Architecture & Morality

In the last decade, there has been increasing interest in the impact of the built environment on health. Indeed, there is increasing evidence that the built environment directly or indirectly encourages active lifestyles, influencing people's physical, mental, and social health and well-being (Villanueva et al., 2013). Comfortable conditions have been regarded as those where occupants feel neither warm nor cool, where ambient conditions are 'neutral'. However, comfort in architecture can also relate to many aspects of how a building gets designed. It's not always just about temperature control, which is the issue that gets so much attention anytime building comfort gets mentioned. In fact, building comfort has a lot to do with how an architectural built form engages an occupant through all of their senses, particularly when considering the harmonization between them. Contrarily, a controlled environment is an area where certain parameters are controlled, specifically pressure, temperature, and segregation. Our build environment always chases for comfort while designing, but normally spaces are designed in comfort in control and static environment. For example, architects and designers can design the most comfortable office, classroom, house, school, and so on in a very controlled environment by providing sufficient air condition, comfortable furniture, and sufficient lightings claiming that this comfortable environment can help in psychological well being and health of occupants. However, can a comfort and control environment really improve our health and our psychological well being or is it the opposite?

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Embracing comfort can reduce stress and fatigue. Being present and being comfortable in body, mind, and space can increase happiness and decrease adrenal stress response, resulting in fewer cortisol spikes. Stress reduction is the first step towards living a healthy life as stress is a large determinant of good health. Continuous or chronic stress can cause muscle tension, headaches and migraines, heart problem, adrenal fatigue, nausea, overeating and is overall draining for your energy levels. However, reliant on comfort reduces physical movement. When we are over-reliant on comfort, losing dexterity, making things too easy, removing all physical challenges & other stressors that are essential for optimal health. The brain is programmed to repeat behaviors and to adapt quickly to the environment. When our body adapts, it stops sending sensory signals to the brain, severing the conscious tie between brain and movement being performed. Repeated movement changes the physical body on a cellular level, reshaping the muscles, tissues, and bones to best accommodate the behavior resulting body is narrowly adapted to the environment. An example of this would be sitting at a desk all day, shoulders hunched forward, spine curved, with all of the body’s gravity being loaded onto the chair. Because no muscles are being engaged for stabilization, they either tighten up or atrophy. Even when that body stands up, the spine will keep the curve and the muscles will strain. Similarly, if the hip is only ever required to extend to a certain degree of flexion when walking upstairs, it will lose its ability to reach full flexion. Architects and designers shall design an environment that engages the body movement to stress the body beyond what it’s accustomed to, to progressively adapt the body to these new stressors, and to vary the movements being performed.

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Comfort through technologies introduces to health problems. Some might argue, comfort from technologies can also provide convenience in gaining physical health. For instance, air conditioning can help to provide a cool and comfortable environment for indoor exercise. A comfortable environment can engage longer exercise periods compared to outdoor exercise which is hot and humid. The invention of technologies such as VR fitness training can help to conduct exercise in an exciting and fun way in a comfortable indoor environment. The biggest technological innovation in history is perhaps the invention of electric appliances and powered machinery. Although they may add to the comfort, convenience, or pleasure of living, they also introduce public health problems. Technology adds to the complex and interrelated social dynamics that are in operation, as the modern sedentary lifestyle is also a result of design issues. Comfortable chair, comfortable air-conditioned environment with TV, wifi, computer, and computer games extend the hours of indoor sedentary entertainment. Prolonged sitting increases the risk of heart diseases, obesity, and diabetes. The health risks of physical inactivity are widely understood as evidence has accumulated, particularly in the medical, public health, sport, and exercise science disciplines. Physical inactivity is estimated to cause more than 5 million premature deaths annually across the globe and 9% of all deaths are mainly from coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, depression and falling, making it a health hazard similar to that of smoking and obesity. Sedentary behavior, particularly prolonged periods of sitting, has been found to be a health hazard independent of physical inactivity. Another example can be seen is convenience through automobile resulting cities are often designed for cars rather than people. Widely dispersed suburban locations have increased travel distance to many destinations and made the private vehicles the most practical and convenient transport mode. Wider roads and lanes designed in favor of motor vehicles which discourages walking and driving long period can contribute to obese, psychological distress, back pain, joint stiffness, muscle tightness, stress, and anxiety. It is no doubt that labor-technological innovations have brought comfort, convenience, and time for more leisure activities but they also have resulted in a more sedentary lifestyle with adverse health effects.

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Moreover, a controlled environment often lacks stimulation. Static environment add to boredom and exposure to unchanging stimuli induce satiation and boredom. The comfort zone is just as nasty for your brain. Feed it the same data over and over because it’s safe and routine, and your brain neurons literally stop noticing it. Without mental stimulation, connections between brain neurons that keep information flowing, shrink or disappear altogether. Although there will be a debate stating that stimulating environment can be over-stimulated. Using learning environment as an example, too much visual stimulation can be distracting. Color of a classroom can also stimulate or over stimulate student. Poor color choice can lead to irritability, premature fatigue, lack of interest and behavioral problems. Overstimulation is also an issue with people having Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Dementia. Dementia limits a person's ability to filter stimulation and focus on what is important and thus a person with dementia will become stressed when overstimulated. Nonetheless, although there is a risk of over-stimulated, constantly engaging in a stimulated environment will have benefits on mental and brain. Recent research also has investigated the impact of sensory stimulation improving mental health such as depression, anxiety and etc. Stimulating environment can increase mental and physical stimulation which is an effective practice that helps in mind and motor skills training and also increase the brain's regenerating capacity.

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Comfort and controlled environment reduces social stimulation. A relaxed laid back and peaceful environment is one that many love as it is easier for us to concentrate and boost efficiency in a quiet, peaceful environment that's accented with light music. A comfort and control environment can boost productivity when work which requires high focus and which can be done alone, such as writing a book, blog, painting, or designing where social stimulation is not really the matter. It can be hard to get things done surrounded by massive amount of people or even small crowd which can be unproductive at best and unhealthy at worst if there is too much social stimulation. However, we can become so used to this type of comfort and controlled environment which lack social stimulation that can cause us to actually forget how and important to socialize with others in person. Social engagement is healthy for the brain as it boosts function and involves all sorts of behaviors in our daily life which requires memory, focus, attention to detail, and control. Social engagement also improves physical health by releasing stress from our bodies. Lack of social stimulation can cause depression, loneliness, isolation, and affect on our psychological well being

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Overall, it shows that comfort and control environment are more health-threatening rather than improving our physical and mental health and sedentary rather than active lifestyle. Since our build environment are majority a comfort and control thereby the occupants are exposed to these health risk. Designing a comfortable and active environment can be an alternative choice to get users to get physically and mentally stimulated. Active design is an environmental design that encourages stair climbing, walking, bicycling, and active creation in achieving a more physically active and healthier way of lifestyle.

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