More than Green: Can the Space Between the Walls Make a Difference?

Video Tours of 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd.

The 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd. Office building is the first LEED© Platinum new construction office building in the Washington, D.C. region.  In the design and construction of Tower Oaks, the developer (The Tower Companies) took sustainability to a whole new level.  Not only is the building physically healthy, but the interior design and architecture possess intangible spatial qualities that inspire occupants.  Built according to the principles of Vedic architecture (“the architecture of nature”), the building was considered in an emotional and spiritual manner with regards to harmony, proportion, and orientation.  The user experience was paramount, with spaces designed to nourish creativity and intelligence.  Check out the backlit honey onyx feature wall that GPI engineered and installed in the Tower Oaks lobby.

Do you use Vedic architecture principles in your building designs?  What is the relationship between the sustainability of a building/space and the emotional and physical health of its occupants? What design elements are necessary in order to push a building from being environmentally sustainable to emotionally sustainable?