Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Schools In Focus: Centering Student Health and Wellness In Design

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 11/10/20

Schools In Focus is a podcast dedicated to the design, planning and management of educational facilities and campuses. Listen in as senior editor Yvonne Marquez chats with industry experts, facility managers, architects, security and safety professionals, and other thought leaders. Catch up on previous episodes here.

Today's episode is on supporting student health and wellness on campus through design.

Schools In Focus, Episode 8: Centering Student Health & Wellness in Design

Schools In Focus Podcast logo and headshots Turan Duda and Jeff Paine.

Over the last several decades, universities and colleges have made an effort to address student needs as a whole person. We’re seeing more and more health and wellness centers on campus that not only provide physical health and mental health services for students but are also a place to relax, study and socialize with their peers.

In this episode of Schools In Focus, Turan Duda and Jeff Paine, founding principals of Duda|Paine Architects, discuss how architectural design is shifting to better address the mental and physical health needs of students.

“There’s a new sense of awareness on college campuses that these issues of physical health, mental health, emotional health, need to be addressed with these young people,” Paine said. “We’re very excited to be designing buildings that really have that motive behind them, to really help take some of the pressure off of students today so they can be successful in college and university.”

We talk about destigmatizing health centers, creating a welcoming, comfortable space with choice, the use of natural materials, and the importance of prevention in student health and wellness. Tune in to hear more!

Where to Listen

Schools In Focus is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher. Subscribe today, or listen below!

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).