In July 2021, the UIA General Assembly declared 2022 the “UIA Year of Design for Health”. This commitment urges all UIA Member Sections to encourage architects and their clients to use evidence-based design to promote health in buildings and cities.
This initiative seeks to raise awareness of public and stakeholders on the impact of our design on health and well-being. Architects around the world are urged to explore how good design can contribute to security, healing and well-being that goes well beyond health care facilities, reaching our homes, our schools, our public spaces and our institutions.
The UIA Year of Design for Health will work to illuminate the important role design and architecture play in fostering, restoring and rejuvenating physical and mental well-being.
Architects around the world are invited to organise activities to use evidence-based design to promote health in buildings and cities.
Protect – Develop – Restore Health
The three-fold model acknowledges the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental (natural and built) health.
What does the built environment need to provide people so that people can grow and flourish? What is the healthiest relation between nature and the built environment and how can architects foster and protect that relationship? It is the responsibility architects, built environment professionals and policymakers to lead the way.
Design that Protects Health: Protecting human, animal and environmental health.
Design that Develops Health: Developing better Protecting human, animal and environmental health.
Design that Restores Health: Restoring Protecting human, animal and environmental health.
Each of these three aspects will focus on:
- A facility or project that actually protects, develops and restores the physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual health of the parties; and,
- An approach to design that protects, develops and restores the health of the parties, regardless of the building or project type.
Join our virtual events
Healthy Cities and Public Spaces
Monday 25 April 2022
Health Facility Design and Planning
Monday 20 June 2022
World Architecture Day
Monday 3 October 2022
Design for Health with Emerging Technologies
Monday 21 November 2022
