8000008 Designing and evaluating adaptive architectural solutions in offices for improving mental and physical health

<h3>Objective</h3> The majority of employees express dissatisfaction with their shared office spaces, which influences their health, well-being, productivity and social relationships at work. This dissatisfaction stems from improper environmental conditions, such as noise or inappropriate lighting. The SONATA project aims to explore how adaptive architecture, e.g. robotic walls, could be used to improve environmental conditions and hence, workers’ health and well-being in modern workplaces. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> The study methodology is based on a multi-disciplinary approach involving four phases: generating hypotheses to enhance worker health and wellbeing, implementing architectural adaptation technologies, deploying evidence-based intervention evaluation through lab and field studies, and synthesizing outcomes into a set of recommendations targeting different stakeholders. Lab and living-lab studies in three different tracks will analyse the impact of multiple adaptive technologies in isolation and in combination with each other, for single workers as well as for contexts that involve multiple workers. The field studies in three distinct hybrid work contexts will assess the longer-term effects of situational-aware and orchestrated adaptations on occupant well-being and productivity in real-world settings. <h3>Results</h3> While most studies are still ongoing, experimental protocols have been developed, adaptive technologies further advanced and a first laboratory was concluded. First insights into results will be given during the workshop. <h3>Conclusion</h3> SONATA will deliver important insights and new evidence related to the effect of adaptive architecture on works health, well-being and productivity.