In a discussion on the influences of seen and unseen aspects that shape design decisions and affect human behavior, Ámbar Margarida, principal of interior design at the architecture and design firm Spacesmith, will present, “Improving Health and Wellness Through the Design of Your Space,” a live, online program focused on nonprofit organizations as part of The Rooftops Project & New York Law School. During the free, virtual event, set for Friday, March 5, 2021, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. EST, Margarida will detail how evidence-based interior design principles contribute to positive behaviors in the built environment for nonprofit and human service organizations. Increasingly, for instance, studies show that connecting people to natural elements by amplifying biophilic design concepts in a space produces beneficial outcomes, such as increased feelings of calmness and positive distractions.                

“Design is a powerful tool for enhancing positive behavior and attitudes in the  workplaces of all organizations and especially nonprofits,” says Ámbar Margarida, CID, IIDA, WELL AP, LEED, who is published widely and has shared her expertise with nonprofits and trauma-informed design during the 10th annual Rooftops Conference in New York City in 2020. “Incorporating design strategies that connect people to nature within a space is one way to reduce everyday stresses, promoting calmer feelings, better working relationships and higher productivity.”

Research, like that of the WELL Building Standard, for instance, notes the impact that different environments have on people’s levels of stress, for better or worse. "Designs that shape what people see, feel and experience in supportive ways do more than provide a great outdoor view or comfortable ambience,” says Margarida, who recently wrote an essay on how  lighting has the power to impact mood and behavior . “Careful attention to the way an environment’s design influences people in favorable ways also can elevate their central nervous system for greater benefits.”

Attendees of the free, March 5th virtual conference must be preregistered. Details are found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/improving-health-wellness-through-the-design-of-your-space-registration-137675927405

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About Ámbar Margarida, Principal, Spacesmith

Part of the leadership team at Spacesmith, Ámbar Margarida, CID, IIDA, LEED® GA, WELL AP, is a principal and an active designer in the nonprofit and social services sectors. She has also worked with leading global brands on a diverse cross section of architectural interiors projects including Avon, Bacardi, MTV Networks, BlackRock, the U.S. State Department’s Overseas Building Operations (OBO) and New York State agencies. An accredited green building professional, Margarida brings expertise in designing healthy spaces that contribute to employee wellbeing and satisfaction and have healthy indoor air quality, access to quality views and daylight, plantings and proper ergonomics, among other features. Her honors include the HiP: Designer for the Greater Good, Large Firm Award, 2020, Interior Design; 40 Under Forty Award, 2018, Building Design+Construction; and the 20 A.E.C. Pros Under 35 recognition, 2017, Commercial Observer. Margarida also teaches in the Interior Design Bachelors program at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City, and she is a founding member of the Latino American Commercial Real Estate Association (LACREA). and

 About Spacesmith

Spacesmith is a full-service architecture, interior design, and consulting firm specializing in renovations, adaptive reuse and new buildings for both private and public sector clients. Spacesmith is a team of highly skilled architects, designers, space planners, and project managers. Our partnership with Davis Brody Bond provides us with additional resources to deliver architecture and design services at any scale and location to clients across a wide range of sectors. At Spacesmith we focus with meticulous attention on the concept and details of every project in order to arrive at a solution which is architecturally, socially and skillfully designed. More at spacesmith.com.