The Well Living Lab, a DelosTM and Mayo Clinic collaboration, recently announced that HOK is the first design, architecture and engineering firm to join the growing Well Living Lab Alliance.
The Well Living Lab studies the connection between health and the indoor environment to transform human health and well-being in places where we live, work, learn, and play. Through the Alliance community, the Well Living Lab collaborates with companies, academic researchers, non-profit organizations and industry experts who want to play a leadership role in understanding and creating indoor environments that enhance human health and wellness.
“HOK is committed to incorporating health and well-being performance and design standards into our projects,” said Mara Baum, AIA, EDAC, WELL, LEED Fellow, HOK’s sustainable design leader for health + wellness. “Joining the Well Living Lab Alliance will help to put HOK at the forefront of industry research, allowing us to better serve our clients by implementing research findings that advance the way we design spaces with health and wellness principles in mind.”
This follows the September 2016 announcement that HOK has partnered with Delos to accelerate the integration of health and wellness into the built environment. HOK recently joined Mortenson, RSP Architects and a team of prominent local consultants to design the first phase of Destination Medical Center’s Discovery Square, an urban life science hub in Rochester, Minnesota. Both the phase one project led by Mortenson, as well as the existing Well Living Lab, will be vital parts of the long-term vision for Discovery Square.
“Our fundamental aspiration is to enhance people’s lives through design,” said Bill Hellmuth, AIA, LEED AP, president and CEO of HOK. “Joining the growing Well Living Lab Alliance, combined with our work on projects like Discovery Square that advance life science research, supports our commitment to using design to improve the health and well-being of communities. We look forward to being involved at the ground level with important research on how the built environment impacts human health. Our access to this research through the Well Living Lab will influence our design approach and processes.”
“Since we spend 90 percent of our time indoors, it makes sense that we look at indoor spaces and ask how we can make it healthier for the people inside,” said Dr. Brent Bauer, Medical Director of the Well Living Lab and Director of the Mayo Clinic Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program. “The Lab was created to evaluate many factors like sound, light, ergonomics and temperature, and to understand how we can make the space healthier. HOK’s expertise in architectural and interior design can help us translate our research into insights that inform building design.”
Related Stories
Resiliency | Jul 27, 2023
'Underground climate change' can damage building foundations, civil infrastructure
A phenomenon known as “underground climate change” can lead to damage of building foundations and civil infrastructure, according to a researcher at Northwestern University. When the ground gets hotter, it can expand and contract, causing foundations to move and sometimes crack.
Sponsored | Fire and Life Safety | Jul 12, 2023
Fire safety considerations for cantilevered buildings [AIA course]
Bold cantilevered designs are prevalent today, as developers and architects strive to maximize space, views, and natural light in buildings. Cantilevered structures, however, present a host of challenges for building teams, according to José R. Rivera, PE, Associate Principal and Director of Plumbing and Fire Protection with Lilker.
Apartments | Jun 27, 2023
Dallas high-rise multifamily tower is first in state to receive WELL Gold certification
HALL Arts Residences, 28-story luxury residential high-rise in the Dallas Arts District, recently became the first high-rise multifamily tower in Texas to receive WELL Gold Certification, a designation issued by the International WELL Building Institute. The HKS-designed condominium tower was designed with numerous wellness details.
Industry Research | May 22, 2023
2023 High Growth Study shares tips for finding success in uncertain times
Lee Frederiksen, Managing Partner, Hinge, reveals key takeaways from the firm's recent High Growth study.
Mass Timber | May 1, 2023
SOM designs mass timber climate solutions center on Governors Island, anchored by Stony Brook University
Governors Island in New York Harbor will be home to a new climate-solutions center called The New York Climate Exchange. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), The Exchange will develop and deploy solutions to the global climate crisis while also acting as a regional hub for the green economy. New York’s Stony Brook University will serve as the center’s anchor institution.
Green | Apr 18, 2023
USGBC and IWBI unveil streamlined certification pathway for LEED and WELL green building programs
The U.S. Green Building Council, Green Business Certification Inc., and the International WELL Building Institute released a streamlined process for projects pursuing certifications for the LEED green building rating system and the WELL Building Standard. The new protocol simplifies documentation for projects that are pursuing both certifications at the same time or that have already earned one certification and are looking to add the other.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 26, 2023
UC Davis Health opens new eye institute building for eye care, research, and training
UC Davis Health recently marked the opening of the new Ernest E. Tschannen Eye Institute Building and the expansion of the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC). Located in Sacramento, Calif., the Eye Center provides eye care, vision research, and training for specialists and investigators. With the new building, the Eye Center’s vision scientists can increase capacity for clinical trials by 50%.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 24, 2023
Average size of new apartments dropped sharply in 2022
The average size of new apartments in 2022 dropped sharply in 2022, as tracked by RentCafe. Across the U.S., the average new apartment size was 887 sf, down 30 sf from 2021, which was the largest year-over-year decrease.
Transportation & Parking Facilities | Mar 23, 2023
Amsterdam debuts underwater bicycle parking facility that can accommodate over 4,000 bikes
In February, Amsterdam saw the opening of a new underwater bicycle parking facility. Located in the heart of the city—next to Amsterdam Central Station and under the river IJ (Amsterdam’s waterfront)—the facility, dubbed IJboulevard, has parking spots for over 4,000 bicycles, freeing up space on the street.
Geothermal Technology | Mar 22, 2023
Lendlease secures grants for New York’s largest geothermal residential building
Lendlease and joint venture partner Aware Super, one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, have acquired $4 million in support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build a geoexchange system at 1 Java Street in Brooklyn. Once completed, the all-electric property will be the largest residential project in New York State to use a geothermal heat exchange system.
