Back to Blog

Glass-House Chats: Can We Improve Health Through Placemaking?

Posted on 21 January 2025

Written by:

Louise Dennison

This month’s Chat, Can we improve health through placemaking? focused on how the design of our places can help shape healthier, happier communities by prioritising people’s needs, bringing nature into spaces and creating joy. Participants shared their views and ideas for improving design across healthcare, public spaces, and across the wider built environment. The conversation highlighted that designing for health and wellbeing isn’t just about bricks and mortar, but about creating spaces where people feel welcome, connected, and happy.

Key Themes

After general introductions, we asked participants joining us from health and hospital settings to share their experiences, offering insights into the challenges and opportunities of designing for healthcare environments. We then went on to explore the theme of designing for health and wellbeing more broadly, considering how thoughtful design can transform spaces into supportive, nurturing environments. We focused on the themes of designing with and for people, the philosophy of biophilic design and how thoughtful, creative design can bring joy and a sense of calm to people who live, work and play in spaces and places.

Designing With and For People

People are at the heart of great design. One of our participants highlighted that accessibility is not just about physical features like ramps or lifts but also psychological accessibility, ensuring people feel welcome and are put at ease. Healthcare environments specifically can be particularly challenging. Being in hospital, and even entering one, can be intimidating, with stress often beginning before arrival. Thoughtful design, including clear way-finding, calming features and artwork can help reduce this burden.

The participants agreed that engaging users in the design process is crucial. One example given was Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, where the designers embarked on an extensive consultation process with staff, patients, and families which resulted in a child-friendly environment with a streetscape reflecting everyday life, reducing anxiety and creating a sense of normality for patients.

Returning to more general discussion about public space, participants also noted the importance of creating opportunities for organic interaction. While you can’t force social connection, well-designed spaces can encourage it. For instance, seating arrangements that provide personal space while inviting interaction can help people feel comfortable and connected. This approach restores dignity and agency, making people active participants in shaping their environments.

Biophilic Design

Biophilic design, the inclusion of natural elements into built environment design, emerged as a key theme. Participants explored how nature-inspired design supports mental and physical health by reducing stress and creating a sense of well-being.

Our participants discussed how biophilic design can have a real impact on healthcare settings. Including elements like natural light, views of trees and green spaces, and access to outdoor spaces can transform clinical settings into more welcoming environments. 

Discussion also moved on to how this principle extends beyond healthcare and can be applied across the built environment. Within new developments for example, features like community gardens, tree-lined streets, and green roofs can enhance public spaces. One of our participants noted how the pandemic highlighted disparities in access to green spaces, really emphasising its importance for health and well-being. Another participant offered their experience of how effective biophilic design also considers sensory experiences. Tactile materials, soothing sounds, and even natural scents create immersive environments that nurture both mind and body. By incorporating these elements, designers can make spaces more inviting and inclusive for everyone.

Designing in Joy, Designing out Stress

Great design isn’t just about being functional, it is also about how it makes people feel. Spaces that reduce stress while fostering joy contribute to healthier, happier communities.

Within hospitals and healthcare settings, this might involve intuitive wayfinding, clear signage, and layouts that reduce confusion. One participant highlighted how reducing stress through clearer navigation can improve patient outcomes by reducing anxiety, making it easier to find locations with the hospital. 

Our group agreed that designing for joy goes beyond being practical. They discussed how public art, interactive installations, and playful features can transform ordinary spaces into interesting and inspiring ones. Examples given included art projects in hospitals that involve patients and their families which create a sense of ownership and community and make the communal spaces feel more welcoming. Another example given outside of healthcare settings was the installation of outdoor gyms and well designed community parks which encourage physical activity and social interaction.

One of our participants noted that within public infrastructure, thoughtful details like blue lighting, classical music, or spaces to charge phones can make a significant difference. These small touches create environments where people feel safer, calmer, and more connected. Ultimately, designing in joy means thinking beyond utility to create spaces that uplift and inspire.

Wrapping Up

This month’s discussion underscored the transformative power of thoughtful design. By focusing on user needs, integrating nature, and fostering joy, we can create spaces that promote health, happiness, and connection. From hospitals to public parks, the principles of accessibility, biophilia, and designing for joy remind us that great design is about more than structures, it’s about people. By putting people at the centre of the process, we can design places and spaces where everyone thrives