Health and Well-being Week

Nature Connectedness: How can Home Design improve our Health and Wellbeing?

European Union

Presentations and discussions with Dr. Garcia Sánchez and Dr. Ryo Murata on the health benefits of connecting with nature, followed by guided walks to designated pavilions.

Discussion

Well-being
#design　#nature　#biophilia　#architecture　#ecology　#sustainability　#health　#well-being　#interiordesign　#beauty　#Europe, #Japan　#Denmark　#homedesign

Transmission of simultaneous interpretation	Provided
Language of interpretation	Japanese and English

Track Programme

* Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
* The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.

Time and Date of the event

2025.06.20[Fri]

15:00 ～ 16:30

(Venue Open 14:45)
2025.06.21[Sat]

11:00 ～ 12:30

(Venue Open 10:45)
2025.06.21[Sat]

13:00 ～ 14:30

(Venue Open 12:45)

Venue: Pavilion; EU Pavilion

Programme details

We spend up to 93% of our time indoors and around 11 hours a day on technology. The benefits of daily exposure to nature for human health and well-being are many. However, our built environment and lifestyles disconnect us from Nature and deprive us of these benefits.
Architectural spatial design can improve our health and well-being by enhancing our experience of connection with Nature. Through an artistic immersion and open discussion, we will explore how some traditional and contemporary buildings in Japan offer exemplary sensory experiences of Nature connectedness, sometimes without visual contact with the natural world. These are profound lessons for our time that can easily be applied in domestic spaces.
The aim is threefold: to enrich participants´ vision of Japanese architecture, to stimulate interest in scientific perspectives on nature-connecting architecture and its benefits, and to give some tips on how to improve health and well-being through home design.

Cast

Speakers

Carmen García Sánchez

Assistant Professor/ Ph. D. in Architectural Design/ Architect, University of Copenhagen, PRIVACY/ Rey Juan Carlos I University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities/The Royal Danish Academy Architecture Design Conservation, IBD

Carmen García Sánchez is an experienced practising architect and an active researcher. She specialises in modern architecture, with a focus on Nordic and Japanese architecture, the creative interaction of tradition and modernity, and small-scale nature-based solutions. Her research project NATURE-IN, funded by the European Union’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (grant agreement 896651), provides strategies and inspiration to enhance the health and well-being of communities by increasing human contact with nature through the experience of the domestic interior. The study was conducted as a post-doctoral researcher at the Royal Danish Academy Architecture_Design_Conservation and as a visiting researcher at the Institute Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Tech). She has lectured on the subject in Japan, Denmark, Sweden and Spain. She currently combines her practice with her activities as an Assistant Professor at the Rey Juan Carlos I University, an affiliated researcher at the Centre for Privacy Studies at the University of Copenhagen, and an external scientific expert for the European Commission.

View Profile

Ryo Murata

Associate Professor / Dr. Eng. / Architect, Institute of Science Tokyo, Department of Architecture and Building Engineering

Ryo Murata is developing the theory of passive solar design throughout practicing of architectural design, research and education with the theme of “creating architecture and cities in response to the environment“. He is leading his design and research laboratory in Science Tokyo (formerly, Tokyo Tech) as an associate professor at the Department of Architecture and Building Engineering. His major architectural design works are Courtyard House A (2017), Tokyo Tech Materials Research Center for Element Strategy “Genso Cube” (2015), Architectural Institute of Japan Archi Books (2012) and LCCM Demonstration House (2011).