Active Design: Architectural Interventions for Improving Occupational Health Through Reducing Sedentary Behavior - A...

Area of Science:

• Built environment and occupational health research.
• Architectural design interventions for public health.

Background:

• Sedentary behavior is a significant public health concern, particularly in occupational settings.
• The built environment, including architectural design, plays a crucial role in influencing physical activity levels.
• Stair use is a readily available method to increase physical activity and mitigate sedentary behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review architectural literature on stair design interventions aimed at reducing sedentary behavior.
• To identify key design features that promote stair usage for improved occupational health.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of English-language manuscripts published between 2000 and 2022.
• Searches conducted across Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, CINAHL, and ERIC databases.
• Inclusion criteria focused on studies by architects addressing built environment features influencing stair use.

Main Results:

• Nine built environment features influencing stair use were identified, with safety, motivations, appeal, comfort, and legibility being most prominent.
• Positive attributes in these features correlate with increased stair usage.
• A notable gap exists in architectural practice and research regarding active stair design.

Conclusions:

• Stair use is vital for enhancing physical activity and occupational health.
• Architects and designers must prioritize staircase design to encourage daily use by incorporating numerous promoting features.
• Further research and practice are needed to advance active stair design principles.