What is Active Design?
Active design is a relatively new field combining architecture and wellness. Right now, it’s mostly being used in building new office buildings and schools, with the goal of encouraging movement in employees and students. For example, instead of making sleek, enticing elevators visible right when you walk in to a building (with dark scary stairwells hidden in the back), architects reverse the set-up: stairs are placed front and center, are well-lit and wide, and elevators are tucked away in the corners.
I’m really interested in how we can incorporate active design into our own homes to encourage movement.
You don’t have to build a brand new house with a slide and fireman’s pole in lieu of stairs, or convert your home into a "skateboard house" (hahaha). There are subtle ways to encourage more movement, too. For example:
◾️Sit-stand desks in the home office
◾️Making your own stairwell more inviting with nice photos and lights
◾️Mixing up seating styles to inspire movement— like the amazing swinging chairs on slide 4, floor cushions, etcetera
◾️TV in a different room for less couch time, or on a different floor to encourage steps between commerical breaks
◾️Clearing a space— my neighbor literally has a part of her living room open where she can do her yoga practice and also ROLLER SKATE, which is genius.
You can get really creative and weird with this. Please enlighten me with any ideas you use.
Design by Michaelis Boyd.