How sustainability promotes wellness

Revealing the well-used term “sustainability” appears as a marketing label for promotion. But what does it really mean and how can we use it intelligently to create great design and wellness for the end users? Jo Gillies from Archisoul promotes sustainable design to engineer well-being.

The definition of sustainability in ecology is how biological systems remain diverse and productive. Long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems. In more general terms, sustainability is the endurance of systems and processes. Therefore it is far deeper and more complex than most people realise.

The organising principal for sustainability is sustainable development, which includes the four interconnected domains: ecology, economics, politics and culture.

Well-being is a general term for the condition of an individual or group, for example their social, economic, psychological, spiritual or medical state. High well-being means that, in some sense, the individual or group’s experience is positive, while low well-being is associated with negative happenings. To be in a state of well-being is to also have it reflected in sustainable architectural design - as nature already provides this platform for our well being and enjoyment.

There is “subjective well-being” and “objective well-being”. Part of the journey is creating a space that heightens and engineers well-being; but the other part of successful well-being is becoming still; calm and quiet within. A well-designed sustainable space can help but the willingness of the end user is as impacting as any good sustainable design.

Open to New Approaches

There’s a newer approach that a few consultants are now using based around intuitive land readings where the land itself speaks to how it wants to be understood. Akin to the old Aboriginal song lines – an ancient system of earth connection, which has been sustainable for thousands of years this ancient way of understanding a site can determine outcomes akin to the rhythms in our soul once listened to and understood. The mind and the body are then supported and nourished once the language of the site has been revealed and interpreted.

When true sustainability is used in our approach to architecture and design it will engender wellness of the mind/ body and soul. As architects and designers there is a responsibility to create this within all our approaches and not just latch onto the latest marketing catch-cry. It is a far deeper and far more sustaining approach to our lives.

Jo Gillies www.archisoul.com.au So how do we create sustainable design to engineer well-being?

The factors to be considered include the following: • The site and its unique features • The end users lifestyle. What makes their heart sing? • Are the people inclusive or exclusive in their approach to connection to others? • Consideration of material selection • Natural materials have no harmful off-gassing are high vibrationally and therefore are tactile and pleasing to the eye. • People are generally drawn to and feel a connection to natural materials. • Designing to minimise site excavation • Smaller and well-designed places that minimise our energy consumption. • Utilising the surrounding environment/ landscape to allow permaculture, vegetable and herb gardens provides us with healthier approach. • Earth-based approach to design layouts • Generally less consumerism • Harvesting the energy of the sun by applying passive/ solar design and solar panels. • Capturing prevailing breezes and cross ventilation lifts the spirits, purges stale air and therefore helps maintains a healthy body. The above approaches to architectural design expose and reveal how we may promote wellness in our built and natural environment.