Reception Area – Langley Wellness Clinic The main welcome zone of the conceptual clinic, designed to create an immediate sense of calm and belonging. Natural materials, warm lighting, and greenery support emotional safety and ease of entry.
Active Play & Social Wellness Zone A dynamic space for students to decompress, connect, and experience joy. This area combines play, movement, and social interaction—all essential for mental well-being.
Central Lighting Sculpture & Collaboration Bridge This double-height feature connects both levels of the clinic, symbolizing the rhythm of healing through cascading light. It serves as both a spatial landmark and a metaphor for flow and renewal.
Second-Level Art Walk & Reflection Corridor Designed as a sensory-rich, gallery-style hallway where students can reflect, engage with local art, and find quiet moments. Color bands and lighting enhance wayfinding and mood regulation.
Level 1 – Floor Plan A detailed plan of the lower level, showcasing flexible workspaces, private consult rooms, the health bar, gaming area, and therapeutic zones. Zones of stimulation and refuge are balanced with intention.
Level 2 – Floor Plan This plan shows the group therapy lounge, private assessment rooms, admin offices, and rest areas—supporting student autonomy, focus, and connection.
Level 1 – Reflected Ceiling Plan (RCP) This ceiling plan outlines the layered lighting strategy used throughout the first level to support circadian alignment, acoustic comfort, and emotional tone-setting.
Level 2 – Reflected Ceiling Plan (RCP) A lighting and acoustic layout for the upper floor. Pendant lighting mimics organ pipe rhythm while ceiling textures support sound diffusion and comfort.
Axonometric View – Level 1 A 3D cutaway revealing the lower level’s spatial programming, where play, creativity, wellness services, and student agency are woven together seamlessly.
Axonometric View – Level 2 A 3D view of the upper floor, highlighting how organic flow, furniture zoning, and light converge to create a restorative educational atmosphere.

Langley Student Wellness Center

Conceptual Thesis Project | 2022 | Wellness-Based Educational Design
A visionary prototype for healing-centered education and community care.

The Langley Student Wellness Center was born during a time of global reevaluation designed in 2022 at the height of our collective need for spaces that nurture health and resilience. Created as the capstone of my graduate thesis, this conceptual project marked the origin of SDS Designs' mission: to design environments that elevate the human spirit, support whole-person well-being, and respond to the deeper needs of those most vulnerable, our youth.

Although unbuilt, this project remains a hopeful vision for what every school and community could offer: a sanctuary of care where adolescents, families, and educators find tools, support, and belonging.

Design Philosophy: Healing Through Rhythm and Relationship

Inspired by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the Six Dimensions of Wellness, and the sensory language of music and art, this project unites individual and communal wellness through a richly layered, multi-sensory environment. The rhythmic lighting forms were drawn from the curves of a preserved pipe organ, an homage to the original structure, serving as a symbolic and visual anchor for the flow of movement, emotion, and energy throughout the space.

The entire facility is a choreography of spatial experiences that range from dynamic collaboration zones to restorative, nature-connected retreats. Each space is intentionally programmed to support not just treatment, but the empowerment, development, and flourishing of its users.

Key Wellness Centered Features

Main Lobby & Lounge Spaces
Transition zones that ease stress and spark connection. Acoustic design and daylight balanced lighting help regulate nervous system responses and support circadian rhythms. Flexible furniture invites autonomy and comfort.

Art & Meditation Studios
Creative zones for expressive healing and inner quiet, combining tactile materials, warm tones, and sensory balance. These spaces support mindfulness, self-exploration, and flow states.

Biophilic Integration Throughout
Natural materials, living plants, and rhythmic ceiling patterns reflect the evolutionary need for nature connection helping regulate emotion, reduce anxiety, and support cognitive clarity.

Group Therapy Rooms
Color-tunable lighting and adaptable partitions empower students to choose environments that match their emotional state. These rooms prioritize agency, safety, and emotional congruence.

Collaboration Zones & Silent Work Pods
Upstairs zones promote focus, mentorship, and reflection. Silent booths offer privacy, while community tables and art displays invite engagement and a sense of shared identity.

Wayfinding Through Color & Pattern
Soft, intuitive gradients in wall and floor finishes help students navigate through zones of play, rest, creativity, and care. Thematic color shifts reflect the six dimensions of wellness.

Guiding Principles Behind the Design

Multisensory Healing Design
Every space was built around the integration of seven sensory wellness elements: noise control, lighting, color, natural connection, spatial adaptability, play/distraction, and therapeutic art.

A Layered Ecosystem of Support
The center blends healthcare services with environments for learning, play, reflection, and self-expression providing care at multiple levels of intervention.

Inclusive, Accessible, and Empowering
Located just 400 feet from a local high school, the clinic offers both physical proximity and emotional refuge honoring the autonomy of young users while inviting in families and community.

A New Vision for Education + Care
This project reimagines what student health support can look like not institutional or stigmatizing, but warm, artful, and human-centered. It is designed to be as inspiring as it is functional.

Why It Matters

This project was more than a thesis, it was a declaration of what’s possible when we stop separating health from learning, and care from community. It remains a guiding light for SDS Designs’ current work, infusing wellness into every environment we touch. One day, we hope to see spaces like the Langley Wellness Center in every school district, offering not just services but sanctuary, tools, and transformation.

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