World Architecture Day 2022: Designing for Well-Being and Promoting Spaces for Everyone

Written by Christele Harrouk
Published on October 03, 2022

The first Monday of October of every year marks World Architecture Day and World Habitat Day. Celebrated simultaneously, they both seek to shed light on the built environment and its challenges, taking on a different theme with each new edition. This year, through its World Architecture Day, the UIA is focusing on “Architecture for well-being”, in line with the designation of 2022 as the UIA Year of Design for Health in buildings and cities. In parallel, the UN’s World Habitat Day, is centered on “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind”, looking at the problem of growing inequality and challenges in cities and human settlements, due to the triple ‘C’ crises – COVID-19, climate and conflict.

Introducing Urban October, 31 days to promote a better urban future, World Architecture Day and World Habitat Day push forward the debates on urban sustainability. Joining the conversation every year, ArchDaily takes part in this occasion by promoting content that tackles the main objectives of this day, raising awareness, presenting solutions, engaging the international community, and “empowering everyone who makes architecture happen to create a better quality of life”.

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2022 has been a year of turmoil, with new conflicts emerging and the consequences of the pandemic becoming more and more visible, reversing the years of progress made in the fight against many challenges such as poverty, climate crisis, and inequality. Starting with cities, home to the majority of the population, these topics are at a priority level, in order to build “more resilient, sustainable and healthy societies” that could withstand the current and future threats. More committed to the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda, Architects worldwide are looking to improve the quality of the spaces in which we live and work, as explained in the UIA Declaration, creating a good design that “makes our communities stronger, safer and healthier”.

Under the title of “Designing for Well-Being and Promoting Spaces for Everyone”, our selection of articles, includes writings produced by our editors, as well as some publications featured on Architonic. Divided into 5 categories, these texts discuss Wellness as a Priority in Living Spaces, Transforming the Existing into Healthier Spaces, Materiality that Prioritizes Wellbeing, The Public Realm: Comfort, Well-being, and Inclusiveness, and last by not least, Reflections on the Architecture of Today.