ARCH24, the 6th International Conference on Architecture, Research, Care and Health, was held at Aalto University, Espoo, Finland from 17–19 June 2024. The theme of the 2024 conference was ‘Effects of Design on Health and Wellbeing’.

The main objective of the ARCH conference series is to promote architectural research within the health and wellbeing sector, and to provide evidence-based data which will move the profession and design community forward. We are all aware that health and wellbeing can no longer be dealt with as a local issue, so the emphasis this year was on wider global reach and greater diversity and this 2024 conference brought together some 170 professionals from over 25 countries around the world.

This book contains 37 articles presenting academic research and submitted to the conference. These articles address topics on designing for social and emotional wellbeing, designing for the transformation of care delivery and culture, and designing for everyday environments to support, rehabilitate and care. Everything we design, matters. Our day-to-day environment can support our physical and sensory capacities. It can promote the inclusion and wellbeing of people of all ages, from children and young people to older adults. Design of the built environment plays an important role in health behaviours and the prevention of disease and can also support rehabilitation and the healing process. Current healthcare reforms are changing the ways that services are delivered. The design of care environments enables this transformation, and fosters user driven healthcare culture. These topics and many others are discussed in the following articles, which are grouped under eight headings:

∙ Research and design methods for better care environments

∙ Universal design and accessibility of care environments

∙ Sensory design in care facilities

∙ Healthcare design and care culture

∙ Youth wellbeing and environment

∙ Building an inclusive and sustainable society

∙ Housing design and home attachment

∙ Age-friendly environments and ageing in place.

We are thrilled with the many excellent articles submitted this year, and are confident that you will enjoy reading them here. The best practice papers are published in a separate publication in the Art + Design + Architecture series of Aalto University publications.

Dr. Ira Verma – Conference co-chair, Chair of ARCH24 Scientific Committee

Professor Laura Arpiainen – Conference co-chair