Active design: Promoting physical activity through building layout

Abstract

History has shown that environmental design can play a vital role in improving public health. Today, architects, urban designers, and planners can collaborate to address one of the most urgent and widespread epidemics of our time which are obesity and its related diseases. Hence, just as design professionals are increasingly embracing green building as an objective for environmental sustainability, they should thoroughly consider the potential effects of their designs on public health and wellbeing. Active Design is one of the approaches that must been taken by the architecture field. It is an idea to design cities and buildings for eco-sustenance that in turn can encourage people to get more exercise. This is not about encouraging us to go to the gym and working out more, but instead, it's about giving citizens more of a workout through how we interact with our environment daily. There are a few countries that have been publishing their own Active Design Guidelines in promoting the use of this approach on the building design. However, the active design guidelines are not yet publishing in Asia, but the active design approach has been implemented and adapted in the building design whether in a direct or indirect manner. The purpose of this study is to examine, evaluate and review the building layout design in Malaysian Architecture in relation with the active design sustainable approach based on the literature and guidelines which can influence physical activities and health among Malaysian. Three selected building from Malaysia have been selected and analysed through qualitative and quantitative method. The finding of the research would provide deeper understanding of the necessary parameters and factors that are needed to be considered in implementing the active sustainable design approach in Malaysia.