Considering the wellbeing of the end-user has never been more critical for designers. According to a recent Gallop survey, Generation Z, the current generation of college students, are experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression at alarming rates. They are struggling with aspects of wellbeing more than previous generations at the same age. Multi-sensory environments can provide restorative and interactive spaces for students lessening the impacts of this troubling trend. This presentation will share the findings of a research study conducted to measure the effectiveness of a multi-sensory environment on reducing perceived stress and anxiety in students. It will also describe the challenges incorporating multi-sensory environments into college campuses, highlight the benefits students experienced, and provide insight into how the space was used. Participants will learn about the myriad of options for creating multi-sensory spaces, how to incorporate elements of play, and preferred aspects of user control and technology. This low-budget yet high-impact project was a collaboration between a global design firm and academia, highlighting a strategy for leveraging partnerships between practice and university. Our aim is to encourage the prioritization of these spaces within college campuses and share the benefits of an innovative collaboration.

Prince George's County Public Schools is the second largest school system in Maryland with the second-oldest stock of buildings. As of 2021, over half of the 208 schools in the district were more than 50 years old. Challenged by their aging infrastructure and potential for overcrowding, PGCPS embarked on an ambitious undertaking to accelerate the delivery of new schools and modernizations, becoming the first public school system in the nation to leverage full-scope alternative financing model to design, build, finance, and maintain a multi-school K-12 construction program. This unique approach enables the district to complete the design and construction process in half the time of traditionally funded projects. PGCPS has a mission to "provide a transformative educational experience anchored by excellence in equity - developing 21st century competencies and enabling each student's unique brilliance to flourish in order to build empowered communities and a more inclusive and just world." In 2023, the district opened six brand new community schools serving 8000 students and their families that aim to fulfill their mission. This presentation will highlight the strategy, approach, design process, lessons learned, and successes of these innovative projects which brought high-quality, equitable interior environments to students in historically under-resourced communities.