Overview

Can good design truly make us happier? Given that we spend over 80% of our time in buildings, shouldn't we have a better understanding of how they make us feel? Happy by Design explores the ways in which buildings, spaces and cities affect our moods. It reveals how architecture and design can make us happy and support mental health, and explains how poor design can have the opposite effect. Presented through a series of easy-to-understand design tips and accompanied by beautiful diagrams and illustrations, Happy by Design is a fantastic resource for architects, designers and students, or for anybody who would like to better understand the relationship between buildings and happiness. With the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, the importance of designing for mental wellbeing has never been higher on the agenda. Whether through low-energy design, designing in better ventilation to avoid passing on pathogens or the realisation of the importance of accessing nature within an environment, this revised edition has been updated to reflect a changed world.

Full Product Details

Author:   Ben Channon
Publisher:   RIBA Publishing
Imprint:   RIBA Publishing
Edition:   Revised edition
ISBN:  

9781915722287

ISBN 10:   1915722284
Pages:   160
Publication Date:   01 November 2023
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements About the Author Introduction Chapter 1 Light Orient buildings sensitively Consider shadows Be selective about window sizes Avoid deep plans Use rooflights shrewdly Don’t overlook artificial light Consider the temperature of artificial light Use artificial light to create pockets of calm Chapter 2 Comfort Use tactile materials Consider comfort as well as aesthetics Think about the temperature of buildings Ensure a good supply of fresh air Ventilation (new addition) Keep the noise out Chapter 3 Control Design adaptable spaces Give people better control over their environment Provide people with a range of environments Allow for personalisation Give people better control over their diets Give building users privacy Chapter 4 Nature Bring nature in Provide views of nature Put gardens on the roof Design gardens and parks as an escape from the urban Integrate or give views of water Improve ecology and biodiversity Use nature to educate, engage and involve Chapter 5 Aesthetics Use colour wisely Create moments of joy Avoid visual monotony Make buildings legible Celebrate the simple Get the proportions right Chapter 6 Activity Encourage activity Design-in spaces for exercise Design wider streets Design for the bicycle Connect to nearby facilities Don’t overlook spaces for inactivity Chapter 7 Psychology Storage Provide high ceilings wherever possible Celebrate the entrance Go open-plan Bigger isn’t always better Consider prospect and refuge theory Create an atmosphere Conclusions Notes + References Index

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Author Information

Ben Channon is an architect, author, TEDx speaker and mental wellbeing advocate, and is well known in the industry as a thought leader in designing for happiness and wellbeing. He is a Director at wellbeing design consultancy Ekkist, where he helps clients and design teams to create healthier places, and researches how buildings and urban design can impact how we feel.

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