Design of the built environment can play an important role in health outcomes and disease prevention, promoting the inclusion and wellbeing of people of all ages and supporting physical, psychological and sensory capacities. Day-to-day environments can also support rehabilitation and the healing process. Current healthcare reforms are changing the way that services are delivered, and design can enable this transformation and foster a user-driven healthcare culture.
This book presents the proceedings of ARCH24, the 6th International Conference on Architecture, Research, Care and Health, held from 17-19 June 2024 in Espoo, Finland. The main objective of the ARCH conference series is to promote architectural research within the health and wellbeing sector, and to provide evidence-based data which will move the profession and design community forward.
The theme of the 2024 conference was Effects of Design on Health and Wellbeing. The growing awareness that health and wellbeing can no longer be dealt with as a local issue was reflected in an emphasis on wider global reach and greater diversity. In total, 140 submissions were received for the conference. Of the full papers received, 37 were selected after peer review for presentation and publication here. Topics addressed include designing for social and emotional wellbeing, for the transformation of care delivery and culture, and for everyday environments to support, rehabilitate and care.
Providing a comprehensive overview of current thinking on the role that design plays in care environments, this book will be of interest to all those working in the field.
