Andrew Maynard, an architect and designer from Melbourne, has designed his own home to solve a paradox of living in a sunny, tropical city. Melbourne gets a ton of sunlight, but the Australian city also gets so hot that people need to spend a significant portion of their time indoors — away from the sun. In order to assure that he could still appreciate all the benefits of the sun, including its ample vitamin D and its mental health benefits, Maynard designed his home to get as much natural light as possible.
According to Maynard, his home, which he also uses as a studio for the architecture firm he co-founded, gets so bright during the day that those working in it need to wear sunglasses. The inspiration for such a sunny home came during a recent checkup at the doctor's, when Maynard learned that his lack of vitamin D was likely contributing to his work-related stress and anxiety issues.
Healthy Naturally Lit Homes
Andrew Maynard Designed a Home With an Emphasis on Mental Health
Trend Themes
1. Naturally-lit Homes - Leverage natural light to promote mental health and wellness in residential architecture.
2. Sustainable Architecture - Develop eco-friendly and sustainable buildings that provide benefits to occupants beyond shelter.
3. Healthy Work Environments - Create workplaces that prioritize employee health, wellness, and productivity.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - Innovative architectural designs for buildings that prioritize mental health and wellness.
2. Green Building - Sustainable and LEED certified building designs that provide positive benefits for building occupants.
3. Human Resources - Employee well-being programs, benefits, and initiatives in the workplace that promote physical and mental health.