Health and Architecture poster PDF version

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Spiritual Level

Health is shaped on a spiritual level by the clear intention and spiritualized concrete purpose of the building. A higher view of the meaning of life plays its important role.

A clear life goal. Formulation of the Aim before the start of building design. Belief in a higher meaning of life. Participatory design of architecture and inclusion of artistic creative processes leads towards shaping the intention of founders. It is for example modeling building forms from sculpting clay together. Free artistic activity is thus combined with the formulation of an intention in the manifested wisdom. And it creates a balance between will, feeling and thinking. You can study examples of the healing aspects of anthroposophic art therapy during guided building design processes in Oldřich Hozman’s final thesis „Soziale Hygiene in der Gebäudeplanung, kunsttherapeutische Gestaltung mit Familien“. Austrian neurologist, psychologist and psychiatrist Viktor Emil Frankl also proved this in his lifelong research work. In his research work with many thousands of patients, he proved that a person’s mental health is related to the meaning of life. His works on Logopedie can be read here: arc.cz/to/logopedie. When designing architecture with people and groups, spiritual level of architecture is always approached from a higher perspective on the meaning of life. In the sense of the anthroposophical work of Rudolf Steiner, when creating new projects and buildings, I am inspired by the content of the sayings during laying the foundation stone of I. Goetheanum in 1913 and by foundation stone sayings for the founding of the General Anthroposophical Society at the turn of 1923/24.

Soul level

The astral level is an artistic plane. It appeals to the soul of man. Architecture essentially speaks and creates a mood.

Creating a healing mood. Designing soft forms and living shapes. The environment must be safe for the patient. Doors and entrances must be clearly visible. For soul level, the principles of Beauty, Truth and Goodness play an important role. Beauty is experienced in the perception of the artistic transformation of forms, the so-called metamorphosis. Truth is perceived by the soul in the truthfulness of the contents of architecture. For example: “Big windows = important space, small windows = less important space”. And Good is perceived in architecture when “things are fine-tuned”. It has to do with proportions, harmonic dimensions and sound spreading. High-quality acoustics are very important for mental well-being. This scientific study writes expertly on this topic. Working with colors also plays a very important role in treatment and therapy. Publications on anthroposophic color therapy can be found on this website. When working on the design of new medical and therapeutic buildings, I place emphasis on the artistic processing of details. Handicrafts, such as wood-carved surfaces or hand-colored glazed walls which create a healing effect. As a graduate of the Academy of Anthroposophical Art Therapy, I am based on the methodology of these schools. The main principles are summarized in a book, for example Dr. Margarethe Hauschka: Zur Künstlerischen Therapie, band II: Wesen und Aufgabe der Maltherapie.

Life body level

The level of life forces….that is the rhythm and development of forms. It is an experience of dynamic and ongoing changes.

In the field of life forces, it is possible to observe their renewal when a perceptible rhythm is present in the architecture. For example, when we follow a series of alternating columns. Or we see an evolving series of window shapes on the facade of a building. For activating Etheric body and Astral body are also suitable organic shapes and so-called double-turned surfaces in the design of medical and therapeutic environments. Rhythm can also be seen in the look of wooden surfaces. The wood itself arises from plant etheric forces. It carries them within itself. That is why it is very healthy to build hospitals and therapeutic houses out of wood. It has a positive effect on the etheric forces of regeneration, on healing and on stabilizing the rhythm of the Heart. In the study “Wood and human health” is described how the presence of visual wood surfaces in a room lowered sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation. The SNS is responsible for physiological stress responses in humans.  This research was done at the University of British Columbia together with FPInnovations (non profit organization for research and innovative wood solutions). In ecologically oriented architecture, greenery and plenty of natural light play an important role for the Life body. Autonomic nervous System responses to viewing green and built settings and differentiating between Sympathetic and Parasympathetic activity you can read here.

Physical level

Work with untreated materials directly from nature. Using natural ventilation and sunlight….

Clay plasters are a passive removal material for indoor pollutants. Here is a link to the expert study. Clay plasters in rooms have an extraordinary effect on maintaining an average higher humidity. You can read another expert scientific study here. The use of clay plasters in hospitals leads to improved breathing for patients. The effect on asthma and on breath quality and allergies is proven. An expert study on how vapour open walls combined with clay plasters can reduce the presence of mould growth that adds natural irritants such as spores to the air can be read here. At the level of physically measurable properties, we can also work with wood. Wood is proven to be antibacterial material and it can be videly used in therapeutical rooms and hospitals. A scientific study on this topic can be found here. Effects of natural shading and sunlighting of hospital buildings are described in this study: arc.cz/to/sun. Natural cooling of buildings is described here. I am working with these natural principles in my design. Healing and regeneration are also  influenced by natural light and, if artificial, warm spectrum light (melatonin production). Study on this topic of light you can read here and here.