Beyond Health CapacityAbout this Event
Come to CoAD for another innovative Spring 2026 Design x Technology Series talk featuring Associate Professor at Temple University, Tyler School of Art and Architecture Ulysses Sean Vance.
His presentation titled, 'Beyond Health Capacity,' will shed light on the systemic challenges communities with limited access to medical support and health maintenance have endured.
By integrating architectural analysis with public health, environmental psychology, and medical practices, Vance's research and creative work aim to highlight architecture's vital role in discussions about health equity. Investigations into spatial configurations in healthcare settings examine their impact on medical anxiety, patient recovery, and staff efficiency. Employing computational analysis alongside evidence-based design, Vance evaluates how architectural elements, such as circulation patterns and sensory experiences, influence patient comfort, stress reduction, and clinical efficiency.
The lecture extends to the audience a discussion of publics in architecture, the role of health capacity in urban infrastructure, and housing. Vance will be examining the relationship between environmental stressors and health outcomes, particularly health resilience. The ultimate goal is to share a framework that accommodates a wide range of users, ensuring spaces are not only accessible but also responsive to the diverse human experience. Vance will argue that, by collaborating with public health researchers, medical professionals, and engineers, design research in architecture bridges the gap between architectural practice and healthcare policy.
Health capacity is an emerging consideration for optimizing building design to meet health criteria across physical, virtual, historical, and social spaces. Ulysses will emphasize that approaching medical interventions through non-traditional health facilities can positively affect health's social and environmental impacts.
This informative presentation will be moderated by interim Provost Karl Daubmann.
CEU: This event equals 1 professional architecture credit towards licensure requirements.
Please note that LTU is not a registered AIA CE provider. By virtue of having a NAAB-accredited architecture program, the State of Michigan authorizes LTU to offer continuing education credit. A list of state-approved HSW subjects can be found on their by searching the page for 'HSW subjects for continuing education'.
As part of CoAD's Design x Technology Series, this event is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. A pizza lunch will be provided to all on-site registered guests.
Bio: Ulysses Sean Vance is a scholar specializing in universal design and healthcare architecture, focusing on adaptive environments that accommodate diverse cognitive and physical abilities. His research goes beyond regulatory compliance, exploring how spatial organization, material selection, and environmental factors enhance inclusivity. The objective is not just to ensure accessibility but also to transform the built environment to better anticipate and respond to occupants' evolving needs.
Vance’s work is centered on designing interventions that foster health and well-being in underserved communities, rooted in inclusive decision-making during the planning and programming of institutional spaces. The research particularly targets the unique health service needs of adolescents and older adults, encompassing medical, hygienic, physical, and nutritional interventions. Current projects tackle health disparities in urban areas by assessing material hardships and protective factors that affect physical, social, neurological, and behavioral challenges. Key partnerships include the NCSU College of Design Center for Universal Design and various University of Michigan centers focused on healthcare innovation and childhood disparities. The latest research with Temple University Urban Workshop emphasizes patient safety in institutional settings. It explores how campus health can better engage physically and neurologically diverse adolescents while supporting Variety the Children's Charity of Delaware Valley in creating accessible community cabins.
Event Venue
Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, United States
USD 0.00
