Dr. Terri Peters

Terri Peters has long been interested in the effects of building performance on well-being; but when she lived in Copenhagen, she experienced it firsthand. Design there was different, especially in the medium-rise housing blocks that many, including Peters herself, called home. Instead of the long, dark condos that are typical of North America, balconies facing sunny courtyards were common, as was a focus on hygge, meaning coziness. “In Denmark,” she says, “quality of life is most important.”

It’s important for Peters, too. Much of her research focuses on superarchitecture: where design is driven by what adds to our health, such as wide-open views, good air flow, maximized daylight and access to the outdoors. Here in Canada, Peters wants superarchitecture to play more of a central role. However, as many of these elements are not quantitative—i.e. how do you measure that calm feeling you get from a well-lit room?—there are challenges.

To overcome them, Peters is researching strategies that benefit both our natural environment and our well-being, like appropriate uses of daylight and testing design options via digital simulation. She’s also speaking up at various health-related conferences. “The more architects who advocate, the healthier our buildings will be.”