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

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.

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."

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.