Salutogenic architecture: Designing with a duty of care

Architecture should take an intrinsically person-centric approach, taking into account how touch, sight, hearing and smell is important to the reception and use of a space. It extends to the materials used in construction, the shape of the buildings, the colours and textures used, the relationship between the spaces, as well as the use of apertures within the surrounding environment.

Whether public or private spaces, we must guarantee the work we undertake is positively contributing to the world around us. Our mission is to understand how a building’s structure, occupants, and purpose coordinate to fulfil client objectives, with this seeking balance with end user requirements forming a central part of all design briefs we work on at Pick Everard.

However, when working across a multi-disciplinary set of construction sectors, from education and healthcare to residential and retail, this can often boil down to conceptual or ‘emotive’ ideas which, on first glance, exist outside the realm of physical design.

It is where as professionals committed to advancing our work and the world of architecture, we must be open to new ways of working. This is where academic theories that have become enveloped within architecture become involved.

‘Salutogenesis’ is one such concept, which explains that a built space should be designed and developed with the intention of promoting health, happiness, and wellbeing among its users. First coined by sociologist Aaron Antonovsky in the 20th century, it is the study of how sociologists, architects and health professionals can have a positive impact through their work.

Professor Alan Dilani later introduced the term salutogenesis to architecture to integrate the understanding of how specific environments can promote positive benefits in health and wellbeing to end users, such as staff and patients within a healthcare setting.

This proposed the theory of examining how design practises can connect users to their immediate surroundings spiritually and emotionally, aiding our happiness as human beings. Fostering positive wellbeing for end users is an incredibly important part of our design process at Pick Everard, tailoring each environment specifically to the end user to suit the situation in which they will be.

For example, for healthcare schemes, we can begin to understand how soft furnishings and warm or neutral colours can promote a sense of calmness to aid relaxation in these environments. Stimulation too is important when considering the interlinked purpose of recovery, with methods such as art therapy also enhanced by creative, colourful design. Equally, designs for a children’s ward will be incredibly different to an adult care setting, creating a space in which the children being treated feel more comfortable and may even serve for distraction purposes to aid doctors and nurses in administering treatment.

‘Biophilic’ design is a theory that interlinks with salutogenic architecture, which also plays into our design principles. It has risen in popularity in the past decade and is a very effective way of adding elements that have proven to be beneficial to both learning and living. Fresh air and natural ventilation are core to our physiological and psychological needs, especially in environments where there are high levels of confinement, and so they form a key part of biophilic design principles.

This approach intends to create a reflection of the world around us, adding aspects of greenery, water, and nature to help to create a sense of tranquillity within a set environment. As architects, we understand it can be easier to integrate biophilic design into an existing building, while salutogenic architecture can be more easily achieved on a new project where materials and the sense of coherence of a building can be considered on a bigger picture scale.

In our experience at Pick Everard, we have found that using research to inform unique architectural practices works to ensure a positive result that has health, wellbeing and design at its core. Our team is dedicated to salutogenesis architecture and biophilic design on our projects, driven by ambition to deliver better and collaborate closely with clients and all stakeholders to develop unique designs that enhance wellbeing in the built environment.