Healthy Architecture
The growing importance of health-conscious urban design in the light of emerging environmental and lifestyle risks
Tracking and understanding risks better can create awareness, but sacrifice alone is no recipe for future happiness
The progress and prosperity of recent years have given us a higher level of comfort, greater security and more choices: universal mobility and an ever-increasing variety of foods and beverages have become an integral part of modern life. At the same time, digitalisation and new means of transport will lead to even more convenience in the next few years.
The changes in our behaviour and the effects of our affluence have brought benefits, but the implications for our health are not exclusively positive: a lack of exercise and our high-calorie diets increase cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, including among young people; higher temperatures pose risks for the elderly or children; and increased screen time promotes myopia – by 2050, this could affect half of the world’s population.
Behavioural monitoring and a better understanding of the risk factors – from poor-quality indoor air, which can cause asthma, to cancer risks associated with eating meat or even drinking tea that is too hot – can help us to improve our health. The more we know and the more we are sensitised to the dangers, the more emotionally overwhelmed we become. In addition, new scientific findings are constantly emerging, some of which contradict our established understanding, turning every decision we make into a complex process of deciding in favour of or against our health.
Theories on the future of living with a view to a healthy lifestyle
Living and working spaces are becoming an integral part of a healthy lifestyle.
This includes optimising light and air conditions indoors, but also encouraging exercise, for instance by making staircases more inviting, or by holding office meetings in different parts of the building. Infrastructure can also play a role when it comes to infectious diseases, for example by having virus- or bacteria-repellent surfaces installed.
Buildings are being fitted with digital sensors that highlight hazards by monitoring behaviour and pollutant levels.
Infrastructure can therefore be instrumental in optimising our health. In addition, environmental data – from air and water quality through to noise and light pollution – can be monitored across the board, helping the entire population to avoid health risks.
It is not only the design of individual buildings that is fundamental to promoting our health: the same applies to cities and towns, too.
Instead of using motorised transport for all our journeys and covering the last mile with micro-scooters, urban spaces should be reinterpreted as exercise zones or urban fitness trails. Planning neighbourhoods with shops that are within walking distance encourages a daily stroll and social interaction, which also contributes to greater happiness and health improvements.
Besides health-related optimisations, there also needs to be space for pleasure – in moderation. Homes and neighbourhoods can be key to this by offering spaces for celebration and relaxation alike. After all, a combination of pleasure and health will continue to be the recipe for genuine quality of life in the future.
Together with the think tank W.I.R.E., Livit is venturing to take a look at the world of tomorrow to mark its 60th anniversary. The project examines six long-term developments in terms of their consequences for our daily lives and the spaces where we live and work. Follow us on LinkedIn to make sure you don’t miss a post.