Well-being: The Latest Architecture and News

What does it mean to design while considering the rhythms and cycles of nature? What social relationships and connections with the natural environment can cities foster today and in the future? In the face of a triple environmental crisis driven by climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, along with zoonotic pandemics, increasing mental and emotional health issues, and digital hyperconnectivity, Fundación Cosmos proposes to explore learnings, experiences, and tools aimed at connecting people with their territories. Through nature-based urban planning, the intervention in urban wetlands presents an opportunity to enhance, learn from, and conserve natural and cultural heritage in pursuit of a sustainable and resilient future.

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How do community centers emerge? Why do they often represent a need for the appropriation and development of society? In the pursuit of improving the quality of life in the most vulnerable communities, community centers present themselves as an alternative capable of providing healthcare, educational, cultural, and recreational services, along with spaces that contribute to the present and future development of communities. In Mexico, numerous community centers are created and supported by government institutions, civil foundations, or private companies, as well as co-management initiatives that aim to integrate children, youth, adults, and older adults into spaces for gathering, socializing, and recreation, where they can engage in activities from learning to developing individual and collective skills.

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Connection with nature has become increasingly important in architectural theory and practice in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, which emphasized the role of natural environments in healing. During this time, many scientific studies highlighted the positive effects of green spaces on human well-being, whether in workplaces, homes, or urban areas. With these proven benefits, it is clear that incorporating natural elements into hospital designs is crucial, creating spaces that provide vital support for patients facing physical or mental challenges.

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How does floating architecture relate to nature? How are wellness spaces connected to natural environments? Living in spaces around water continues to be one of the greatest interests and attractions for a large portion of the global population. Beyond the fact that designing on water requires consideration of various structural, economic, construction, material, and technological variables, understanding the region's climate aspects—such as rainfall, currents, winds, temperatures, and more—is essential for creating architectures that coexist with the natural world and do not cause severe damage to ecosystems.

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The 21st century has dramatically transformed school architecture, driven by new educational philosophies, technological progress, and social values emphasizing sustainability and inclusion. This change goes beyond mere aesthetics, deeply reshaping how physical spaces contribute to education. Traditional narrow hallways and rows of desks have been replaced by dynamic, flexible spaces that are well-integrated with their surroundings and the community. These modern designs prioritize versatility and multifunctionality.

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Designing for the human experience has been at the forefront of architect's intentions and motivations behind their work. While traditional processes prove beneficial, the industry is peering over boundaries to find opportunities for collaboration with other design and non-design fields. New approaches have emerged with collaborations between architects and service designers, or even psychologists, to create more human-centric spaces. A new intersection captures the attention of practitioners, especially with a recent installation at Salone de Mobile neuroarchitecture. ArchDaily breaks down the scope and potential for this new field with Federica Sanchez, architect and neuroscience researcher at Italian firm Lombardini22, responsible for revamping the Salone.

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When addressing the world's broader problems—such as the climate emergency, energy crisis, and housing shortage—, we often seek sweeping, grand solutions that could tackle them all at once. As alluring as these ideas may be, they eventually run into the thousands of complexities and interconnections our world presents. But what if we sought more decentralized and domestic solutions? Chicago-based firm Tom Bassett-Dilley Architects has been pursuing just this, focusing on sustainable design, carbon-free and energy-efficient projects for residences, historical buildings, institutions, and commercial projects. In their Manifesto: The New American Dwelling, they argue that the single-family home, once the great American dream, needs to be redefined to emphasize minimalism, efficiency, health, connection with nature, durability, and personal kindness, moving away from wasteful, artificial, and toxic practices. We spoke with Tom Bassett-Dilley, FAIA, CPHC, LFA, and founder of the firm, about some aspects of their work.

While not entirely dependent on one another, the relationship between architecture and mental well-being is an important topic, as designers and architects can contribute to creating a more enjoyable environment for everyone. From strategies to enhance mental health in shared workspaces to the ways in which architecture can contribute to preventing cognitive decline, understanding the potential impact of environmental neurosciences and the ways they apply to architecture is an essential skill for our profession.

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