Correctional facility design is undergoing a transformation as both correctional experts and designers recognize that spatial design, colour, good acoustics, natural light and views can have a healing effect for prisoners. Up to 50% of prisoners may enter the carceral system suffering with mental or psychological challenges; it’s now accepted that design can play a positive therapeutic role when implemented effectively. Read more

When it comes to education, the days of the strict three Rs of education (reading, writing and ’rithmetic) are thankfully becoming a thing of the past. Today’s students grew up in a world of digital content that is curated toward their strengths and interests. These “digital natives” are bringing new expectations into the classroom with them, and teachers are seeking innovative classroom design that will forge the way for the future. Read more

Jain Malkin, the Grande Dame of Healthcare Interiors, once asked a provocative question: “Are healthcare architects phobic about colour?” She argues, “The brain perceives the environment consciously and subconsciously, causing it to increase or decrease the concentration of physiologically active hormones that have the capacity to negatively impact the healing response. Even when a person is not consciously thinking about the interior design and comfort level of the setting, the brain is responding to it subconsciously.” Read more

Most of us know intuitively that our surroundings can affect our sense of well-being. If we’re feeling stressed or anxious, for instance, a walk in the park or near a lake or even just sitting in a garden can make us instantly feel better. Science confirms that exposure to green space lowers our heart rates, reduces muscle tension, and decreases the production of stress hormones. So it comes as no surprise that research also indicates that hospital architecture incorporating nature into its design accelerates recovery time and improves patient outcomes as well. Read more

In the past, hospitals were regarded as cold, unfriendly “institutions” where people went to get fixed or repaired. Few from the community would visit a hospital, and when they did it was only to visit a loved one who was sick. Thankfully, healthcare design has evolved just as the role hospitals play within our communities has evolved. Today, hospitals can play a central role in improving the health and wellbeing of our communities, facilitating greater public health investment. Read more

Get ready to #GetLoud! The Canadian Mental Health Week, an initiative led by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), is May 6-12, 2019. This year the CMHA is encouraging Canadians to get loud about what mental health really is. Read more