A healthy building is one that is good for its users, but also good for the planet. We have a responsibility to design sustainable, low carbon, healthy buildings.
Our designs focus on natural light, good air quality, access to nature and also use of natural materials to create spaces that positively affect our wellbeing.
We spend 90% of our lives in buildings and 65% in our homes. As such, the impact that buildings have on our physical and mental wellbeing, though air quality, natural light, thermal comfort as well as the communities we live and work in and our relationship to nature, should not be underestimated.
Our research has shown that the relationship with nature and the development of a sense of community have had a strong impact on the success of housing projects. Post occupancy surveys of office buildings have proved the success of creating a healthy office environment.
We seek to address this in all our work.
Our experience is that people enjoy living on the edge of cities and near to parks, close enough to amenities and social networks, but also to the countryside and the green-blue space that is connected to wellbeing.
Our cities should be greened, not just with parks, but with planting on roofs, balconies, terraces and in the spaces between.
Food should be grown in the city and consumed within metres of its cultivation and every citizen should have the opportunity to spend time in nature.
Greenery needs to not only be abundant, but diverse. providing a variety of terrain, attracting wildlife and contributing to a place that it is a pleasure to spend time in.
