EXPLORATION : THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Our lives keep getting more stressful by the day.  Whether it is stress put on us by our employer, clients, families, or self, we cannot seem to escape.  The demands increase, yet our ability to manage decreases.  How we define stress levels is dependent on the individual.  How one handles a stressful situation can be based on past experiences: physical, mental, and emotional.  What tools do you use to manage or control your stress?  Research by organizations like the World Health Organization and LEED, among others, has shown that reducing stress in the workplace is imperative to a healthy lifestyle.  Reducing stress is a priority for businesses as it affects productivity, absences, among many things.  While a "stress-free" work environment is unattainable, many corporations include outdoor amenities to help employees connect with the natural environment directly, which has proven to boost morale.  This strategy is not just for the workplace...

Mental Health:  two words that address a broad spectrum.  The WELL Standard says mental health "is determined by a range of socioeconomic, biological, and environmental factors, such as work conditions, lifestyle and health behaviors and genetics."  The definition of mental health is as vague as that declaration.  The health of the mind spans from stress and depression to suicidal thoughts.  If you keep up with current outreach trends, the phrase "mental health" is becoming more acceptable; however, individuals tend to hide their conditions from loved ones and refrain from discussing their challenges.  So, how can we care for mental health if individuals shy away from talking about it, let alone receive any treatment?   According to Well AP, 30% of adults will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime.   35-50% of high-income homes and 75-85% of the middle to low-income households do not receive "official" treatment.   We have ...

Urban Planning does not get the credit it deserves.  It is one aspect of the built environment we often forget about because it does not necessarily care about the building details (architecture), design inside the building (interior design), or mechanics regarding infrastructure (engineers).  Urban Planning, in its most elementary terms, is about relationships:  the relationships of buildings to one another, the relationship of existing conditions to new, but most importantly, the interaction of the built environment to the user.  Urban Planning is how we layout or design an area to maximize its usage and build relationships with people.  Urban planners want to design a place in such a way that it will draw people in and leave an impression that brings them back. It's impossible to plan such a development and not consider health and well-being.  According to Jennifer Kent and Sudan Thompson's article The Three Domains of Urban Planning for Health and Well-...