Design for Happiness: Analyzing and Shaping the Built Environment to Uplift

Students will engage in urban planning and architectural design processes, contextualized through the lens of designing uplifting built environments.

Defining and measuring happiness in the research world is discussed, diagrammed, and practiced. Research on human physiological and psychological response to place and space back a unique assessment tool teaching students will practice with to better understand and evaluate existing environments for pro-happiness elements and qualities. Architectural visual communication skills will put into practice including scale drawing, iterative design, team collaboration, investigative critique, and model building, culminating in a final full-scale design-build installation and presentation.