Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.4
3.1
Journals
Buildings
Special Issues
Art and Design for Healing and Wellness in the Built...
share announcement

Art and Design for Healing and Wellness in the Built Environment: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2026 | Viewed by 7478

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhen Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Design, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Interests: design education; new intelligent information technology; smart city informatization; building information model (BIM); ecological and green design; environmental design; sustainable design and construction; intelligent construction; information and interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Osmani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
Interests: sustainable design; construction innovation; best practice and change management; circular economy; material resource efficiency; designing out waste and end-of-life waste recovery and optimization; low/zero energy building design; construction and retrofit; building information model (BIM)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yi Liu

E-Mail
Guest Editor
School of Innovation, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou 510261, China
Interests: art therapy; interaction design; sustainable design; design for social innovation; environmental design; smart system; transportation facility; building information modelling (BIM); life cycle assessment (LCA)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jose-Manuel Almodovar-Melendo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Architecture, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain
Interests: passive solar design; daylighting in architecture; indoor environmental quality; built environment; low-energy buildings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A smart city, from the perspective of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizes the importance of providing citizens with promising health and well-being. However, with the continuous impact of long COVID disease and the increase in city population, the health of citizens is facing new challenges. Among the various treatments promoting human health, therapy-enhanced art, i.e., art therapy (AT), has been used for decades. AT is a form of expressive therapy that employs creative art processes to enhance people's health, well-being, and quality of life. In addition, art, design, and the environment positively impact mental health, for which the impact of architectural and building design on health, particularly mental health, is very important. By viewing the relationship between art and design, measures to promote health can be summarized as therapeutic and healing design from the design perspective, which is to reduce stress and promote healing through aesthetic enhancement. However, studies are lacking to support the mutual promotion of Art and Design for Healing and Wellness in the Built Environment, hence the creation of this Special Issue.

Dr. Zhen Liu
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Osmani
Dr. Yi Liu
Prof. Dr. Jose-Manuel Almodovar-Melendo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

 

Keywords

  • art therapy (AT)
  • therapeutic and healing design
  • mental health
  • wellness
  • well-being
  • architecture and building
  • built environment
  • digital technology
  • smart cities
  • sustainable development

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

22 pages, 1986 KB  
Article
Healing of Air—Embodied Interaction and Contextual Healing Experience Mechanism in Residential Air Environment
by Yanni Cai, Duan Wu and Hongtao Zhou
Buildings 2026, 16(7), 1342; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16071342 - 27 Mar 2026
Viewed by 495
Abstract
The modern high-pressure lifestyle has led to an increasing emphasis on the healing construction of residential spaces, while air, as an important environmental factor, has received little attention in terms of situational healing experiences within the context of residential culture. Employing grounded theory, [...] Read more.
The modern high-pressure lifestyle has led to an increasing emphasis on the healing construction of residential spaces, while air, as an important environmental factor, has received little attention in terms of situational healing experiences within the context of residential culture. Employing grounded theory, this study develops a theoretical model to explain the mechanism through which indoor air environments influence the healing benefits of residential spaces. Guided by the dynamic interaction process of “physical attributes–embodied cognition–behavioral regulation–social context”, the analysis focuses on human embodied perception and emotional responses to indoor air environments as the foundation for healing effects. It highlights the joint role of behavioral regulation and social context, ultimately affecting four levels of healing benefits. Furthermore, it systematically elaborates a theoretical model for embodied interactive residential air experiences, expanding healing environment theory from a contextual air experience perspective, and providing new research paradigm and insights for promoting healing benefits in residential settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Art and Design for Healing and Wellness in the Built Environment: 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 3520 KB  
Article
AUEX: A Neuroscience-Integrated Framework for Evaluating and Designing Wellness-Supportive Short Auditory Cues in Enclosed Built Environments
by Shenghua Tan, Ziqiang Fan, Zhiyu Long, Renren Deng, Zihao Li and Pin Gao
Buildings 2026, 16(5), 1089; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16051089 - 9 Mar 2026
Viewed by 488
Abstract
Short auditory cues in enclosed built environments (such as elevator calls, access control, navigation, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) notifications) influence not only usability but also stress and perceptions of well-being in daily indoor life. However, acoustic research remains largely focused [...] Read more.
Short auditory cues in enclosed built environments (such as elevator calls, access control, navigation, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) notifications) influence not only usability but also stress and perceptions of well-being in daily indoor life. However, acoustic research remains largely focused on physical properties, and the psychophysiological impact of such short auditory cues remains under-quantified. To address this gap, a neuroscience-based evaluation approach, the Acoustic User Experience and Emotion (AUEX) model, is proposed. This model integrates functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), electrodermal activity (EDA), and the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ). With 33 in-cabin prompt sounds as a controlled typology of short auditory cues in an enclosed setting, we set up a simulated interaction experiment with 20 participants in a driving simulator vehicle cabin to investigate the relationship between acoustic properties and cognitive load, arousal, and user experience. The results show that timbre is the key factor, which was correlated positively with overall UX (r = 0.414) and negatively with prefrontal ΔHbO (CH3: r = −0.368; l-DLPFC: r = −0.449), indicating a decrease in cognitive load and a relaxed affective state. Conversely, high-frequency signals improved pragmatic quality but increased physiological arousal, which negatively affected hedonic assessment. To facilitate the translation of evaluation results into practice, we also completed a design phase that converted the AUEX results into scenario-based parameter targets and prototype designs for functional, warning, and brand/affective cues, illustrating how evidence-based relationships can be translated into design-ready outputs for enclosed built environments. These results confirm the AUEX approach as a transferable method for designing short auditory cues for well-being and provide parameter-level implications for therapeutic and human-centered sound design in smart buildings, intelligent vehicles, and other enclosed built environments. Overall, the AUEX approach provides a transferable evaluation-to-design workflow for short auditory cues in enclosed interactive contexts; however, direct generalization from a single controlled vehicle cabin setting to real-world building environments should be validated through future field studies. Accordingly, the present findings are positioned as evidence from a controlled enclosed case rather than universal conclusions for all enclosed spaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Art and Design for Healing and Wellness in the Built Environment: 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

