Movement legacy: a bioethical and epigenetically grounded architectural framework for healthy lifestyle change
Date
2023-04-15
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Abstract
New research in neuroscience, environmental psychology, and
medicine have revealed factors in the built environment that
improve health, however, these are not yet widely understood or
adopted by the design community. A novel approach that better
leverages the scientific literature to inform design is required.
Recent discoveries in epigenetics reveal the immense impact our
environment has on intergenerational human health through the
process of epigenomic editing and the resultant genetic expression.
This thesis argues that design and health are inextricably linked
to bioethical questions that require deeper exploration and ought
to compel designers to reframe their role and responsibility in
community health. A new theoretical framework is developed
that aligns design elements at multiple scales with evidence-based
principles, which elicit positive health outcomes through increased
physical activity prevalence. Informed by the framework, a network
of design interventions for Sudbury, Ontario, demonstrates how
the built environment can foster healthy lifestyle change.
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Keywords
Architecture, behaviour change, bioethics, environmental psychology, epigenetics, evidence-based design, health, healthy lifestyle, neuroscience, physical activity, Sudbury, urban design