Vital Vibes


Vital Vibe is a design system that integrates active spaces and facilities into everyday campus life, encouraging light physical activity through features like treadmill desks, study bikes, and outdoor fitness zones. It seamlessly promotes movement, enhancing well-being and focus while fostering a healthier campus culture.

By Shuxin Yin ︎





Hypothesis

Students often spend extended periods sitting for study or work, leading to insufficient physical activity. Introducing light exercise facilities in these settings could enhance their physical and mental well-being.
Vital Vibes naturally integrates light activity into students’ busy routines, reducing the health risks of prolonged sitting while improving focus and overall performance.


  • Why
    According to reports, physical inactivity among students is often driven by time constraints and a lack of accessible options for exercise, leading to negative impacts on their health, including an increased risk of obesity and related issues. Addressing this gap is essential to fostering a healthier and more balanced student lifestyle.

  • How
By incorporating movement opportunities shown in digital platform or visual interaction into everyday spaces, like library or architecture studio, students can engage in physical activity naturally, without the need for structured workouts. These spaces will seamlessly blend light physical activity into academic life, promoting walking, stretching, and social interaction during breaks.

  • What
The Design integrates indoor and outdoor spaces to promote physical activity seamlessly within students’ daily routines. By leveraging accessible facilities like treadmill desks, study bikes, and light exercise zones, both inside and outside campus buildings, students can engage in short bursts of activity without needing to visit a formal gym.





  • So What
The design interventions result in improved physical and mental well-being, enhanced focus and performance, and the establishment of a scalable model for integrating health-focused environments into daily routines.



The design continum shows the topics proposed in the database in different scales. 


The Link Between Design and Outcomes



The design of Vital Vibes creates movement opportunities at key points of decision—such as between classes or study sessions—making healthy choices easy. These spaces use the environment to encourage activity. The design focuses on accessibility and mobility, ensuring that students can engage in short physical activities regardless of their schedules, which improves their long-term physical health, focus, and campus engagement.

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Works Cited
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Changes in Physical Activity After Installation of a Fitness Zone in a Community Park.
2. Confluence Design Group. "Attracting Students Back to Campus with Open Space Design." 2022.
3. Stanford University. "Outdoor Fitness Zones." Accessed November 21, 2024. https://rec.stanford.edu/visit/locations/stanford-campus#:~:text=The%20Stanford%20Outdoor%20Fitness%20Court,for%20a%20full%2Dbody%20workout.
4. Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). "Accessible Architecture and Inclusive Spaces." RIBA Journal, 2021.
5. Harvard Medical School. "Exercising to Relax: Benefits of Physical Activity on Mental Health." Harvard Health, 2020. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax.
6. Cadre Research. Healthy Choice, Healthy Campus: Point of Decision Design. Accessed November 21, 2024. https://www.cadreresearch.org/s/20170628_PODD_Final_Report.pdf.


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Mark