Physical Spaces that Inspire Activity and Wellness

February 17, 2018 9:14 AM

What are good examples of physical spaces/places that influence people to be active and fit? What are some factors that cause these spaces to inspire wellness, activity, self esteem, good mental health, etc?
posted by pmaxwell to Health & Fitness (12 answers total)

Not sure if this the kind of thing you are looking for, but the first thing that sprang to my mind was these piano stairs in the Stockholm metro. Suggesting that "fun" is a key factor.
posted by bluebird at 9:33 AM on February 17, 2018

You might need to flesh this out a bit more. Any kind of beautiful natural area that I can enjoy in solitude does it for me. Places where I can take my dog for a long walk and not be molested by off-leash dogs or see a bunch of other people. It's so inherently enjoyable that I have no trouble finding the motivation to go every day.
posted by HotToddy at 9:35 AM on February 17, 2018

You may need to be more specific about what good and bad answers are. My climbing gym checks every one of those metrics for me.

I find rock climbing very fun, so being in a place where it’s possible and there are other people doing it, I want to participate. Harder routes are fun in different ways, so I pay attention to my body, both to avoid injury and to know what parts need to get stronger. They offer yoga classes, good for both conditioning and mindfulness.

If illness, travel, or injury keep me out of the gym for more than a few days, I definitely notice my mental health suffering.
posted by itesser at 9:50 AM on February 17, 2018

Look into walkability metrics for cities.
posted by The Toad at 10:50 AM on February 17, 2018

Good weather is the biggest factor, I think. A significant reason why people tend to be more active on the west coast, and why people in the Northeast are less active in winter. My parents are much more active when they head down to Florida.

Less reliance on cars also makes a big difference. NYC residents, for example, are more active on average than other New Yorkers because they walk more, even if it's only to the nearest subway station.
posted by metasarah at 11:12 AM on February 17, 2018

Obviously there's a lot of subjectivity, but I suspect one of the common threads will be natural light. The more exposure to sunlight you have, the better you feel. This is true in buildings and in cityscapes.

Another big thing is air quality. In buildings, having windows that open to let in a breeze is huge. Plants to purify the air are also helpful. Even the fittest, most active person won't be at their best in a parking garage.

Not coincidentally, sunlight and fresh air are two of the things that most give an outdoorsy feeling. Moving water, whether a stream or a mini Zen garden with a water feature for your desk, is also good for that.

Personally, I'm susceptible to peer pressure, especially in terms of working out. I used to love watching The Biggest Loser because I'd always get up and start doing something before the end of the show. If I walk into a room that's got something like that, or Olympic sports, on TV, or some plyo boxes and jump ropes in sight, it's going to be hard for me to resist feeling like I need to be active.
posted by kevinbelt at 11:38 AM on February 17, 2018

A vegetable garden requires frequent weeding which can be quite strenuous, provides healthy vegetables and, when tidy, generates a well-deserved feeling of accomplishment and self respect. If done sensibly it is also financially net positive.
posted by Botanizer at 11:46 AM on February 17, 2018

You may want to look at the research of Dan Buettner, who coined the term "blue zones" to describe areas in the world where people live the longest. Here is an interview from last fall where he describes characteristics of places where people tend to be happier, which also overlaps quite a bit with longevity. I first heard of him last year on an episode of the Rich Roll podcast where he was interviewed - it was an interesting conversation, I recommend listening to it.
posted by barnoley at 12:12 PM on February 17, 2018 [1 favorite]

Most fire stations are places where fitness and good health are essential and often not only encouraged they're required. In general firefighters are contentious about healthy nutrition and share recipes and fitness routines. Firefighters watch out for one another and considerate of emotional and mental well being. Critical incident stress debriefings are part of mental health care. Physical fitness includes strength and stamina to accomplish their work.
posted by X4ster at 12:21 PM on February 17, 2018

In his book "Being Mortal," Atul Gawande talks about what works (and what doesn't) in retirement/assisted living homes. Things that fostered well-being were: plants, animals (dogs, cats, birds), plants and green space, community and the presence of others (in the assisted living home, this meant other residents, families, and children), and an ability to retain some autonomy/independence.
posted by stillmoving at 12:22 PM on February 17, 2018 [3 favorites]

Along with walkability metrics, you might want to look into the Narrow Streets movement — the idea being that narrow streets promote walkable, inviting, safe, human-scale neighbourhoods (instead of the car-based suburb, say).
posted by fire, water, earth, air at 1:19 PM on February 17, 2018 [2 favorites]

If you're after citable examples, here's a page about a building that has been designed to get people to prefer using the stairs, the Bullitt Center.

I know that I will prefer to walk where there are interesting things to see and a good buffer from whooshing cars: shops / cafes, other people / dogs (doggy daycares are the best -- it's ground floor furr{y ,e}tail), and at worst, green space. Many malls would be very walkable, if they were public. If it's raining, knowing that I can walk part of the way under an awning helps. Knowing that there is bus / rail service, should weather get really bad, helps.

I also think the slide near the children's wing of Lousiana MoMA (the one in Denmark) is really great -- it's transparently designed to burn off energy: they slide down the slide, and if they want to go again, they have to climb all the way up!
posted by batter_my_heart at 5:49 PM on February 17, 2018