Building Balance: Exploring Whole Person Wellbeing Trends

In the pursuit of a fulfilling life, whole person wellbeing is McCownGordon’s guiding principle. Today, many people acknowledge  true wellness goes beyond physical health. Whole person wellness encompasses physical, mental, emotional, and social factors that shape our overall quality of life. Nurturing our bodies, cultivating mental resilience, fostering emotional intelligence, and forging meaningful connections are all factors that play into our overall wellness. To learn more about McCownGordon’s work in this space, check out our project highlights spotlighting whole person wellness features.

At McCownGordon, we strive to incorporate areas and moments of wellness into our projects, regardless of the project’s formal sustainability goals. A key to our success includes ensuring our clients and building occupants enjoy their experience in our buildings, and creating environments where the whole person is able to show up and thrive.

Overland Park Arboretum Visitors Center | Connection to Nature 

The LongHouse visitors center offers communal and educational spaces, both indoors and out, providing opportunities to foster connections with nature, explore the vibrant gardens and whispering waterfalls, or appreciate the stunning, nature-inspired architecture and interior design.

North Central Kansas Medical Center | Community Connection

This two-story, 14-bed critical access hospital not only embodies the organization’s commitment to delivering top-notch medical services to the broader community but also serves as a hub for community connection and support. By expanding their range of healthcare offerings and bringing providers closer to home in Concordia, Kansas, the hospital has strengthened its ties with the local community. Unlike a conventional critical access hospital, this building is designed to embrace the essence of rural life, incorporating characteristic materials and features that resonate with the surrounding environment. To further foster community engagement, the hospital includes conference and dining spaces, serving as focal points for both medical meetings and communal gatherings. Additionally, the incorporation of local art, curated by a talented photographer, adds a touch of authenticity and pride, showcasing the vibrant culture and talent within the community.

Overland Park Fire Station #48 | Importance of Natural Light

One-third of a firefighter’s career is spent within the confines of a fire station. Creating a safe, high-quality living and working environment that promotes physical, social, and mental health well-being is of the utmost importance.  This includes bringing the outdoors inside by incorporating garage doors to bring fresh air into the workout area and incorporating natural light in highly occupied areas.

KU Medical Center Health Education Building | Environmental Sustainability

The ground up,  hands-on clinical labs for KUMC students include a courtyard and vegetated roof on top of a large learning studio. Along with environmental benefits like reducing runoff by absorbing stormwater and reducing roof temperatures, which lowers air-condition bills within the building, the green roof and courtyard also provides an aesthetically pleasing landscape.

North Kansas City Early Education Center | Inclusivity

Incorporating quiet rooms or sensory furniture has become a common feature in numerous K-12 facilities. We collaborate with the design team to identify and integrate suitable furniture within the space to accommodate children with many different needs, creating a whimsical yet soothing environment designed to foster learning, social connections and fun.

American Century Investments | Work-life balance

With a focus on work-life balance in recent years, the prevalence of amenity spaces in corporate environments continues to rise. These collaboratives amenities foster inclusivity in the workplace and promote a sense of belonging among employees, as well as offering spaces for bonding, enjoying a healthy break, and sparking creativity.

McCownGordon Headquarters  | Physical Wellness

In-office gyms encourage and promote regular exercise, contributing to overall physical fitness among employees. Designed with plenty of light, an array of fitness options, and features like Infrared saunas and a yoga studio, carefully planned fitness spaces extend the benefits of popular workout facilities.

Prairie Village Public Works | Sustainability

The new Prairie Village Public Works facility replaces several aging existing buildings and is expected to achieve LEED Platinum Certification. The city maximized sustainability features on the facility to ensure sustainable goals, including installing solar panels to generate power, harvesting rainwater to reduce indoor water use by 45%, incorporating zero-irrigation native landscaping and diverting 85% of construction and demolition waste from the landfill. Not to mention, creating a healthier environment for the employees working on site.