ADAC hosts Wellness in Design symposium

         Marie Cloud of Indigo Pruitt Design Studiio         

Health and Wellness is at the forefront of every industry from art to technology, so it’s only natural that the principles become integrated into interior design. On June 4, The Atlanta Decorative Arts Center, or ADAC, will host Wellness in Design at ADAC, an all-day event exploring Health & Wellness in interior design. Starting with breakfast at 8:30 am then followed by a sound bath meditation - the morning sessions aim to center participants to demonstrate the effects of mindfulness on the environment.

The symposium includes sessions on how health, wellness, and design are intrinsically linked. Renowned textile designer Lori Weitzner will review how color affects our moods and can be used to enhance the spaces in which we live and work. LUXE Interior + Design’s Kathryn Given will facilitate a conversation with Marie Cloud of Indigo Pruitt Design Studio and Nicole Baxter of Baxter Design on how the choices designers make can foster emotional well-being and the powerful role nature can play in healing and calming the mind. Lisa Staprans will also be on hand to share how environments can cultivate harmony, connection, and beauty through the principles of neuroaesthetics and biophilic design. 

           Author Virginia Willis             

ADAC General Manager Katie Miner says they have always prioritized Health & Wellness within the environment. ADAC is a three-story building with a modern aesthetic based on biophilic design – a design approach that focuses on using nature and natural elements in design to promote well-being. Founder John Portman incorporated principals of biophilic design into the space since it was built in 1961. When visitors enter the geometric designed structure, they can feel it. ADAC is home to one of Portman’s signature atriums, filled with natural light and plants to promote well-being, as well as clean lines and white walls to create a sense of calm throughout the building. The experience is based on neuroaesthetics - the science of how our surroundings impact emotional and cognitive health.  

Miner says ADAC has fostered conversation on Health & Wellness for years, but now is the perfect time to welcome experts on the topic.  

“The more we learn, the more we know that spaces influence our physical and emotional well-being, so we’re educating and empowering designers to create environments that support connection, joy, and healthy living for a long time,” Miner says.  

What began as a niche area of understanding and focus for designers, has been adopted by organizations such as Google that began exploring the impact on design and surroundings to well-being says Tyler Hamilton Larmee, Co-Founder of Spread Communications. Larmee represents designers that are in the space and helped the ADAC team put together the series of events for Wellness in Design. Curriculum such as Science of Design that have been developed for designers have contributed to the knowledge base on the subject. Larmee says as more research is conducted and more designers educate themselves; the area will continue to grow in its importance.  

“In many ways, what designers always know instinctively and anecdotally now has the science to back it up,”’ Larmee says. “Studies show that design, or the composition of one’s surroundings be it color, lighting, space allocation, sound absorption, vegetation inclusion, material textures, has a direct impact on mental and in some cases physical health.”