Environments that are oversized, blank, or monotonous tend to increase vigilance. Human-scaled environments—those with detail, edges, and variation—help people feel more at ease.

The research on trauma-informed school design is compelling. Walking it on a Tuesday morning in August is something else.

A porch, a parade around the block, and a reminder that the best gathering spaces don't require a design budget.

The WHO's 2025 report names social connection as a global health imperative. For those of us who design places, it is also a professional mandate.

The built environment can exclude — or embrace. Sometimes, it takes heartbreak to spark change.

Have you ever walked into a building and just felt something—like a sense of calm, inspiration, or even excitement—without really knowing why?

What do we mean when we talk about designing for connection? How does architecture, interior design, and urban planning impact our social health?

I love people. But even so, extensive time surrounded by even the most wonderful humans can overwhelm my system. Part of my ability to dedicate myself to human connection, relies on time connecting alone with myself.

Mental health month exercises designed to help you reflect on your current life, explore various life paths, and prototype experiences to build a life that is both meaningful and fulfilling.

Early in life, I didn’t have the words highly sensitive person, or sensory processing sensitivities, I just knew the world often felt too loud and overwhelming. If you’re struggling to find a place where you can be yourself, you’re not alone.

Growing up, I didn’t think I liked history — until I saw the broader view we’re not teaching in most schools.

Mentorship is not the exchange of services, but the building of a meaningful relationship between mentee and mentor. In that spirit, I wanted to share a few of my takeaways from amazing mentors and mentees in my life.