How does architecture affect wellbeing?

Michel Mossessian of Mossessian Architecture talks about the synergies between architecture and health.

The Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) host special guest lecture with renowned Architect and IGHI Visiting Professor Michel Mossessian.

‘Architecture and Wellbeing’ was the title of Michel Mossessian’s talk, which was presented to a packed-out lecture theatre in South Kensington last Friday. 

Michel has recently been appointed Visiting Professor at the Institute of Global Health Innovation and is a world famous architect and designer who is the Design Principal at Mossessian Architecture, a firm he founded in 2005.  Mossessian Architecture has designed numerous high-profile buildings around the world, including two buildings within London’s Kings Cross Revitalisation Project and the Medina of Fes, Morocco, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As health and wellbeing is increasingly being linked to the design and aesthetic of our environment, Michel’s wealth of experience in this field will be an invaluable asset to IGHI’s work, particularly our HELIX Centre for Design in Healthcare.  This will add to the Centre’s important foundational partnership between Imperial College and the Royal College of Art and will undoubtedly enhance their efforts to find innovative, low cost solutions to everyday health needs. 

During the talk, Michel discussed how architecture and our environment around us adds to our health and overall wellbeing and showcased several projects from his varied portfolio to illustrate how our environment can profoundly affects us as individuals, including our mood and wellbeing. 

On introducing Michel’s talk, Imperial President Professor Alice Gast said “Professor Darzi has found a wonderful speaker in which we can bring together creative synergies between disciplines.  Michel Mossessian is indeed inspiring - one need only look at his incredible work around the world for ample inspiration.  His work has not only had a huge architectural impact- he is also very much committed to architecture that adds cultural value and benefits society beyond buildings. I am delighted that Michel was recently appointed as Visiting Professor at IGHI and look forward to the valuable insights he will bring to their 7 centres of excellence”.       

Watch the full event in its entirety here.

View the photo album from the event on our Flickr pages here.

Left to right: Rector of the RCA, Dr Paul Thompson, Speaker Michel Mossessian and Imperial President Professor Alice Gast