91视频

By Brian Johnson
91视频 Newswires

A new survey offers more proof that mental health should be a strong consideration in the design of community buildings such as schools, libraries and government facilities.

The 鈥淪tate of Community Facility Design,鈥� commissioned by St. Paul-based Wold Architects and Engineers, asked Americans 18 and older how they feel about design as it relates to mental health and a 鈥渟ense of safety and connection.鈥� Roughly 1,000 people 鈥� representing multiple generations 鈥� responded to the national survey, which was released earlier this month.

Wakefield Research conducted the survey on behalf of Wold. The survey period spanned from Oct. 23 to Nov. 2. In general, respondents agreed that mental health and well-being should be 鈥渃entral to the design鈥� of community buildings, and that wellness and functionality should go 鈥渉and-in-hand.鈥�

Amenities such as caf茅s, green spaces, public gathering areas, designated play areas, meditation spaces, and 鈥渟ensory respite鈥� areas lend themselves to well-being, according to the survey. Other mental-health-friendly design considerations, the survey said, include daylighting, soft colors, water features, and quiet areas.

As communities 鈥渋ncreasingly prioritize spaces that support mental and emotional needs,鈥� the survey notes, 鈥渢he demand for thoughtful, wellness-focused design will continue to grow.鈥�

Vaughn Dierks, CEO of Wold Architects and Engineers, said there鈥檚 a tendency to believe that functionality is the only thing that matters for 鈥渟ervice provider buildings,鈥� such license bureaus.

鈥淲e used to hear the argument quite a bit over, 鈥榃hy does that have to look so nice? If all I’m only going there to get this type of service, why does it matter what it looks like?鈥欌�� Dierks said.

It matters, in part, because wellness-oriented designs influence the way people experience services and their willingness to come back, he said. While functionality 鈥渃ertainly is a key driver in a lot of these types of facilities, the other aspects are very important 鈥� and especially important as we look at future generations and the types of people who are accessing those services now.鈥�

Among the survey鈥檚 key findings:

• 86 percent of respondents believe that mental health and wellness 鈥渟hould be prioritized鈥� in the design of community buildings. Among Gen Z and millennials, the number rises to 91 percent.
• 84 percent of city residents say building design 鈥減lays a critical role in whether they would revisit a community space,鈥� and 55 percent said they would be willing to extend their travel time by up to 20 minutes to visit a well-designed community space.
• Nine of 10 respondents said wellness should 鈥渂e central to community building design, not an afterthought.鈥�

Wellness is top of mind for Twin Cities-based St. David鈥檚 Center, a regional leader in child and family development. St. David鈥檚, which has existing facilities in Minnetonka and at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, recently purchased the 124,000-square-foot former YWCA building at 1130 Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis and is working on a multiphase plan to remodel the building.

鈥淲e often think of our treatment spaces as being kind of a co-partner for us in treatment,鈥� said Jane Perry, chief clinical officer at St. David鈥檚, which is working with Pope Design Group on its YWCA project.

Light-filled spaces, colors based in nature, and rooms set up to have a limited number of choices for children receiving treatment are key design elements.

鈥淲e know kids get really over-stimulated by too many choices, and so do we as adults. So we’re really thinking about the layout of the room, the light, the color. I think that we, as humans, are so disconnected from nature, and I don鈥檛 think that’s how we were wired or born to be. So the more we’re thinking about that in terms of our working and treatment spaces, the better I think our treatment outcomes can be.鈥�

But wellness-friendly design isn鈥檛 just for mental health treatment centers. Wold, for example, says it has worked with to bring 鈥減roject designs to life in the government, education and health care sectors,鈥� including the 28-bed Dakota County Jail Integrated Health Unit, a 911 communications center, and a law enforcement center.

鈥淚 think people thoroughly understand it with health care. You get it with senior living. And with schools, you can make that leap. But it’s not always obvious with government,鈥� Dierks said.