About Design4Health

These pages are no longer being updated, other than the Publications pages. For future conference announcements, please visit www.lab4living.org.uk/design4health.

The Design4Health conferences have developed out of the work that researchers in Lab4Living (a strategic research centre at Sheffield Hallam University) have been undertaking over the last 15+ years  to explore the relationship between design and creative practice, and health and wellbeing. The first conference in 2011 was developed as a means of bringing together an emerging community of researchers in the design for health space; a chance to shae good practice, creative methods and our research experiences. Since then we have continued to find ways to bring the community together through publications, events and further conferences.

We use Design4Health as the umbrella term for the conference activities, events and publications that Lab4Living and our partners have led and developed as we continue to explore this expanding landscape together.

The first European conference on Design4Health was held in Sheffield in July 2011 and, building on its success, was followed by conferences in 2013, 2015, 2017 (Melbourne, Australia) and 2018.

We have created further opportunities for disseminating research in this area by developing a new journal; Design For Health, published by Taylor & Francis, was launched in 2016 and publishes three issues per year.

We believe that good design can deliver widespread benefits to society and that creative practice are well placed to address the challenges of ageing, health and wellbeing. Through the Design4Health conferences and publications we aim to develop environments and propose creative strategies for future living in which people of all ages and abilities ‘not merely survive’ but are enabled and empowered to live with dignity, independence and fulfilment.

Lab4Living is an interdisciplinary research group, based on a collaborative community of researchers in design, healthcare and creative practices. We work together to address real world issues that impact on health and wellbeing, developing products, services and interventions that promote dignity and enhance quality of life. You can find out more at the Lab4Living website.

For up-to-date information about Design4Health events and publications, see our latest D4H news items and join the conference mailing list.

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