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Defining Wellbeing
from Wellbeing in Buildings: Experimenting the effect of Biophilia in the Built Environment on Wellbeing
1 . 0 I N T R O D U C T I O N
Building for the wellbeing of people bestows benefits on multiple fronts. The influence of the built environment on individuals is not trivial, but rather significant in impact. Studies have found that the quality of indoor spaces pose the ability to positively influence health, wellbeing, and productivity (Allen et al., 2015; Allen et al., 2016; MacNaughton et al., 2017; Samet and Spengler, 2003). It is thus with reason, that built forms should motion for conducive health and wellbeing, and in effect facilitate fruitful, human-giving environments that better the lives of communities and greater organisations.
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In order to understand the relationship between the built environment and wellbeing, it is important to first define the term ‘wellbeing’ with regard to its broad relations.
In many cases, studies have linked the definition of wellbeing to health. The World Health Organization (2014) for instance, recognises health as a ‘state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. This can imply that wellbeing is a physical, mental, and social determinant of health, and not simply limited to mental capital or being a constituent to health through lack of illness. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs adds onto this by outlining that wellbeing ‘is not just the absence of pain, discomfort and incapacity. It requires that basic needs are met, that individuals have a sense of purpose, that they feel able to achieve important personal goals and participate in society.’ (Department of Health, 2010). Through this statement, the term ‘wellbeing’ advances to incorporate and recognise individual and societal contributions. It further alludes to Maslow’s (1943) theory of human motivation and hierarchy of needs - where Maslow proposes wellbeing and higher performance are achieved when an individual meets their fundamental physical, functional, and psychological needs, in ascending order; see figure 1.1.
1.1 DEFINING WELLBEING
