness. Work is stressful and so is the environment, as well as the journey, from parking your car or arriving at the bus stop to one’s workstation’s desk at the office/institutional building. The use of colors and the spaces feel overwhelming even before you enter the space, building up stress and aching for a break just so you could leave the space. It is an overwhelming city, where one would have to purchase relaxation as it is not much you can do for free here. The luxury views, in workspaces, are restricted to the luxury building which is most likely very far from where one lives. Living in UAE is not cheap, especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi so most prefer to live in the northern areas as the rent is cheaper, not many thrive to really “buy” houses here as they have too many other expenses to deal with. For most of them, their getaway is to either travel back home or go on vacation elsewhere. Dubai is all about me, my space. The cities would rather remove parking spaces and leave them abandoned rather than renovate them into social, interactive, and green spaces. The building in Dubai is mainly how it looks from the outside, most would look grand and tall from the outside, but the inside feels very suffocating and disconnected from the outside. There is a lack of relationship between these two spaces.
The inside spaces are like that; the outdoors is not any better. Humans are inextricably linked to the outdoors because they need to be connected to their physical and social selves. However, Dubai's outdoor spaces are not particularly inviting; one would only find some interactive
outdoor spaces in community areas, downtowns, and close to some beaches; elsewhere, the streets are very narrow and unsafe because they are constantly filled with noise and people who are rushing to get to work or home. These areas are a part of daily life and cannot be avoided. Since no one is seen relaxing in these areas, pressure from busy people passing by these areas also affects one's pressure levels.
The Contribution to Mental Health
Since the majority of the residents in UAE are immigrants, many are in constant competition of who is more successful than one another or even with relatives back home regardless of how it affects them emotionally. The consumption in the constant 24-hour news cycle where their country back home is going through natural and/ or government crisis, in this persistent stress of the wellbeing of their family or the fear of no way back home forcing them to overwork and be on the top in UAE. The designs of spaces in UAE are not helping any better but instead triggering. Architecture influences our mental well-being as well as our physical well-being through geometry. In an institutional setting, some mental health issues can impact users differently. Absenteeism where people are ashamed to talk about their mental health condition, so they just call in sick. Presenteeism is when they are physically there but not able to work. Accidents and errors may increase as a result of mental health issues. Productivity can suffer when employees are experiencing difficulties with their mental health.
4. CONTEXTUALIZING WELLBEING Wellbeing In an Institutional Building
Architects nowadays are already designing for a healthier environment so that the people of tomorrow have a healthier climate to live in but what is not usually considered is how those people feel about those spaces and how they feel mentally. Seeking education and getting high grades are not easy for everyone. For students, it could be maybe they are not studying enough or all they are only studying. Who knew this stress starts before you even enter the building, the peer pressure of looking at each student in a hurry for their class, the tension before entering the exam hall, and the day of the presentation? These visuals themselves can overwhelm them. Moreover, when they finally enter the building, the journey to their desk starts, and the formality, sharp turns, and the overall business of space can trigger anxiety. Institutional buildings where students and staff just come together to get their education/ work done regardless of how the spaces are built.
Comparative Analysis
This comparative analysis is to research two campus buildings in the UAE. The Heriot-Watt University Dubai’s old campus – Academic City and The Heriot-Watt University Dubai’s new campus – Knowledge Park. The case studies for this dissertation.
The Heriot-Watt University Dubai’s old campus – Academic City:
The old campus was located in a deserted city with many universities, but it stood out in its special way. Even though it was simply a four-story building, a lot was going on surrounding it. There were fewer elevators, but the lobby itself was very large, with two on either end. Given the big corridors and spacious seating spaces outside the class where one class could wait till the classroom was free avoiding those blockages in the halls, even though there were many students on the campus at the same time, it never felt suffocatingly crowded. The welcome was warm and enthusiastic, conveying the great and exhilarating sensation of entering a university. The student services had a distinct identity because when one is in the center of that bridge, one has a view of the open spaces just outside the main building where one can spot social places, it is not part of the main building but there is a tiny bridge that brings you open and to the entrance of the services center. The gym, food court, and recreational room were all built underground, beneath the two private accommodation buildings and the main auditorium, and around these are open pockets of green space, a volleyball and basketball court near the bus parking area, and the rest is surrounded by student parking. This campus was a wonderful example of how to use these in-between areas; several social spaces on campus were situated far away from the "work and study" main building, a fine balance of comfort and formality in its own right. Making a pretty interesting atmosphere. The library was a very open and interesting space, and despite its average size, you can figure out the layout of the space the moment you enter, making one easily familiarize with the space with how open it was, tables on one side, book aisle on another, and group study room in the back, all adjacent to each other without interruption.
