Description
As technology advances and sedentary jobs rise, the need to be physically active to perform work tasks becomes less and less. While movement may not be necessary to perform these tasks, steady movement throughout the day dictates how well tasks are performed. Since people spend a significant amount of time working, staying active in the workplace is crucial, as it improves not only physical health, but mental health as well. Moreover, patterns and behaviors in the office have a major lifestyle affect outside the office as well, therefore, it is imperative that employees are not just encouraged to move more, but subjected to more physical activity. Traditionally, the primary focus on the sustainability of built environments has been on environmental sustainability. Nonetheless, it is also important that the design of these environments emphasizes the sustainability of the people inhabiting them by enhancing human health and well-being. Though social sustainability is sometimes addressed through simple strategies, such as the use of non-toxic materials or improving indoor air quality, these strategies only look at very specific, primitive solutions. However, the goals of designing a sustainable built environment are being revisited and shifting towards a whole-systems approach by realizing the underlying issues and expanding the strategies used, by exploring frameworks such as biophilia, design that reconnects us with nature, and active design, which addresses physical, mental and social well-being of communities. This project aims to further explore these innovative design solutions in order to combat the problems caused by the sedentary workforce by developing a design that promotes physical and mental health through subconscious, inherent and routine exercise. As the result of preliminary exploration, the design focuses on the concept of elevation, derived from biophlic patterns and active design. Furthermore, by approaching the problem with a broader perspective and implementing strategies that support human health, solutions can also impact environmental and economic sustainability, thus addressing The Triple Bottom Line.