Why it’s time we revisit our ways of living
“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” – Dalai Lama
The idea of life and living encompasses all aspects of human existence, from biological processes to more intangible concepts such as social relationships and personal fulfilment which has an impact on the overall quality of life.
The World Health Organisation now defines health not as the absence of ill-health but as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being”.
While the pandemic brought the entire world to a halt, it also forced us to rethink about how we work, live and interact with each other. It has become more important that we understand how the environments where we live our everyday lives affect the way we feel.
Have you ever wondered why visiting that favourite restaurant with your friends or family uplifted your mood. Or visiting a local park that you played at in your childhood triggered nostalgia. Even spending time at the beach where the sound of waves crashing against the shore and experiencing the feeling of sand between your toes felt incredibly soothing and relaxing. Or have you ever been to a church where you don’t mind reflecting on life’s difficult questions. This goes on to say a lot about how the environment we spend our time in and the people that we surround ourselves with have a profound impact on our well-being. We think and feel differently in every place wherever we are at. Certain spaces put us in certain frames of mind.
That being said, an understanding on how spaces are shaped to support our well-being, a key determinant in our overall quality of life becomes vital. Goldberger elaborates on this in his book “why architecture matters?” where he says that architecture is more than just the design of buildings. It has the power to shape the way we feel, think, and act.
Designing for well-being and health includes varied approaches and a range of factors. To achieve a well-being inspired built environment, the design has to look beyond tangible aspects like lighting, air quality etc., becoming more adaptable to human behaviour and individual persona.
Choice architecture, a theory proposed by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein in their book ‘Improving health, wealth and happiness’ refers to the way in which the presentation and organization of choices can influence people’s decision-making behaviour. It acknowledges that the design of the environment and the way in which choices are presented can significantly impact the choices that individuals make. Form, space and materiality can be altered in ways that influence people’s behaviour in a positive way.
For example, a warming beam of sunlight from a bay window just after a heavy rain, along with a picturesque view of the rainbow, observing it from the comfort of a recessed bay seat creates a moment of joy. Our well-being is closely linked with such moments of joy.
At the end of the day, we all want a simple, happy and healthy life. That leaves us with a question. What does it take for a place to put us in a happy frame of mind. As Dalai Lama says, if the ultimate purpose of life is to be happy, being emotional beings, it’s high time we reflect on our lifestyles and if our spaces are making us happy.
