Architecture and environmental well-being
Vittorio Grassi opened the 10th edition of ARCHITECT@WORK Milano, a prestigious event just concluded dedicated to networking between more than 200 companies and the professional target audience (architects, interior designers, lighting designers, etc.), held atAllianz MiCo on Nov. 13 and 14.
“Designing Emotions” was the theme of the 2024 edition during which prestigious firms investigated the theme of neuro architecture, bringing the most innovative projects and case histories to the stage in a packed program of lectures and seminars.
Vittorio Grassi, Founder & CEO of Milan-based Vittorio Grassi Architects, in dialogue with Paolo Cresci, Head of Sustainable Development at Arup Italia, was the protagonist of the opening workshop entitled “Architecture and Environmental Well-Being for Human Beings: Challenges and Solutions for the Ecological Transition.”
The goal is to investigate the concept of neuro-architecture, that is, to understand how healthy, sustainable and virtuously constructed environments generate a positive influence on the human brain and how these same environments impact the emotions and well-being of individuals.
The dialogue with Paolo Cresci also explored the issues of ecological transition and decarbonization, analyzing how these can be integrated into architectural designs to improve the quality of life for communities.
Architecture is increasingly trending toward a Nature-Based construction approach, attentive to the incorporation of natural and sustainable solutions to everyday socio-environmental challenges, fostering the development of an aesthetic of wellbeing.
In recent years, the focus has been to progressively find the right balance between Man, Nature and Place with the aim of designing in relation to the environmental context, also orienting the design to the emotional contact and well-being of the users of the space. A mindset that finds expression in the broader concept of Ecophilia, a thought in which the meaningful relationship between Man-Nature-Lieu takes shape, in which the individual interacts positively and proactively with the environment and the elements that surround him. To build according to this vision is to offer an alternative view of the world, according to a different perspective capable of responding to the needs of today’s culture.
During the Seminar, Vittorio Grassi presented two virtuous case histories his firm is working on. Both under construction, with delivery scheduled for September 2025, arise from the award under the international design competition “Futura. The School of Tomorrow Project” provided by the Education NRP to support an innovative, sustainable, safe and inclusive school.
In summary, a very interesting moment of discussion for design experts and an opportunity to reflect on possible solutions leaning toward an ecological and welfare-conscious supply chain for the individual that first and foremost ensures a positive impact on the community.
