Designing Healthy Spaces - Interior design tools

Emma guest lectures to 3rd year Interior Architecture students in Dublin and talks about talks about healthy interior design tools such as Wabi Sabi, Hygge, Biophilic Design, neuro/nudge architecture and active design which all focus on how we feel in a space (e.g. calm, stressed, focused, cosy) and how we respond to a space. Emma also give a brief introduction to the WELL Building standard. 

Wabi Sabi is a Japanese philosophy which values tranquillity, harmony, beauty and imperfection. It encourages us to focus on seeing things in their most authentic state and celebrate the way things are rather than endlessly pursuing perfection. Danish Hygge is often described as the art of cosiness, its key ingredients are togetherness, relaxation, indulgence, presence and comfort, in other words you know Hygge when you feel it. Biophilic Design focuses on our neurological and physiological responses to the built environment - the air we breathe, the quality of light, the colour, texture and dimension of the space Neuro or nudge architecture considers how the body and brain respond to the built environment and encourages better lifestyle habits (exercise, food choices) by reducing the effort to make the right choice. The Brain is making micro-decisions all day long, which can lead to Decision-fatigue. It’s harder to make a good choice than a bad one but 15 second delay can sometimes be enough to deter a bad decision. So Nudge design considers placing things where they are needed to make decision making easier. Active design focuses on providing opportunities for regular movement.