Buildings can be beautiful. They can be ballasts against the elements, safeguarding the lives inside. Their materials can be smartly sourced, and interiors shaped and styled to make the most out of the character and conditions of the natural environment that surrounds them. But what about architecture that is driven by considerations of how its human population can best be aided and supported through the specific features of its design?
Our visual faculties connect deeply to our emotions. Colors, for instance, have emotional valences. There are those that conjure feelings of unrest and anxiety; some that promote tranquility. Similarly with shape, dimension, tone and texture — all contribute toward feelings of well-being (or the opposite) as we encounter and interact with these things.
This article in Architectural Digest collects the most interesting and successful projects that had that notion in mind: Homes and buildings, inside and out, should nurture and strengthen the lives inside. These architects traveled toward this central idea from various directions — physically, yes, but also politically. The refugee camp in Germany, for example, was designed to foster a sense of community for the residents by creating open and airy meeting spaces inside.
Explore the rest here: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/design-for-good-2017