We are a forward-thinking design studio dedicated to making places that connect and resonate with people.
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We are a forward-thinking design studio dedicated to making places that connect and resonate with people.
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HUMANISTIC, INTERDISCIPLINARY BUILT ENVIRONMENT DESIGN
Compassionate Places
PUBLISHED BY
“Can architecture and urban design become a tool for
human flourishing?
The answer is in this groundbreaking work: Compassionate Places Method by Natasha Reid, an interdisciplinary approach that reimagines the build environment not just as physical infrastructure but as a social and emotional ecosystem. This method brings together architecture, neuroscience, environmental psychology, public health, social equity, and the arts.
It introduces a new design philosophy where quality of life, emotional well-being, and social connectedness are core to every decision.“
CITIES FORUM, 2025
MATTER SPACE SOUL's Compassionate Places Method was published by the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health in 2025, and featured by the World Health Organisation as a global exemplar for action on urban health.
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“Compassionate Places” is both a design philosophy and vision for change, as well as a practically applicable design method for architecture and urban design.
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It centres the human impacts of built environments on health and social well-being, and incorporates Neuroarchitecture research.
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It has been implemented in new "Place Quality" design standards in a London local authority, as well as large scale commercial development schemes.
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An independent evaluation by a public health academic research team, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care research, has recommended for the new design standards to be rolled out at national level.
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"It begins from the premise that built environments are not only physical arrangements but settings for health, social relationships, inclusivity and local identity."
WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, 2025
TOWARDS A NEW URBAN PARADIGM
​ The core idea is to move beyond traditional design approaches that focus on aesthetics, utility and physical factors to a more human-centric perspective that intentionally considers people's experiences and needs in their environments.
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The method creates a new interdisciplinary design model, incorporating insights from fields like neuroscience, public health, environmental psychology, social sciences, and the arts.
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INTENTIONAL DESIGN
The goal is to create spaces and places that support human flourishing by intentionally enhancing user experience and responding to pressing urban issues, such as mental health, loneliness and the need for more inclusive and equitable places.
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It provides a structured framework for designers and planners to systematically address these aspects in their work, aiming for a paradigm shift where human well-being is central to design and planning.
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“The design of the built environment has profound impacts on human health and social well-being. However, the significant opportunity for architecture, urban design, and spatial planning to intentionally enhance human life and address societal challenges is currently overlooked.”
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NATASHA REID, MATTER SPACE SOUL
IMPLEMENTATION - NEW DESIGN STANDARDS: 2022-23
This approach was implemented in 2023 within a London local authority's spatial planning processes as design standards for "Place Quality," aiming to embed health, social well-being, and inclusivity into design and planning practices.
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The approach advocates for a new way of evaluating design success, moving beyond quantitative metrics to qualitative benchmarks focused on enriching people's lives.
IMPLEMENTATION - INDUSTRY DESIGN PROJECTS: 2013 - 2021
Selection of works designed by MATTER SPACE SOUL / Natasha Reid in architecture, urban design and public art from 2013
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The Compassionate Places Method was developed through MATTER SPACE SOUL'S own architecture and design projects from 2013.
It is now applied in practice at larger scale to the studio’s commercial projects working as a design specialist in collaboration with developers, architects. design teams, landowners and the public sector.
This research sets the stage for a new approach to architecture, urban design and planning, aiming to create environments that systematically and intentionally support human health, social well-being, and flourishing.
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IMPLEMENTATION - LANDMARK URBAN BLOCK REDEVELOPMENT: 2023-25
MATTER SPACE SOUL was commissioned as a specialist design consultant for a transformational mixed-use landmark development on Oxford Street, London - combining culture, commerce and community.
The Compassionate Places Method brought together specialist areas of Human-centric Design, Neuroarchitecture and Urban Strategy to support shaping the scheme for human and social wellbeing.
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The scheme is for the redevelopment of a whole city block, approximately 90,000 sqm including a 21 storey tower, office space, retail and a new cultural center.
The proposals received planning permission from Westminster City Council in December 2025. The development is due to be completed in 2033.
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Matter Space Soul is working with the 33 Cavendish Square design team to create spaces that enhance health and wellbeing, nurture a sense of community and belonging, create vibrant and inclusive places and build a strong sense of place and identity.
Matter Space Soul takes a “compassionate places” approach integrating neuroarchitecture research and cross-disciplinary methods into design projects."
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BERKELEY ESTATE ASSET MANAGEMENT, 2025
IMPACT - WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION CASE STUDY: 2025
The Compassionate Places Method was recognised as a global exemplar for strategic action on urban health by the World Health Organisation in 2025.
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It is featured as a case study to inform change internationally.
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Read the World Health Organisation case study here.
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IMPACT - PUBLIC HEALTH ACADEMIC EVALUATION: 2025
The Place Quality Intervention was selected for an academic evaluation by the PHIRST (Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Team) scheme, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
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Public health researchers from Bristol University undertook a study to review the effectiveness of new guidance and related interventions, introduced into a London local authorities planning requirements in June 2023.
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IMPACT - THE FUTURE OF HOUSING & HEALTH DOCUMENTARY: 2025
The Compassionate Places Method and the Place Quality Model were featured in a documentary on the future of UK Housing.
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This documentary explores the connection between housing and health, featuring conversations with people with lived experience, community members, and experts working in policy, research and frontline services. The film shares real stories of how our homes shape our wellbeing, our opportunities, and our futures. It asks what needs to change to ensure everyone has a safe and healthy place to live.
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Director & Producer: Faye Sanders, public health researcher at University of Bristol
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"...if you have this guidance, I think it's something we can actually refer to and say look, we would like this implemented and it's vital."
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EXTRACT FROM INTERVIEWS HELD FOR PHIRST EVALUATION, 2025
COMPASSIONATE PLACES PAPER - ABSTRACT
​Abstract: The design of the built environment has profound impacts on human health and social wellbeing. However, the significant opportunity for architecture, urban design, and spatial planning to intentionally enhance human life and address societal challenges is currently overlooked.
The Compassionate Places Method, introduced in this paper, proposes a humanistic, interdisciplinary approach for spatial design that considers multifaceted factors related to human needs, human nature, and human experience. In contrast to business-as-usual practices which focus on physical “bricks-and-mortar” factors, the Compassionate Places Method situates spatial design as a vital component for actively enhancing people’s well-being and quality of life.
This novel design approach incorporates insights from disciplines that consider the effect of places on people but are not typically included as part of design processes, such as public health, environmental psychology, social sciences, neuroscience, and the arts. This paper explains the development of the Compassionate Places Method through long-term, practice-based research, and built design projects.
The approach was implemented into a London local authority’s spatial planning processes in 2023 as design standards for “Place Quality”. This aims to embed health, social well-being, and inclusivity into the practices of design and planning through new guidance and requirements in the planning permission system.
Implications: This research sets the platform for an approach that can help designers and planners systematically consider the human factors and impacts of built environment design in an intentional and structured manner. It aims to contribute to a paradigm shift that situates human health and social well-being at the center of everyday design and planning processes to maximize the potential for the built environment to support human flourishing.
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Keywords: Architecture; Urban design; Planning; Well-being; Health; Mental health; Neuroarchitecture; Interdisciplinary; Quality of life; Social Well-being.