We all want to feel safe in the place where we live, work and rest. You probably aren’t an exception.
So the questions are, how does architecture actually contribute to safety? What exactly is the role played by the architectural design? Is there an actual connection with our safety sense?
Safety is an extremely significant part of what architecture can actually do. In any building, the occupant must feel not only comfortable and healthy, but also safe.
This is why I’m writing the following lines dedicated to the connection between safety and architecture.
Around us
A fantastic place to get started with this complicated matter is the known as the “surrounding area”. Any building is located within a specific environment: it can be a proper neighbourhood, a large city or another type of context. As a designer you must understand the design and safety climate accordingly.
How can we do that?
Whatever happens outside, can also be brought inside. This might actually be bad or good. This is why the building’s surrounding area is actually so important.
The way the architecture communicates through the exterior environment can incite you to ask certain questions about its shared exterior spaces, site plan, greens-paces, traffic patterns and so on.
Obviously, as an architect you need to be concerned with people’s safety by designing with fire, water, barrier and a number of accidents in mind. However, as important as the conceptual concerns are the actual developments or the architectural plans, for which you might want to rely on the expertise of an architectural printing services provider with a vast experience.
But let’s go back to the key question: how can we go about building a sense of safety? The truth is, it’s all about community. Just the other day I was listening to this brilliant radio broadcast from a radio station in the Netherlands where the author was discussing this exact point. They explained that building occupants do not just feel a greater sense of safety because they have quality locks on their doors; instead, they explained that people feel safer in community environments that promote and foster “trust between strangers”.
These remarks lead to the key question: does the architecture evoke a sense of safety because it shelters the people from the exterior surrounding area, or does the architecture evoke a sense of safety because it is located within an environment that is actually designed to foster trust?
Obviously, architecture must shelter its people to some extent; but overdoing this might be counterproductive and actually be contributing to the crime problem, and thus to your occupant’s sense of fear.
In brief, by bringing safety with your design to the exterior surrounding community, you will help not only your people inside, but also the crime-ridden neighbouring zones — two key steps toward helping to resolve the problem. A safe living area is a very basic aspect when it comes to our wellbeing and happiness. Living in a safe and comfortable neighbourhood and building will enhance our quality living and in the long run it will make us happier, both to us and to our beloved ones.
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