MIAMI—The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, announced another key topic for its upcoming conference: the powerful connection between the built environment and our physical and mental health and the many directions that the “building well” trend is now taking.
The conference will bring together leading architects, academics, investors and researchers to discuss how new building and design trends, including the science and innovations behind them, are transforming the built environment—and are leading to unprecedented wellness real estate investment opportunities and development pipelines.
Joanna Frank, President & CEO, Center for Active Design, will keynote on health and wellbeing as a key value driver in the built environment, while Harvard professors, Joseph G. Allen and John D. Macomber, will have a fireside chat discussing findings from their recent book, “Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity.” Wellness designer, Clodagh, an early and vocal advocate of incorporating healing modalities in the built environment, will share insights from her recent projects. Veronica Schreibeis Smith (writer of the 2021 Global Wellness Summit trend, “Spiritual and Numinous Moments in Architecture”) will be in conversation with Dr. Phillip Tabb about the ways thoughtful design and architecture can positively impact our brains, while Richard Carmona, MD, the 17th surgeon general of the United State, will discuss the hard science for how the built environment impacts our overall wellbeing.
In-Person & Virtual Options
The Summit takes place in-person in Boston, and virtually from November 30 to December 3. View the evolving lineup of speakers. In-person attendees will have an opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with speakers during the GWS interactive lunches, where speakers host tables covering various aspects/trends related to their specific wellness specialty.
“Pre-pandemic, the concept of ‘building well’ and wellness real estate were gaining traction, but the pandemic has added a sharp sense of urgency to the issue and created extraordinary momentum for the global market. Now more people are demanding that the places where they live and work be purpose-built to foster physical, mental, and social wellbeing,” said Susie Ellis, chair and CEO of GWS. “We will explore many angles of this fast-evolving sector and look at how projects around the globe are being re-imagined with human health and wellness at their core.”
Registration is now open for the in-person event at the Encore Boston Harbor; space is extremely limited. The 2020 GWS pioneered new ways to keep attendees safe at a conference, and 2021 will be no different. All delegates must provide proof of vaccination.
Virtual attendees from around the world will be hosted by Anna Bjurstam, Six Senses Wellness Pioneer and a GWS Board Member, who provided the dynamic virtual experience during last year’s event. Virtual attendees will have access to the entire on-stage agenda—live and on-demand—as well as special breakout sessions and online networking opportunities. Register to attend virtually here. Virtual attendees may go directly to registration, the application process is only for in-person attendees.
