Wood is a part of Assembly’s DNA. We love it for a whole host of construction and sustainability reasons, but often find it’s the feeling our wood buildings give that really resonates. Turns out it’s not just us in our feelings – there’s a term and science to back it up. 

Wood is a natural element that can evoke a sense of connection with the outdoors and nature, a connection known as biophilia. Nurturing this connection between humans and nature has established wellness benefits and serves as a counterpoint to traditional approaches to the built environment that seek to separate people and the natural world. 

People spend more time indoors than ever – these spaces must be conducive to health and happiness. A holistic approach to sustainable building considers the relationship between building materials, occupant experience and environmental impact. By utilizing natural wood materials and exposed wood elements, Assembly promotes psychological and physiological wellness.

Research has used autonomous nervous systems’ responses to wood environments to measure the positive physiological effects of wood. Subjective evaluations of wooden panels have been linked to reduced feelings of depression and dejection, lower blood pressure, and increased relaxation for those who “like” wooden environments and neutral responses from those who “dislike” wooden environments. In healthcare environments, the prevalence of “naked” wood surfaces can actually contribute to shortening the patient’s treatment. Patients’ brain activity measurements in wood environments show they become calmer and less stressed. 

Assembly’s wood interiors are more comfortable and induce positive experiences consistent with the positive influence of outdoor natural environments. Wood reflects long-wavelength light of red and yellow hues, consistently perceived by humans as warm and inviting, which has a tangible effect on occupant experience. The natural grain patterns, colours, and textures add depth and dimension to interior spaces, drawing on our positive inclination toward natural elements.

We strive to expose as much wood as possible in our builds. Assembly’s Passage House project is an 11,000 sq ft, 18 unit transitional housing project for the The Blue Door Shelter in York Region. Built in only 7 months, the project has  exposed wood ceilings and interior walls for biophilic, wellness effects. 

For our residents, Assembly homes are humanizing; they bring the forest back to the city and invoke our innate connection to nature.