What is Salutogenic Design?
Salutogenic (pronounced "sah-loo-toe-JEN-ick") design is the evidence-based design strategy focused on enhancing human health and wellness. Simply put, the way sustainable design looks at how a building impacts the outside environment, salutogenic design looks at how a building impacts its inhabitants: one looks outside, the other looks inside, but both strive to create healthy environments.
DEFINING SALUTOGENIC DESIGN: ORIGINS AND PRINCIPLES
Biophilic design is the most popular component of salutogenic design. This tactical solution of salutogenic design is derived from the term "biophilia," the theory -- supported by over 24,000 peer-reviewed studies -- that humans have an innate connection to nature. Biophilic design is design that relates, in specific and well-defined ways, to nature. This is most commonly applied to architecture and interior design, but can also extend to landscape architecture with related fields (such as biomimicry) that extend far beyond.
Decades of scientific and medical research demonstrate the profound effects nature and the built environment have on human psychology and physiology. Leveraging this research, salutogenic strategies and biophilic design solutions have been proven to:
EVIDENCE-BASED DESIGN & THE ROLE OF BIOPHILIC DESIGN
"Salutogenesis," the etymological root of salutogenic design, was a new theory turned paradigm-shifting approach to medicine introduced by Aaron Antonovsky in the late 1970s and widely respected today: salutogenesis focuses on adding factors that support human health, as opposed to simply subtracting factors that cause disease. Applied to architecture and the built environment, this is a strategy that adds factors demonstrated to improve inhabitant well-being into the design of places.
Stephanie Brick, WELL AP (#0000000823), is a leading expert on implementing salutogenic and biophilic design in the public sector, especially in high-stress places. Ms. Brick blazed the trail for salutogenic design strategies across federal facilities with innovative, data-driven, human centered design solutions to improve health, well-being, and productivity, as well as wayfinding, accessibility, and agency branding/identity. She has led multiple groundbreaking pilots, co-authored new global building design guidelines, led innovation teams and projects, and has been pivotal in shifting cultural awareness of facility impact on workforce well-being. As an accomplished public speaker, Ms. Brick has lectured on salutogenic design at all scales of platforms, from introductory office trainings to internationally broadcast forums.
If you or your firm is interested in project consulting or an expert lecture on salutogenic/biophilic design, please reach out via the Contact page.
 Wood graining |  Sunbeams in a forest |
|---|---|
 Golden field of wheat |  Natural marble granite |
 Water reflecting sunset |  Leaf veining detail |
 Water reflecting in a pool |  Backlit red leaves in the sun |
 Forest canopy |
For more information on salutogenic design, the following resources are recommended:
◆ Improving Health in the Military and Beyond Using Salutogenic Design by Stephanie Brick
The groundbreaking, peer-reviewed treatise presenting salutogenic design as Mission-critical architecture to improve the health and well-being of military service members (available open access)
◆ The Washington Post: Salutogenic Design by Stephanie Brick
A homeowner's guide to how the design of your home can improve your health and well-being
◆ The Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA)
Non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the use of neuro- and cognitive science to better design the built environment
◆ The Economics of Biophilia and The 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design by Terrapin Bright Green
Excellent resources detailing the financial benefits of biophilic design to businesses, hospitals, schools, and more, as well as an easy-to-read review of the 14 patterns that define biophilic design
The landmark, evidence-based standard that codifies designing for people's health and well-being within the built environment. Recommended reading: the "Overview" of each section (via iconography on the left).
◆ Improve stress recovery rates
◆ Lower blood pressure
◆ Lower cortisol (stress) levels
◆ Improve cognitive functions and mental clarity
◆ Increase learning rates
◆ Induce calm
◆ Decrease violence and criminal activity
◆ Elevate moods
◆ Increase productivity
◆ Decrease anxiety
◆ Enhance mental stamina and focus
◆ Speed up illness recovery time
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH, RESOURCES, & EXPERT CONSULTING
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Website designed, developed, and maintained by Stephanie Brick Design.
HOW TO DESIGN HEALTHY BUILDINGS AND ARCHITECTURE FOR WELL-BEING
The fundamental premise of salutogenic design is to create healthy environments that support a sense of coherence (SOC). As seen in the diagram below (which, as an example, is specific to office environments), this is achieved by taking a three-pronged approach: designing for comprehensibility (the purpose of an environment should be recognizable and easy to understand), meaningfulness (you feel a connection to and purpose in the environment), and manageability (your ability to manage stress in the environment).