The Heriot-Watt University Dubai’s new campus – Knowledge Park:
It was intended to be an office building, but it ended up being a university building, which did not fit in well. The reception is between the entrance and exit pathways, which makes it easy to ignore because users are then too busy to rush to the elevator lobby to go to their respective desks. There is a lot of formality, and stair access is very constrained so once one enters the campus, one does not feel welcomed by the reception. The 6-story building is overwhelming at first because it is tall, narrow, and has few outdoor seating areas. Moving on to the first floor, where the student hub, student services, and café are situated. Users are frequently perplexed about which side to go to because of the building's two narrow corridor entrances. The only area on the floor for social interaction is now being disrupted by the presence of the classrooms around it because the area where the café is located is very small and surrounded by classrooms, which puts unnecessary pressure on while trying to enjoy lunch. The people inside these classrooms are disturbed by the noise in the café.
Interviews
Interviews with Heriot-Watt University Dubai faculty members and students will be used to gather data. Students who only attended classes at the new campus, only at the old campus, or both during their course. The entrance, corridor, classroom, food court/cafeteria, and social/communal space will be the primary design considerations. To comprehend the significance of each of these factors in the day-to-day activities of university students and staff.
According to the questions the users of the buildings have responded with
87.5% of users believe that good ambient lighting in an institutional building gives a calmer experience while 75% of users believe that aesthetics plays an important role as humans tend to mentally feel better when they look at
something visually pleasing and, in a university, there is already academic stress going on and poor designs of interiors would make them feel worse as they constantly want to escape from it
Q. What leisure and work activities are required in an institutional building?
Users who mentioned places that encourage social interaction such as recreation rooms, café/food courts, outdoor areas such as sports fields, outdoor seating spaces, as well as indoor, many mentioned gyms, sports clubs, and games rooms, were referring to leisure activities. This demonstrates the need for a healthy balance between work and plays inside the institution's building to provide room for learning and breathing. The users’ listed study rooms, IT rooms, a large library, hot desk areas, group discussion rooms, as well as counseling, campaigning, and workshop spaces when asked about work activities. It would be interesting to engage in activities based on each academic department to better understand how different majors operate. Observe how people require spaces that enable social interaction without requiring them to leave the building, regardless of whether their activities are for pleasure or work.
Q. What they liked and disliked about the Academic City Campus and the Knowledge Village Campus of HeriotWatt University (the users were given some options to choose from)
As for liking Academic City Campus,
This campus was well-liked by many users due to its accessibility and populace, as many shared spaces encourage social interaction. The recreation room was the center for making new friends because it could hold so many people at once and offered a variety of activities.
As for disliking Academic City Campus,
The majority did not like the campus due to its location, away from everything.
As for liking Knowledge Village Campus,
The majority of people think this campus was better because of its location, which was convenient for students living in Dubai and exchange students without driver's licenses. It is also close to other universities, allowing for more interaction. Due to its modern aesthetic and seamless blending with the surrounding city, they preferred the design because it is simply more vibrant.
As for disliking Knowledge Village Campus,
Majority disliked the social spaces that are inside the campus due to them being smaller and easily crowded space that does not allow one to take a break well and the interior of the corridors are much narrow that it causes overcrowding on lift lobbies making it hard to catch a lift despite there being many numbers of lifts.
Q. What would have made their experience at each campus better?
At Academic City,
Users wished the location was in a better place, with better maintenance of the building and allowing refurbishment of boring furniture and activities that would make the campus feel more alive. Finding space as there is a limited number of rooms available for booking.
At Knowledge Village,
As the building is constantly overcrowded, users wished the interiors were spacious. Others complained that there is no connection between the indoors and outdoors, making it feel more like an office building than a university. And if the university had a dedicated sports complex and larger, more social spaces that could hold more people. They felt isolated from one another and would have preferred if different schools could interact with one another.
Q. What was their least favorite experience at each university?
At Academic City,
The majority of complaints were about getting to the campus because it was far from the city, and some people did not like the labs or the building's aesthetic because the facilities were aging.
