Contemporary society spends around 90% of its time inside various built spaces. Homes, offices, administrative buildings, commercial premises, or any area intended for the satisfaction of human needs, have become our refuges for much of our lives.
Every construction presents multiple possible materializations that transcend the merely material fact, becoming a complex composed of matter, perceptions and imaginaries of those who experience it. However, these imaginaries are in constant transformation depending on the context, individualities and the eventualities of daily life.
The COVID-19 pandemic, together with prolonged confinement measures, have shown how architecture constitutes a determining factor in our health and well-being. This paradigm shift has given rise to a new approach called ‘wellbeing architecture’, seeking buildings and urban environments that promote healthier and more balanced lifestyles.
Designing architecture incorporating the notion of ‘wellness’ not only means thinking about spaces from a point of view of physical well-being, but also considering the emotional, spiritual, environmental and social; conceiving each environment as a healthy environment that contributes positively to the quality of life of its inhabitants and their personal development.
It is necessary to incorporate the premises of the WELL standards into each project with the objective of designing architecture focused on the multidimensional aspects of well-being and health. In this way, the individual becomes the protagonist and occupies a central place throughout the entire process; understanding him as a person with desires and aspirations, but also with the desire to share aspects of his life with family, friends and relatives.
Combining materiality, tectonics and design to positively impact the quality of life means creating unique and unrepeatable spaces, where human experiences acquire depth; where their stories intertwine and their identities are exacerbated. Constructions must stop being considered mere inert containers and become animated and suitable media for comprehensive development; abandoning those searches limited only to aesthetics and functionality, to embrace a social responsibility with those who live there and promote relaxation, creativity, harmony and vitality.
Natural lighting, air quality, biophilic design, development of new tectonics, attention to every detail; These are some of the elements and criteria that underpin our practices.
The mind and body coexist in a sensorially active world, which is why, by expanding the interiors to the exterior – or vice versa -, coming into contact with urban life and nature, cognitive functions are stimulated. Projecting environments with large windows as luminous canvases, or incorporating voids inside the compositions as wells of light, is a way of returning to the origins of society, to that role of fire as a central element. Just as the heat of a campfire brought people together, redefining natural light as an element that elevates spatial qualities means contributing to reducing stress levels and respecting the biological cycles of human beings.
Spending much of our days indoors, we are constantly exposed to intense artificial lights that alter our circadian rhythms. However, by optimizing light levels and regulating its impact on the spatiality of the rooms, it is possible to improve daily comfort conditions and sleep cycles.
At the same time, contact with the environment enables natural ventilation, improving indoor air quality and regulating temperature in both winter and summer. Various studies have shown that high concentration levels of pollutants such as carbon dioxide – CO2 – can affect people’s cognitive functions and performance capacity; which is why, by incorporating cross ventilation into our designs we contribute to the renewal of air, at the same time we seek to recreate that pleasant feeling of relaxation that is experienced when feeling a soft breeze.
Recovering the synergy between architecture, nature and our humanity is a fundamental component, it is a way of dialoguing with those most precious moments. Incorporating spaces intended for vegetation, designing green areas on the terraces and selecting the most appropriate place to plant a tree, is equivalent to creating scenarios where nature can be integrated sculpturally, perhaps as a backdrop or perhaps as a focal point of a composition. . Bringing together nature and architecture on the same plane displays a wide range of situations, intentions and sensations, which will be reflected in the perception and moods of those who experience our projects.
Thinking about those who will inhabit our works implies designing spacious, integrated and versatile environments; proposing unique life experiences. Investigating about living and understanding the relationship between what is built and the subject has allowed us to reflect on the importance of having mobile enclosures that provide flexibility to each of the proposals. Individuals are social beings who need to live in community, but it is also necessary to understand the relevance of moments of privacy; Designing versatile environments ensures the metamorphosis of our works according to the needs and desires of each inhabitant.
OdA Wellness, architecture for your well-being, is the practice that includes these WELL standards, transcending mere functionality and aesthetics, to approach a more holistic vision focused on human well-being; an architecture conceived from habitation and conscious of the essence of each individual.
Contact information
OdA – Architecture Office
@oda.arquitectura
www.oda-arquitectura.com
[email protected]
by CEDOC