Wait, what the hell is a 'wellness architect'
Yeah it sounds cool, but what does it mean?
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"If we are checking the ingredients on our food, we need to be checking the ingredients on our furniture"
Project: 640 Broadway Penthouse master ensuite. Photo credit: Town Real Estate.
Since my foray into ‘wellness design’ I have been asked by numerous clients and friends “what exactly IS a wellness architect?” and that is a valid question.
It seems like a lot of people like to add the term ‘architect’ to their title to sound more authoritative or knowledgeable about their chosen field, which is fine; but in my case I AM actually a registered architect.
First, a bit of background: what does “registered architect” mean?
Well I won’t bore you with the details of the professional nuances (I'm already snoozing just writing this), but essentially the term 'registered architect' defines the process of passing professional exams once you have graduated from your university program.
Step one: complete degree.
You must sit both a written and oral exam after achieving enough professional hours in a variety of tasks relating to the architectural profession.
Step two: gain and record experience over min. of 2 years (having fun yet?)
Once you have passed your exams you are assigned a registered architectural number and may call yourself a registered architect.
Step three: question all your life choices
How did I find the wellness path?
“health isn't exclusively about the physical food we put into our bodies, but also what we surround our bodies with; our environment.”
After moving to NYC in 2011 I noticed first hand the impact a huge lifestyle shift had on me both physically and mentally.
Moving from a country with an active, outdoor-centric lifestyle to an indoor-dominant, "always busy", run around like a freaking idiot lifestyle [in the city I like to call 'the sense assaulter] I saw what the late nights, take-out and poor indoor air and lighting quality was having on my attitude, physique and general opinion on life - hint: it wasn't good. So what was a girl to do?
Step one: learn more about the American food system, immediatly regret knowing more.
Realizing I could no longer eat what ever the hell I wanted - thanks America - I did what every food nerd does, I googled the fuck out of the American diet and its impact on our health and wellbeing; another hint - also not good.
It was on this googling [procrastination] journey where I came across the Institute of Integrative Nutrition [IIN], enrolling in the winter of 2015. It was here I began to understand that our health isn't exclusively about the physical food we put into our bodies, but also what we surround our bodies with; our environment.
Step two: apply healthy living concepts with my skills as an architect...but how?
Back to my ol'mate google.
After heading down an internet black hole of health, nutrition and design I came across the WELL Building Standard. I have written a whole post on this new building standard and how fantastic it is but in a nut shell: WELL is essentially to internal occupants what LEED is to the surrounding environment.
It is the first ever building standard to consider the indoor environment and its impact on human health and well-being; FIRST. EVER. Its 2016 and this is the FIRST standard to consider the indoor environment? Crazy right.
Step three: study, study and study some more.
I wanted in on the WELL bandwagon, and so in February of 2016 I became of the of the first 150 WELL Accredited Professionals [AP's] in the world ...and one of [if not the] first ever accredited WELL AP Australian architect.
Cool story, but you still haven't told me what a wellness architect is?
As a wellness architect I see it as my duty in this chemical crazy and mostly toxic world to help as many clients as possible to achieve a healthy home.
If we are checking the ingredients on our food, we need to be checking the ingredients on our furniture. I want people to know that when they fall asleep at night their mattress isn't slowly killing them. I want the new mom to know her babies freshly painted room isn't off-gassing into their babies developing lungs , and I believe every person has a right to breathe clean, non-toxic air in their own homes and offices.
I work endlessly researching, sourcing and meeting the makers of organic, sustainable, non-toxic, local, certified, responsibly harvested...all the buzz words; furniture, materials, finishes and construction materials. I want to know with certainty that products I recommend and personally use are really what they say they are.
I see it as my job to advise, consult and educate not just my clients but anyone [sorry fam] that is thinking about purchasing a mattress, a sofa, a new freaking saucepan to STOP and think.
ASK the manufacturer questions, QUESTION their materials and processes, BE educated on what is and isn't ok for us to be surrounding ourselves and our families with.
ESSENTIALLY GIVE A SHIT...
and then maybe the furniture makers will too.
In good health,