At Knowledge Village,
Users dislike the building's entry and exit procedures because they feel stiff and formal. The uneasy campus circulation, stuffy elevators, and crowded staircase. Being constantly crowded in the recreation room, the social areas being small, having to wait for elevators, being unable to exit via fire exit after going down multiple staircases, and heavy traffic.
Q. Which campus did they like the most and rated their experience out of 5?
56.3% of users like the Knowledge Village campus more. Rating of Academic City,
Rating of Knowledge
Village,
Then, based on scenarios of their daily routines of how they use the building, the users were later shown pictures of various architectural design styles that feel good to look at, and calm, and would make them nervous. This was done to understand the comfortable yet formal institutional building design. And the questions go as follows:
Q. It is your first day of university, you arrive at the entrance door to the building. Which architectural style makes you feel calmer? Grand or ordinary? The pictures showed two different entrance designs.
68.8% of users have preferred entrance doors to be something grand and easily identifiable.
Q. You entered and now you are exploring the university and admiring the architectural features, which type of corridor design would you prefer? interactive or straightforward?
56.3% of users are comfortable with corridors that are not too enclosed, but one side is open to nature and the other side is open walls, even though there is no fixed seating or social space, the design of the space just allows it.
Q. You are on your way to the first class of the day, and you are trying to find your classroom. Which type of classroom design do you prefer? judging before you even enter the classroom.
56.3% of users are comfortable with each classroom having its privacy and just for them to identify it by the room no. as the others make them feel exposed and nervous making them easily distracted and not perform well.
Q. During your classroom break, do you want to socialize or just relax by yourself before going back to your lecture? What social space in the university are you looking forward to?
Being outside and away from the stressful environment of the institutional building is more calming for 37.5% of users, who find the outdoor area to be comfortable and welcoming. 31.3% of users who feel at ease in an indoor social space think it is superior because it is conveniently located, accessible from class and back, and has a welcoming atmosphere.
Q. What kind of classroom design do you prefer in a university setting?
60% of students prefer lecture theatre class as it allows more engagement and focus.
Q. After a long day, you decide to grab a quick bite and would also socialize as you are still a first-year student and would like to make new friends. What kind of food court are you looking forward to?
The use of neutral colors as it gives a calming sense, with tables arranged further from each other, and a space where a lot of natural light comes in are other preferences shared by 50% of users who prefer food establishments on campus to be double heightened as it makes even crowded places less suffocating compared to low or average ceilings.
Integration of WELL Standards
According to the survey the Design codes that can implemented to make the building better is. For Air, Code 1 Air Quality Standards because of narrow corridors and no outdoor connection it feels easily suffocating, indoor pollution causes medical issues. For light, Code 53, Visual Quality design, for a wide range of tasks, including working on detail-oriented projects and reading various qualities and types of print, adequate light levels are required. Fitness, Code 68, Physical activity spaces, interior fitness spaces in buildings encourage occupants to engage in regular exercise routines. These activities can also be more strenuous Comfort, Code 75, Internally generated noises, reduced productivity can be caused by noise, particularly in open plan where user interruptions and aural distractions are common. (2016) The WELL Building Standard
Implementing WELL standards
People in the building are the main focus of the WELL Building Standard (WELL). Improvements in human health and well-being have had a negligible impact on the development of building standards. Buildings being better for people as well as the environment by putting human health and comfort at the forefront of building techniques. This is the first norm of its kind that only prioritizes the well-being of people who live in buildings.
The WELL Building Standard combines evidence-based health and wellness interventions with best practices in design and construction. It uses the built environment as a tool to promote human comfort, health, and well-being. The built environment that WELL Certified™ spaces and developments create can help its occupants achieve better nutrition, fitness, mood, sleep, comfort, and performance. By practicing policies, plans, and methods intended to promote active, healthy lifestyles and lessen occupant exposure to dangerous substances.
Buildings with the WELL certification provide better user experiences, which will ultimately lower operating costs and boost return on investment. more effective workers. Because WELL is centered on people, it affects workers' productivity. This has another negative effect on business profits.
Sustainable Architecture
Residential and commercial buildings serve as places for work, living, and moving, with a strong emphasis on physical activity and active living. Active buildings prioritize the use of stairs and have adaptable floor plans and spaces to accommodate sporting events. They also include changing facilities and bike storage to promote sustainable and healthier modes of transportation.
By enhancing visual quality (daylight levels, views outside, and the use of circadian lighting), thermal comfort (improved envelope performance and equipment efficiency, allowing natural ventilation, and enabling adaptive comfort through flexible dress codes), and acoustic quality, one can promote mental wellbeing through healthy design (reducing noise intrusion, and reverberation times, provision of quiet areas, etc.).
