For Our Health

For Our Health 2020 Constellations.jpg

In light of the 2019-2020 coronavirus pandemic, Cognitive Design partnered with Constellations and Gene Kansas | Commercial Real Estate to promote the health of the Constellations community.

 
 

We designed Constellations with health in mind. When we think about health and the built environment the first aspect that comes to mind, for many people, is our physical health and the COVID-19 pandemic really highlights the importance of this. And we must also acknowledge the importance of our mental, social, spiritual, and emotional health.

A lot of people will be experiencing stress and anxiety about returning to public spaces. When it’s safe to do so, the next chapter in the story the architecture that is home to Constellations involves giving people confidence that they’re returning to an environment that is in line with the best recommendations for their situation.

Constellations is housed in a building originally constructed in 1910 as a schoolbook warehouse, it’s witnessed two world wars, the Great Depression, and the Civil Rights Movement. It’s here today because people have cared for it and it has adapted to a changing world.

There is a range of improvements that can be made to promote health and we’re layering on the healthy foundation we built a few years ago with improvements that promote hygiene and immune function. For example, during construction we incorporated ample day-lit public spaces and a podcast recording studio, which promote mental and social health and are also good for physical distancing. Building on this, when people return, they’ll now have access to cleaning supplies throughout, which enable people to have more control and serve as environmental cues for hygienic practices, like hand washing [1] [2] [3]. Constellations will also be replacing faucets and soap dispensers with touchless fixtures and making improvements to air filtration.

For Our Health 2020 Constellations Spread.jpg
 
For Our Health 2020 Constellations Map.jpg

Because health is more than just hygiene, we also looked at other healthy behaviors. For example, good nutrition [4], exercise [5], and staying well-rested [6] [7] can support our body’s immune system. We even provided a map for a 30 Minute Walk past some beautiful and historic architecture in the neighborhood.

 

Credits

References

  1. Ford, E. W., Boyer, B. T., Menachemi, N., & Huerta, T. R. (2014). Increasing hand washing compliance with a simple visual cue. American journal of public health, 104(10), 1851-1856.

  2. Environmental Working Group. (n.d.). About EWG VERIFIED: A New Standard for Your Health #EWGVERIFIED. Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://www.ewg.org/ewgverified/about-the-mark.php

  3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Antibacterial Soap? You Can Skip It, Use Plain Soap and Water. (2019, May 16). Retrieved April 20, 2020, from https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/antibacterial-soap-you-can-skip-it-use-plain-soap-and-water

  4. Gleeson M., Nieman D.C. & Pedersen B.K. (2004). Exercise, nutrition and immune function. J. Sports Sci, 22, 115–125. https://doi.org/10.1080/0264041031000140590

  5. Jones, A. W., & Davison, G. (2019). Exercise, Immunity, and Illness. Muscle and Exercise Physiology (pp. 317-344). Academic Press.

  6. Lange, T., Dimitrov, S., & Born, J. (2010). Effects of sleep and circadian rhythm on the human immune system. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1193(1), 48-59.

  7. de Almeida, C. M. O., & Malheiro, A. (2016). Sleep, immunity and shift workers: a review. Sleep science, 9(3), 164-168.