Guest Editor: Felicia Cleper-Borkovi

Overview:
 

While hospitals and clinical infrastructures remain critical to healthcare delivery, the architecture of health encompasses a broader spectrum of spaces—physical, social, ecological, and digital—that shape human well-being. Health and healing emerge not only from medical intervention, but also from the design of environments that foster connection, restoration, and resilience. This call seeks scholarly and practice-based contributions that interrogate how architectural, artistic, technological, and social forms of design construct the spatial conditions for health—beyond the clinic—across a range of cultural, environmental, and disciplinary contexts.

This Focus Section of Leonardo Journal  invites scholars, architects, artists, clinicians, researchers, and innovators from diverse disciplines to reflect on the multilayered identity of health and wellness settings.  We seek contributions that examine not just built environments but also the intangible, the experiential spaces where health is cultivated—public parks, community centers, virtual environments, workplaces, and natural landscapes that influence well-being. How can design principles promote healing at multiple scales and in various settings?  

We welcome contributions in the form of:

• Scholarly essays (up to 5,000 words)
• Cross disciplinary investigations to present new trajectories of discovery
• Practice-based research (including visual, sonic, performative, or computational works)
• Hybrid or experimental formats that treat language and structure as part of the inquiry

Potential Themes to explore:

Interdisciplinary and Cross-Sector Collaborations: Explore how partnerships between artists, architects, healthcare providers, scientists, and technologists create environments that blend innovation with humanistic care. Examples might include community-driven art projects in public spaces or digital tools that support mental health.  

Aesthetics and Atmosphere in Healing Environments: How do elements such as natural light, plant life, textures, sounds, and visual art contribute to a sense of calm, safety, and spiritual renewal in diverse environments? Consider examples like therapeutic gardens integrated into urban spaces or virtual reality experiences that evoke nature’s restorative qualities.  

The Power of Personal and Cultural Narratives: How do stories—personal histories, cultural traditions, collective memories—shape the design of healing spaces? Share case studies that highlight storytelling’s role in fostering community and individual resilience.  

The Future of Healthy Environments: Imagine environments that serve as hubs for prevention, social connection, and holistic health—such as community parks designed for physical activity and social engagement or virtual spaces that support remote well-being. How can design foster trust, hope, and resilience at societal levels?  

Cultural and Generational Dimensions: How do diverse cultural expressions and generational needs influence the design of healing environments? Share examples like culturally sensitive art installations, multi-lingual signage, or spaces designed to accommodate multigenerational families.

Proposals and Inquiries
Interested authors may submit manuscript proposals or inquiries to editor@leonardo.info.

Manuscript Submissions
For detailed instructions for manuscript and art preparation, visit Information for Journal Authors.

To submit a completed manuscript, upload to Editorial Express  (link is external)