Leslie Saul & Associates, Inc.
Celebrating 33 Years
Of making the world a better place for People who Work, Play, Age, Live, and Learn
Wellness Design
What is wellness and how can design make life better for people who work, play, age, live, and learn?
We designers may not call what we do “wellness”, but we are shaping people’s lives every day. Design quietly determines how people feel, function, and behave in a space, whether we intend it or not.
I try to be intentional in my design work, so I started looking at the different types of work that we do, and I realized that wellness shows up differently depending on why people are there.
Combined Jewish Philanthropies
WORK
We talk about productivity and collaboration, energy, focus, and stress reduction. The elements that we focus on in office space include:
Biophilia: light, air, acoustics, and plants; Choice: Quiet versus Collaborative vs. Social spaces; Hybrid (“earning the commute”): how to include remote workers
Gong Cha Huntington Ave
Roche Bobois Boston
PLAY
The Retail shift from transaction to experience is about how people feel in the spaces we have designed. Do people want to linger? Is the space energizing or overwhelming? Is there a flow of lighting, density, sound? Do people spend more? (such as the Walmart study of products under skylights). If a restaurant is too noisy, you may not want to go back, but if it is too quiet, you may think it’s boring.
Carleton-Willard Village: Llewsac
AGE
BEFORE
AFTER
In Senior Living the stakes are higher for both residents and staff:
Safety and Dignity, Independence vs. Assistance, Social Connection vs. Isolation
Design can either take autonomy away or help preserve it. Design is so important to residents because they can’t escape it!
Sudbury House Pavilion
LIVE
At home, design is a personal form of wellness. To be in an environment of your own choice:
Sleep quality (light, noise), Comfort, Safety, Routines. Do the spaces support or fight daily life?
Understanding each client’s needs, dreams, and priorities is key to success
UMASS Dartmouth Library
Congregation Kehillath Israel
LEARN
In learning environments, wellness connects directly to attention, memory, and a sense of belonging: Can the students and teachers focus? Do you feel seen, included? Is there a sense of calm and inspiration that makes you want to be there?
In Religious projects, design shapes something less tangible: reflection, connection, and meaning.
Key Considerations
Wellness looks different in each of these types of spaces, but the underlying question is the same: How do people actually feel in the spaces that we are creating?
Whether it’s where we work, play age, live or learn, we’re not just designing space that looks good, we are designing the conditions for how people experience their lives.
Does the environment support the way people need and want in each stage/element of their lives?
Does our design help people feel and function better, or not?