Building Wellness: The Relationship Between Holistic Design, Integrative Design, and Wellness Spaces
As with all journeys into wellness it’s a very personal one. Sometimes out of the necessity to heal, sometimes out of curiosity, experimentation or growth. Ultimately healing is a journey that is to take place within the structure of the body and mind, but more often than also takes place within a building, meaning that, whether a large resort wellness centre, a community social hub or a Finnish Sauna, consideration of how the design of those spaces can support and nurture healing, is very much worth considering
The Global Wellness Institute defines Wellness Architecture as – “the practice of architecture that relies on the art and science of designing built environments with socially conscious systems and materials to promote the harmonious balance between physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual wellbeing while regenerating the natural environment. Human health, wellbeing and comfort are key design considerations that augment a foundation rooted in sustainable and regenerative design practices”
So how exactly do buildings help or hinder our healing ? Leaving budget and typologies to the side for now, how can we as creators of the built environment support health and the healing process. How do rigid immovable buildings actually permeate our soft porous, and very much moveable bodies and minds?
There are really only two big ideas that we need to consider when it comes to the notion of Wellness Architecture - Integrative Design and Holistic Design.
HOLISTIC Vs INTEGRATIVE
Holistic architecture/ design and Integrative architecture / design are two different approaches to creating or refurbishing buildings and spaces but are often ambiguous or conflated with one another. Lets clarify :
Holistic architecture / design is an approach that considers the whole person, as well as the environment and the surrounding community, in the design process. It focuses on creating spaces that are in harmony with nature and the human body, and that promote balance and well-being. Holistic architecture takes into account the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the users and seeks to create a sense of connection and unity between people and their surroundings.
Integrative architecture / design, on the other hand, is a design approach that integrates different systems and technologies into a building or space in ways that optimise their performance and reduce their environmental impact. It aims to create a sustainable and energy-efficient building by incorporating features such as green roofs, solar panels, and rainwater harvesting systems. Integrative architecture seeks to create a balance between the needs of the users, the environment, and the available resources.
While both holistic architecture and integrative architecture aim to create sustainable and well-designed spaces, holistic architecture focuses more on the well-being of the users and their connection to the environment, while integrative architecture focuses more on integrating technology and systems to create a sustainable building, of which we can easily argue that sustainable buildings are the cornerstone of human well being, on an individual and global scale. There are various crossovers between the 2 approaches and as technology and science make new discoveries these lines will become more blurred than they already are - biometrics, retinal and fingerprint scanning has increased over 60% in the last 3 years
Post- pandemic lockdowns have seen an explosion of interest in how buildings keep us safe, healthy, psychologically resilient and connected to our community. “Wellness real estate” provides the sites and platforms for these healing projects and modalities.
Wellness real estate refers to residential and commercial properties designed and built with the intention of promoting the physical, mental, and emotional health of the occupants.The demand for wellness real estate has been driven by an increasing focus on health and wellness among consumers, clients as well as a growing awareness of the impact of the built environment on health. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened interest in wellness features such as outdoor spaces, home gyms, meditation spaces, hydrotherapy, temperature therapies, social and communal spaces, retreats and day spas…the list goes on and is continuing to grow.
The statistics are equally explosive
“ The global wellness real estate market size was valued at USD 279.4 billion in 2021 and is estimated to reach USD 863.9 billion by 2028” (nfresearch.com)
The future of wellness space architecture and design is expected to continue to evolve and incorporate new trends and innovations like the possibilities below:
Virtual and augmented reality: Technology is already being integrated into wellness spaces, and in the future, we can expect to see more virtual and augmented reality experiences that enhance the user experience.
Personalization: The trend towards personalised wellness experiences is likely to continue, with wellness spaces offering customised programs and services tailored to the needs of individual users.
Biometric design: Biometric design, which involves using biometric data to design spaces that support human health and well-being, could become more prevalent in wellness space design.
Wellness as a lifestyle: The wellness trend is expected to continue, with more people incorporating wellness practices into their daily lives. Wellness spaces are expanding beyond traditional gyms and spas to include residential and commercial buildings designed to promote well-being.
The Wellrooom Co and the Buildings That Heal us Podcast will be diving into a lot of incredible projects and speaking to many people around these ideas so make sure you follow us in all the places to be front and centre at the ever moving horizon of healing and the built environment.