Ben Channon — We need to design happiness into our spaces

I read Happiness by Design by Ben Channon during Covid, packed with sensible suggestions, and a checklist of how our homes should function — after the success of the book, Ben expanded on the concept into a Happiness by Design Toolkit, his most recent book, which looks at a much broader field of architecture and design including workplace.

As an architect, author, TEDx speaker and mental wellbeing advocate, he is well known in the industry as a thought leader in designing for happiness and wellbeing. Ben is a Director at wellbeing design consultancy Ekkist, where he helps clients and design teams to create healthier places, and researches how buildings and urban design can impact how we feel.

He developed an interest in design for mental health, wellbeing and happiness after suffering with anxiety problems in his mid-twenties and talks openly about them in this interview - he now speaks about this subject to businesses and universities around the world.