To read Part 1 of this news article, click here.
What societal changes do you foresee as necessary to support a future of work that works for everyone?
I’d like to turn again to our podcast episode with Adam Cossey of Hawkins\Brown to answer this one.
“Over the past 30 years there have been several trends that have become embedded into our way of thinking and designing. Such examples would be sustainability, access and inclusivity, which at first were considered ‘nice to have bolt-on accessories’ but are now essential in the design of a building”, says Adam.
“The wellbeing trend is still in the accessory phase but is, without question, increasingly becoming an essential factor when it comes to building design”.
“Our current £100M Bristol University project perfectly embodies how wellbeing can be factored into a building's design concept. We are consulting with a number of stakeholders and speaking to members of the community, from students to staff and these conversations are informing the wellbeing requirements of the library. We have had very interesting conversations with first and second years who desire spaces where they can digitally disconnect. This constant intrusion of digital noise within their lives is a common theme we come across. We addressed this request by looking to design an environment which provides quiet digital spaces - perhaps to even disconnect from WiFi in certain spaces! We are looking into natural ventilation, collaborative spaces and quieter working spaces along the periphery of the building which will be accompanied by great views of Bristol.”
“Ten years ago, the focus for a library would have been for designing digital spaces and now it's about weaving the digital with the analogue. One requirement is to house as many books and collections as we can. This building thus encourages serendipity and a chance to discover. The smell of books needs to be factored in as well! The theme from now on will be addressing different qualities within a space. Acoustics is central to that thinking.”
In line with this growing trend in wellbeing led design, in December last year, Quiet Mark announced a groundbreaking, industry changing new partnership with NBS, a UK based leading construction data and specification platform, to empower architects to specify ‘acoustics first’, by providing a shortcut for specifiers to source responsible products.
Quiet Mark and NBS have joined forces to enable the 3,600+ practices that use NBS everyday, to create 13.6M specifications per month, to easily source Quiet Mark certified products and materials. The aim is to elevate the aural design of buildings, optimizing the overall level of acoustic comfort for occupants.
What innovative strategies do you see employers offering to help improve and optimize their employee’s mental health and wellbeing?
In the past year, up to Dec 2021, the building area applying WELL offerings has tripled from one billion square feet to more than three billion, so that today WELL strategies support the health and well-being of an estimated 13.6 million people in more than 33,000 locations in nearly 100 countries.
Having your company building achieve the WELL standard, provides businesses an attractive way to demonstrate to their teams that their workspace has been improved with their mental health and wellbeing in mind.
And thanks to the institute’s first national campaign, directed by Spike Lee and starring Lady Gaga, J-Lo, Michael B. Jordan, Robert DeNiro, Venus Williams, each encouraging the public to look for WELL’s seal at restaurants, retailers and offices, those employees are now more likely to know WELL and understand its benefits.
The WELL Building Standard (WELL), is a roadmap for creating and certifying spaces that advance human health and well-being. Developed over 10 years and backed by the latest scientific research, WELL sets pathways for accomplishing health-first factors that help every one of us to do our best work and be our best selves by supporting our physical and mental health across 10 core concepts, including air, water, light, thermal comfort, sound quality and acoustic comfort.
Quiet Mark’s CMO and Podcast Host, Simon Gosling is on the The WELL Homes & Sound Advisories, which advises on evidence-based design and performance strategies for advancing health in single-family homes and commercial buildings, across various typologies and regions.
Quiet Mark is now bringing the 1.2K+ Quiet Mark certified products to the global building industry, making a shortcut for architects and specifiers to source the quietest appliances and best performing acoustic building materials.
Continue reading to Part 3.