World Mental Health Day

According to the charity Mind; “1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England”. As designers we can play our part in creating environments that support people to feel safe and at ease. At Studio KHid our priority is to enhance the lives of the people who use our spaces. We can achieve this by applying design principles that positively impact mental health and enhance patient experiences. Here are a selection of our design principles that we are currently applying to an adult and children’s mental health and wellbeing centre in Dubai:

NATURE: The introduction of biophilic design elements encourages connection between humans and nature. Light and nature offer considerable benefits to mental health and influence recovery

FOCUS: Soothing object can bring focus to the present and contributes to a practice of mindfulness

SOCIAL CONNECTION: The use of art act as positive distraction, aid in wayfinding and landmarking, and tell uplifting stories and connect to a source of nostalgic comfort

PRIVACY: Privacy to promote a feeling of safety, experienced on a personal level. Proxemic zones between patients and staff and providing private zones implemented through considerate space planning.