Assistant Professor Sara Jensen Carr recently co-chaired a national joint conference for the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, focused on the topic of design and health. Titled “Building for Health and Well-Being: Structures Cities Systems” this conference was the first such joint conference between the two entities.

Hosted at the East-West Center at the UH Manoa campus, and with co-chairs Billie Faircloth, partner at Kieran Timberlake, and Dr. Howard Frumkin, immediate past dean of the School of Public Health at University of Washington, Professor Carr welcomed 50+ presentations focused on research on built environment and public health and its applications to pedagogy, design, and policy. Topics ranged from studies on healthy food access to improving hospital design to youth environments.

The opening night of the conference welcomed Healoha Johnston, curator of Arts of Hawai’i at the Honolulu Museum of Art, to speak about Native Hawaiian culture and its influence on Honolulu’s built environment. The second night welcomed three keynote speakers: Steven Luoni, director of the University of Arkansas Community Design Center, John Bela, director at Gehl Studio, and Dr. Bon Ku, MD, emergency physician and Associate Professor at Thomas Jefferson University. In a discussion moderated by Dean Daniel Friedman of the School of Architecture, the three panelists discussed the role of design and design thinking in improving the well-being of communities.

Mahalo to our guest co-chairs, ACSA, ASPPH, and all our presenters and speakers for traveling to Honolulu and making this conference so memorable!

More Photos:

Traci Rider of North Carolina State University presents “Exploring Opportunities at the Intersection of Design and Public Health Pedagogies.

John Bela, Bon Ku, and Steve Luoni discuss the role of design in healthier communities

Dr. Bon Ku and Stephanie Carlisle present their collaboration to map a better emergency department

John Bela of Gehl Architects presents at Building for Health and Well-Being: Structures Cities Systems