What if upon entering your building, you could see actual signals being sent to you from your occupants about how they feel while experiencing your building design? Would you design differently if you knew when within your building design they felt happy? Or in awe? Or stressed?

Now that technologies like the new Q Sensor (a type of bio sensor which tracks the stress levels of a person that is wearing it) are coming into play — we are in a time that is providing some very interesting opportunities for the architectural profession. For instance, you may be able to get more detailed information on what factors affect your occupant most while they take the journey through your building designs. You could potentially get to the bottom of what and why particular elements within your built space usually trigger certain reactions in your occupants. And, you could use that information to inform your design as it responds adaptively in real-time, or you could use it toward evolving your own body of architectural design works as you take what you’ve discovered into your future projects.

If used correctly to uncover emotional triggers, such a wearable bio sensor could give you quite fascinating information about your occupants likes and dislikes. And by learning from all of those occupants that are wearing these wrist worn sensors, your building may be able to adapt and modify itself to respond to the way in which they are reacting. Thus, such sensors can contribute to Read more

Jolob | Dreamstime

The nature of the way we work in offices has changed over the years. Yes, ergonomics has arisen as key to comfort; but, with the advent of the technology revolution even our brains need to be kept in healthy environments. As a result of the computer age, workers are constantly busy – at times even deprived of person-to-person interaction. While bodies sit still, worker brains are influenced by the internet, email, cell phones, videos and all else that can be found via the digital age.

So, what is the best way to design an office that is healthy and includes (even embraces) technology? How can offices help eliminate what Scientific American Mind recently termed “digital [mental] fog” in their article Meet Your iBrain? Digital fog is important to eliminate because it contributes to worker error, mental burn-out and general unwanted stress. Over time, unhealthy environments can ultimately lead to actual cognition impairment and eventual depression.

Since so many hours are devoted to office work, office design should place emphasis on what makes for a healthy workday. Here is my list of 10 simple steps toward design that lessens technology’s negative effects. These helpful tips also contribute to greater comfort, efficiency and overall less employee stress.

1. Include places that give your eyes a rest. Have nature, artwork or a window view to help reduce strained eyes that should not stare at computer technology all day.

2. Provide both natural light and well-planned task lighting. Offices need lighting that counters monitor light. Also, well lit areas should allow for healthy desk-writing, bulletin-board reading and bookshelf scanning.

3. Offer a place for quiet breaks or peaceful meditation. It is important for workers to relax during the workday by providing even a micro-space that is serene by feeding the senses. Think sand garden or other feature for contemplation.

4. Make organization easy. Use functional office design techniques for efficient paperwork and file organization. Setup systems that complement the occupant’s working style.

5. Prevent information overload. Fuse technologies together – allow data to feed from one technology to the other without redundancy. (For example, avoid reading the same email on different computers, cell phones, etc.)

6. Don’t forget to factor chair, desk and mouse ergonomics. This is so important. If your body isn’t adjusted and comfortable, all else will suffer.

7. Keep technology in check…don’t let technologies take over an office. It is important to mentally (or physically) unplug at certain times during the workday. Provide office space and features for use during those times.

8. Provide place for human interaction. Counter the negative effects of too much technology by creating friendly space for meetings and impromptu interactions with people.

9. Allow office workers to make their mark. Designed office space should allow workers to personalize certain areas. It is also important to allow these areas to change over time – for example, to complement seasons or worker mood during the day. Workers need some control over their environment.

10. Clear pathways and reduce travel-times. Place most used items within reach and make pathways always accessible. This not only makes an office more functional but is key to making it efficient.

In the end, it is important to remember that successful office design should let workers be in control. Control over how an office functions and feels goes far to alleviate stress — ultimately boosting self-esteem. When coordinated correctly, office design and technology can harmonize; eventually to improve worker morale both physically and mentally. As workers use technology to improve their abilities to pay attention, multi-task and mine data it is also key that they stay connected through their environment. Office design is vital to having healthy workers.

Taophoto | Dreamstime

THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF NATURE

Healing environments often integrate nature to help de-stress patients. Nature can be a beautiful distraction or have physiological benefits. Either way, nature is important because it has been proven to reduce pain and subsequent stress. In the book Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, patients with views of trees heal more quickly and with less pain than those with views of blank walls. So, how can architecture best incorporate nature to reap all of its healing benefits for healthy environments?

BRINGING THE QUALITIES OF NATURE INDOORS

By incorporating technology, we can extract features from nature in a more conscious manner. As designers bring architecture together with nature, they can align environments with human natural biorhythms. For example, lighting properties could more closely resemble those found in natural sunlight. For better understanding, I like to think about healing gardens that are full of life and appeal to all of the human senses. Color, sound, smell, touch and sometimes even taste are embedded into garden designs. Healing gardens are places where people can find strength, both physically and mentally.

Sometimes certain healing garden characteristics can be found within healing architectural spaces. Water features, circulation pathways or social gathering areas are elements that each may have in common. From healing gardens we learn that by reaching out to the senses, design can greatly impact human well-being. The key is to appeal to human senses.

GREEN architectural features are also helping to make architectural environments more pleasant and comfortable. Interest is in spending less energy while maintaining optimal comfort conditions. In the book Ten Shades of Green, the author describes the Gotz Headquarters by stating that “every element of the building contributes to climate control”. In addition, the atrium pond and plants contribute to the indoor air quality of the building as well.

RELIEVE STRESS WITH HEALING SPACES

Unfortunately, many hospital environments are still overfilled with technology and interior design that is clunky, noisy and visually too sterile and intimidating. Patient experience in such places dampens the senses and makes patients heal in spite of their surroundings. Currently; however, there is an ongoing push to make such environments more humane, comforting and natural. Attention to color or organic textures, for example, are proving to significantly impact occupant or patient mood.

In essence, designers should not forget the healing power of nature when designing healthcare space. Again, bring forth some of what makes healing gardens so successful – such design characteristics are sure to relax, comfort and help to heal.