38 pages, 7206 KB  
Article
Children’s Well-Being of Physical Activity Space Design in Primary School Campus from the Perspective of Basic Psychological Needs
by Qi Song, Yixin Liu, Yihao Zhang, Min Huang, Bingjie Sun and Yuting Li
Buildings 2026, 16(1), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16010222 - 4 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1332
Abstract
The issue of children’s mental health is becoming increasingly prominent worldwide. Research indicates that insufficient physical activity constitutes a significant risk factor for various health issues. As primary school campuses serve as the primary setting for children’s physical activities, their spatial design currently [...] Read more.
The issue of children’s mental health is becoming increasingly prominent worldwide. Research indicates that insufficient physical activity constitutes a significant risk factor for various health issues. As primary school campuses serve as the primary setting for children’s physical activities, their spatial design currently fails to adequately support children’s psychological needs, thereby hindering improvements in mental well-being. This study, grounded in the theory of basic psychological needs, employs a combined approach of quantitative bibliometric analysis and qualitative content analysis to systematically investigate the relationship between children’s psychological needs and the design of physical activity spaces within school environments. The study identified six major research clusters: children’s health, self-determination theory, evaluation, physical education, user-centred design, and physical health. These reveal the multidimensional relationship between spatial design and children’s well-being. The key findings suggest that optimising facility diversity, designing progressively challenging activity zones, and implementing function-oriented colour coding can fulfil children’s fundamental psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. These measures significantly enhance their mental well-being and overall happiness. This study extends the application of basic psychological needs theory to the field of campus spatial design, providing practical guidance for designers, educators, and policymakers. It aims to collectively advance the continuous optimisation of school sports facilities, thereby creating more favourable conditions for children’s healthy development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Art and Design for Healing and Wellness in the Built Environment: 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

36 pages, 13264 KB  
Article
Exploring Livable Communities in Urban Renewal: Case Study of China’s Metropolises
by Ben Xiang, Mingjie Liang, Jianjun Ma, Chenzhe Ouyang and Jiaxin Lu
Buildings 2025, 15(22), 4072; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15224072 - 12 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2955
Abstract
As urban boundaries continue to expand and core city areas undergo optimization, megacities such as New York, London, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou exert a siphon effect on surrounding regions, intensifying population concentration and land demand. However, the imperative for coordinated production-living-ecological space development [...] Read more.
As urban boundaries continue to expand and core city areas undergo optimization, megacities such as New York, London, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou exert a siphon effect on surrounding regions, intensifying population concentration and land demand. However, the imperative for coordinated production-living-ecological space development has placed limits on uncontrolled urban sprawl, highlighting the need for connotative, high-quality urban growth. Recent initiatives in urban village renewal and regeneration aim to enhance land-use efficiency but face persistent challenges—including preserving indigenous settlements and cultural heritage, while creating livable and friendly communities within high-density contexts. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach—combining bibliometrics analysis, questionnaire surveys, and enterprise interviews—this research investigates core challenges to urban renewal. Results indicate that multi-party collaborative governance integrating policy innovation, cultural preservation, human-centered planning, smart technologies, and sustainable development is essential for advancing “people-industry-city integration” in renewal models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Art and Design for Healing and Wellness in the Built Environment: 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

27 pages, 14506 KB  
Review
Healing-Oriented Patient-Centered Care in the Healthcare Environment
by Yi Liu, Yiting Deng, Haoran Feng, Zhen Liu and Mohamed Osmani
Buildings 2026, 16(3), 507; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16030507 - 26 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1458
Abstract
Contemporary medical practitioners increasingly recognize the critical impact of healing-environment design on patients’ recovery, positioning it as a pivotal consideration in healthcare facility planning. While existing research has predominantly focused on enhancing the functionality and efficiency of healthcare environments, it has often overlooked [...] Read more.
Contemporary medical practitioners increasingly recognize the critical impact of healing-environment design on patients’ recovery, positioning it as a pivotal consideration in healthcare facility planning. While existing research has predominantly focused on enhancing the functionality and efficiency of healthcare environments, it has often overlooked the significance of individual patient needs and their distinct experiences. This paper aims to utilize the principles of epidemiology and empirical analysis to explore the application and research trends of the patient-centered care (PCC) concept in healthcare facility design, to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and achieve customized healthcare environments. Based on bibliometric analysis and key literature review methods, this paper systematically examines and interprets the research development trends of PCC in healing environment design, integrating both macro and micro perspectives, and reveals how design factors in therapeutic environments support the realization of PCC principles, thereby improving patients’ rehabilitation experiences and health outcomes. The results indicate that current research on PCC is trending towards increasingly diversified integration via high-frequency keywords such as recovery, healing environment, and evidence-based design, highlighting the shift from functional optimization to emotional care, technological integration, and nature-based interactions in design. Notably, patient-centered care has become a consensus and core integrating concept in this field. This paper not only reveals the key role of healing environments in constructing PCC practice pathways but also provides theoretical support and strategic reference for the planning of healthcare spaces and the collaborative design of nursing processes, and demonstrates that healing environments have evolved from passive spaces into active rehabilitation mediums through interdisciplinary collaboration, thereby facilitating the implementation of the patient-centered healthcare philosophy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Art and Design for Healing and Wellness in the Built Environment: 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop