Can Interior Designers increase physical activity in a workplace setting by using motivational signs

Document Type:Thesis

Subject Area:Architecture

Document 1

, Blake, H. , & Suggs, L. Purpose: This study seeks to examine motivational signs in interior layout elements and non-intervention in elevator use in workplace. Then, results for signage intervention and non-intervention of interior design layout elements will be analyzed to determine the effectiveness of motivational signs in interior layout design. Do interior designers need to use motivational signs like health tips, maps, story boards, phrases, foot print use, riddles and precaution measures to promote physical activity through interior layout elements like stairs, corridors and ramps at work places?. Yu S, Yarnell JW, Sweetnam PM, Murray L, and Caerphilly conducted a study on the time needed each day for a physical activity. They found that only seven minutes of physical activity each day can be associated with 62.

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0% decline of coronary heart diseases in USA. This means seven minutes of exercise, walking and climbing each day can reduce 62. 0% of coronary related deaths each year. Based on the above mixed reactions and concerns, the study seeks to examine, evaluate and analyze the impact of motivational signage by interior designers on increase in physical activity at a work place setting (organizational office). There is need to test the effectiveness of posters, maps, foot prints, riddles and story boards along the interior design elements in promoting physical activity at a work place setting. Literature Review According to the Center for Active Design 86% of adults will be obese by the year 2030 (Impact Report, 2016). An even more dire prediction is that American children are expected to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (Impact Report, 2016).

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If current behavior patterns remain the same, these forecasts will become a devastating reality. cdc. gov/healthyweight/effects/index. html). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average college-educated citizen over age 25 works 8 hours daily, 5 times per week at a physical work location (not work from home). This means that a large portion of our daily lives are spent at our places of employment. Duncan’s findings attribute ‘spatial configuration’ of the office as the main incentive that drives ‘short walking activities or fleeting activities’ instead of prolonged instances of walking in the office (Duncan et al. This study shows that offices where employees need to communicate and/or collaborate with co-workers tend to have open-plan configurations to facilitate teamwork and encourage movement in the office.

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For the private-enclosed offices the authors found no relationship amongst connectivity and occurrence of active breaks. (Duncan et al. According to the authors, multiple factors impact sedentary behavior. Participants reported they either forgot about it or could not use it because the room was in use for other office activities. It was decided that placing the treadmill desk in a more central location in the office may improve office workers frequency of use. Another unfortunate finding showed that daily transitions of the sit-to-stand desk declined as the study progressed (Crandall et al. To understand why active design elements may not be utilized fully by employees, we must look at employee views regarding health behaviors. Research by Sarkar, S. For employees to utilize the benefits provided by an active design work environment, they must first understand why it is important to do so.

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We could deduct that for Active Design to work effectively, more time and efforts should be spent of health education in our workplaces. One promising way to educate employees on the benefits of using active design features is through the use of point of decisions prompts. In 2008, the New York City Department of Health began a stair prompt sign campaign in which motivational sighs were placed at the base of stairs throughout the city. Sign example: “Burn Calories, Not Electricity-Take the Stairs!”. The authors wanted to observe any natural changes in movement behavior. Their study involved 34 participants from four different locations who moved into one new active design building. The building had several interior design elements including corridors, stairs, elevators, gyms, ramps and lobbies that connect to the functional area in the building.

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Bicycle space was also another key component in the new active design building that could promote exercise and more parking equipment that could increase physical activity. The stairs and the ramps were designed to connect most accessible functional areas and the corridors could facilitate movement by walking. , Creagh, R. , Tye, M. , Jancey, J. , & Blackford, K. (2014) looked at ways that architecture and the promotion of healthy behaviors can work together to reduce sedentary behaviors. To facilitate this movement from one area to another, interior design elements like stair use should be encouraged and overly designed to increase physical exercise. The most popular destinations to design these interior layout elements within the office were found to be the kitchen, meeting rooms, and library (Mcgann et al.

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Getting out of the office was also identified as motivator to move, especially at lunch time (Mcgann et al. Another contributing factor in motivators to move was clothing choices; more men were observed taking the stairs while women in heels choose to take the elevator (Mcgann et al. Based on these findings, Mcgann et al. New and inventive elements such as bikes and scooters are being used indoors for travel within the office; large numbers of breakaway areas are available for employees to move into varied work environments throughout the day. An evaluation and tracking system is being used to gather data about how employees are moving in the space. Several images, maps, story boards and phrases were used along stairs, corridors and ramps to gather data on the effect of signage on physical activity.

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Downstairs layout (left), Biking in the office (right) https://centerforactivedesign. org/genslernewportbeach Gensler Newport Beach. Inviting ramps also encourage movement among patrons. Main hallway (left) provides areas for socialization. (Right) Education rooms with lots of natural light and outdoor views. https://centerforactivedesign. org/bayterrace Bay Terrace Community. aspx This case study looks at the Active Design principles applied in the design of the Hunters Point Campus in Queens, NY. Completed in 2013 by FXFOWLE Architects (now FXCollaborative) and spanning 145,000 square feet, this school campus was designed to address the growing obesity rates of the local community. The design features stairs with natural light on every floor and outdoor terraces as focal points to motivate movement in the space. The campus is divided into three individual schools; each with its own distinct building connected to the other.

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This guarantees stints of stairclimbing and walking as students travel between classes; the separate identity of each building also helps with wayfinding. d. Retrieved February 20, 2018, from https://centerforactivedesign. org/hunterspointcampus Stair Prompt Signage NY Department of Health Mental Hygiene Stair Signs. https://centerforactivedesign. org/stairprompt Research from this case study reveals motivational signs placed at decision points such as the bottom of stairs, or elevator entrances positively influence people’s decision to take the stairs. These ergonomic options have been shown to reduce low back pain. Creating Active Design spaces alone is not enough to change movement patterns long term. We have seen in the research that often the newness and/or excitement of new and active office features tends to wear off with time.

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Increasing knowledge regarding the benefits of making active movement choices is a necessary element to a successful, Active Design space. Point of decision prompts are signs placed at the base of stairs to help educate the public about the health benefits of taking the stair as well as motivate movement. work ethic, behavioral norms) as movement motivators. Their study found the top three to be: (1) being with people, (2) food and drink, (3) paper work. Active Design spaces should be designed in conjunction with how the workers move in the space. Even with these positive study outcomes, there are some inherent weakens noticed in reviewing the literature on Active Design. Many of the studies utilized surveys to gather data. (4) More education is necessary to between health knowledge and sedentary behavior for employees and employers alike.

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(5) More objective definitions and measures of health ratings (excellent health-poor health- how can it be defined?) (6) Means for gathering data should use a variety of methods to increase validity. Conclusion In summary, the knowledge gap on increasing the physical activity via active design should be investigated and more attractive solutions should be implemented. Interior layout designs should not only fit the functional efficiency but also it should promote health fitness through active design guidelines (Impact Report, 2016). Other Misc. L. , & Hsieh, C. Physical Activity, All-Cause Mortality, and Longevity of College Alumni.  New England Journal of Medicine,314(10), 605-613. doi:10. 13189/saj. 040202 Crandall, K. J. , Zagdsuren, B. Schafer, M. Perceived Health, Sedentary Time, Body Mass Index, and Breaks from Prolonged Sitting in the Workplace.  International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine,2(4).

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doi:10. 23937/2469-5718/1510044 Mcgann, S. , Creagh, R. Y. , Hespe, D. , & Bauman, A. E. Do active design buildings change health behavior and workplace perceptions? Occupational Medicine, 66(5), 408-411.  Building Research & Information,43(5), 646-658. doi:10. 1045712 Paffenbarger, R. S. , Hyde, R. S. A systematic review of workplace health promotion interventions for increasing physical activity. British journal of health psychology, 19(1), 149-180 Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, June 05). Retrieved February 19, 2018, from https://www. org/bayterrace Gensler Newport Beach. (n. d. Retrieved February 17, 2018, from https://centerforactivedesign. org/genslernewportbeach Active Design Guidelines. gov/data/ Hunters Point Campus. (n. d. Retrieved February 20, 2018, from https://centerforactivedesign. org/hunterspointcampus Impact Report. Dont just sit there! It could be harmful later in life. Retrieved April 10, 2018, from https://www. usatoday. com/story/news/nation/2014/02/19/sitting-disease-disability-older-adults/5583941/ Hellmich, N.

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