Compared to the technologically controlled environments of the past few decades, the trend toward more sustainable architecture, which uses environmentally friendly and healthy building materials and naturally regulated indoor air climate, has a much better chance of producing such conditions of focus on well-being. to design architecture that is simple, readable, non-controlling, and provides room for an alternative. the protection of the inside with the freedom of the outside. Even the smallest attempt to influence this choice may be seen as an attempt to exercise control and may cause people to feel confined, irritated, or even angry.
In the long run, architectural elements that we typically perceive as conveniences such as office buildings that can only be accessed by elevators or residential structures that omit common areas to make more space for units are more harmful to our mental health. Architecture should be sustainable in more ways than just how productive and efficient a structure is. People’s health and well-being should also be a part of sustainability. (Mongcal, 2021)
UAE's rapid economic development, there does not appear to be any consideration for how users will feel upon entering the building; instead, it is all about standing out and creating over-the-top facades that result in uptight interiors.
There will be locations where mental health triggers (anxiety) are unavoidable, but the space should be structured in such a way that one can manage or at least cope with it. Spaces that do not trigger these are what make you feel secure and comfortable, where you are more careful around and familiar with, like home. When you open your home's door, you have the openness welcoming you, which can further narrow towards your bedroom, a good balance of openness and enclosure, but what gives it a feeling of homelike is the familiarity of the space. The smooth finishes and the ability to hide from people and reality while still feeling safe. Balance, light and shadow, openness and enclosure, and height can all help to alleviate hesitancy to some extent. One should not only create spaces for the sake of creating them, but also for how various people approach the same space equally; if the space makes the user uncomfortable, they may not want to visit it again.
The three components of learning, remembering, and feeling are what defines a successful space. Building and designing for people present an opportunity to return to the basic sensory experience of architecture. It hones our senses in preparation for architecture's fundamental and most significant role in improving our quality of life. To accomplish this, we must design architecture that is comprehensible and readable, non-obtrusive, and flexible. In the end, it's critical for each of us to have the freedom to choose the locations and settings that best suit our individual needs at any given time. We have a physical and sensory experience of space when it comes to homeliness. Our mental representation of space acts as a kind of stenograph that coexists with our earliest sensory memories and aids in our ability to recall them. Making buildings self-evident and uncomplicated
Healthy design frequently takes a backseat to other factors like cost and aesthetics when choosing a home or workplace. It might seem absurd to reject a prestigious job due to the layout of the office if choosing a place of employment. However, the places where you will spend a large portion of your life are your home and workplace. It's crucial to speak up for the needs you have in terms of your physical and mental health. Do I have the opportunity to experience a rich environment here? Can I breathe in fresh air while wearing it? Does it permit me to be social and active? We will shape our buildings rather than allow them to shape us once we all start making decisions that put our health first.
To give people opportunities, ask them where they want to be. When it comes to living in a bright or dark, noisy, or quiet environment, hard or soft, natural, or artificial materials, alone or as a member of a group, indoors or outdoors, etc. Designers must produce environments that allow people to live as they have learned to live, where memories can find a home, and where emotions can find a voice. This is how they can treat people fairly
7. REFERENCES
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• Dickson, C., 2018. The Architecture of Mindfulness. Undergraduate Honors Thesis for Architecture. Arizona State University Barrett.
• Fedderson, E., 2014. Lost in Space. 1st ed. Basel: German National Library, pp.14 - 27.
• Ishigami, J., 2017. Freeing Architecture. 1st ed. Paris: Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain.
• Jaraba Molt, M., n.d. Sensing Tranquility. M.Sc. Urban Studies. Department of Urban Studies, Malmö.
• Mongcal, M. (2021) Surprising effects of architecture on your mental health, BluPrint. Available at: https://bluprint.onemega.com/surprising-effects-of-architecture-on-your-mental-health/ (Accessed: December 22, 2022).
• Osorio, E. (2012). In-between spaces in Antofagasta: relationship of architecture with its context. Aus, (12), pp.10–13. Doi:10.4206/aus.2012.n12-03.
• Rickard-Brideau, C. (2019) The connection between space and wellness: Insights, Little. Available at: https://www.littleonline.com/insights/the-connection-between-space-and-wellness-2/ (Accessed: December 22, 2022).
• (2016) The WELL Building Standard, New York: Delos Living LLC