LOS ANGELES, Calif. – March 20, 2020 — Today, March 20th, is International Happiness Day. But there’s no denying it: in a matter of a few short months, COVID-19 has globally redefined our personal lives, our social lives and our work lives. With “social distancing” as the new norm, can we look to the design of our environments to help instill a sense of security– and even happiness– in uncertain times?
Social connectedness is the bedrock of happiness and CallisonRTKL, along with partners Delivering Happiness and DMG Mountain View, is taking the matter to heart. As a part of International Happiness Day, they are sharing a program currently underway called Happiness By Design— a methodology to measure and apply happiness in the built environment.
The project began as a series of big questions:
• How might we make an impact on the world by driving happiness in the built environment?
• How might we play a role in the movement for human happiness by evolving the traditional design process?
• How might we connect people, place and culture through the common lens of happiness?
“The future of design is always uncertain,” begins Katie Sprague, Senior Vice President at CRTKL. “But the innate human desire for happiness will always remain. With Happiness by Design, we are putting people at the forefront of the design process. By merging the science of happiness, human-centric design thinking and data analytics, we believe we can design and build spaces to enhance happiness and wellbeing.”
“Specifically in the workplace, we are responding to an epidemic of sorts. Currently, 87% of employees are considered to be disengaged,” adds Senior Associate Vice President Jodi Williams. “Burnout and the ‘always-on’ workstyle are taking their toll on the workforce. Especially now, we are hearing a call for balance, a need for authentic connections and a search for real meaning in the work we do.”
The aspiration of the Happiness By Design team is to apply principles of happiness to the design of buildings, the nurturing of its occupants and the development of the cultural programs that connect them. In essence, we seek to usher in a new era of humanism in design– something our world is certainly in need of today.
About CallisonRTKL
CallisonRTKL is a global architecture, planning and design practice. Over the last 70 years, we have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. Our work has set us apart as the number one retail design firm in the world and a top-five architecture practice across multiple disciplines and sectors. Under the Arcadis umbrella, we continue to expand our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team of nearly 1,500 professionals around the world is committed to advancing our clients’ businesses and enhancing quality of life. callisonrtkl.com
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Tracy Schneider
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