The traits of extraversion—gregariousness and comfort with the spotlight—are often seen as synonymous with leadership, confidence, ability, and likability—especially in the United States. Author Susan Cain coined the term "extrovert ideal" to describe this well-researched preference of people in Western societies.

But where does that leave introverts or ambiverts?

The built environment has a role in combating social isolation and loneliness and in fostering connection.

Interconnected physical spaces shape our cities and communities, from homes, to streets, parks, and more.

Social connectedness can be boosted via design, planning, and policy, and across stakeholders.

Each June, alongside our partners at the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection (GILC) and Marmalade Trust, the Coalition activates local communities, policymakers, and innovators for Global Loneliness Awareness Week. Together, we share resources, identify areas of collaboration, and educate the public on the importance of connection. This year, we are excited to convene once again on June 11th in Washington, D.C. Stay tuned for more information – including our agenda and speakers!

With the growing global mental health crisis, this event is dedicated to fostering insightful discussions, exploring innovative approaches, and understanding the evolving landscape of mental wellness in our community. We will bring together diverse perspectives exploring the future of design for mental health through the lens of programs, place, and tech. We will break down silos, charting a transdisciplinary path forward to cultivate meaningful change and provide a context for future design and research.

I was honored to be in conversation with Evelyn M Lee on her podcast, Practice of Architecture talking about how to use architecture and design to address loneliness, promote well-being, and foster inclusive and supportive work environments

Where we live, work, play, and learn impacts our social health and how connected we are as a society

As cities invest in infrastructure, design for social and community well-being benefits everyone

Design guidelines for social health can be created with PANACHe

Learn about the link between social health and overall health outcomes, specifically how loneliness has toxic health outcomes worse than smoking and obesity, and how social connection fosters health.

Explore how the built environment is a determinant of social health, working on a systems level to help to foster social interaction and health

Understand how third places impact social health and what tangible steps we can all take to reduce feelings of loneliness in our lives and in our communities.

Share an evidence-based framework to design for social connection, examine scalable strategies that lead to social environments that promote meaningful connections.

American adults say that having close friends is essential to living a fulfilling life.

Social infrastructure in our cities and communities can foster connection.

Clubs and associations tie us to local community and support.

Being more present with others can foster connection.

“There is a serious skills shortage in many countries, which has been part of the reason a lot of businesses have gone all in on offering employees flexibility. This raises an interesting question about where the duty of care lies in terms of employers being responsible for their employees’ wellbeing. Is an area you’ve looked into, and what are your thoughts are about how that dynamic is playing out?”…

Children with adverse childhood events may have increased sensitivities and struggle to self-regulate.

Thoughtfully designed school environments can help children soothe themselves and cope with triggers.

Trauma-informed design can help all children—not just those who have undergone trauma.

Author and architect, Erin Peavey, discusses ways to find a support system and combat feelings of loneliness.

Architect and researcher, Erin Peavey speaks to the BBC Woman’s Hour about how design of our built environment can help to foster social connection and heal loneliness.

Practitioners of the emerging architectural movement called trauma-informed design see buildings as “the first line of therapy.”

“Something inside me still lights up when I think about how to use the built environment to love and care for people, not just my family, but for people I might never meet, and the people that care for them.”

"We need to think beyond just the individual," Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University and a leading loneliness researcher, told Insider. "We often neglect the built environment."

On the TEDx stage, Erin shares research at HKS, Inc. on how design of public spaces has the power to combat loneliness is so important to the health of our communities.

To those in the design community, the small strokes you make when designing parks, architecture, or even simple sidewalks can heal us or hurt us.

Our digital and physical workplaces can support or inhibit our brain health.

Our reliance on single office workstations can reduce our effectiveness and render us less active and adaptive.

Creating a range of spaces provides people choice, allowing them to fit their place of work for the type of work they are doing.

"I think a lot of the beautiful traditional forms of architecture over the centuries, really, [have] responded to the natural environment of that area. And they responded to the people and their needs. And I think in so many different areas of life, right now, we're going back to understanding this wisdom that we used to have, that we sort of talked ourselves out of, and I hope that the built environment can be a part of that," said Peavey.

"It doesn't actually have to cost more, it just needs to be designed mindfully."

In a time of hyper connection and communication, many of us report feeling lonely and detached, and there is strong evidence that this has a toxic effect on our health and happiness. Peavey will share an evidence-based framework to design for social connection, examine scalable strategies — some unexpected — that lead to social environments that promote meaningful connections. Huge opportunities await architects who can leverage this knowledge to build a future marked by connections that boost our collective health.

John Oliver discusses environmental racism, how both government and industry are failing people of color, and pandas. Featuring the Floral Farms community, where Shingle Mountain once stood 6 stories high.