Dear Colleagues and Friends,
The International Academy for Design and Health (IADH), in partnership with University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and with the support of the Sarawak and Malaysian governments, proudly announces the 15th Design and Health World Congress & Exhibition.
For nearly three decades, this congress has championed the advancement of salutogenic design—creating environments that actively promote health and well-being. From its inception in Trondheim, Norway, to the most recent gathering in Singapore, the congress has showcased pioneering examples such as Trondheim Hospital and Singapore’s Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, both internationally recognized for their health-supportive design.
This year, we turn our focus to Malaysia, a nation committed to “Health for All” through a healthcare system that blends accessibility, affordability, and quality. With outpatient visits starting from just USD 0.24 and specialist consultations from USD 1.21, Malaysia offers one of the world’s most cost-effective healthcare systems, supported by accredited hospitals, advanced technology, and highly skilled specialists.
The World Health Organization emphasizes that individual health is profoundly shaped by lifestyle and environment. Health promotion—enabling people to take greater control over their well-being—is both a strategic and sustainable public health approach. Salutogenic design embodies this by shifting the focus from treating disease to fostering holistic wellness through our built surroundings.
The active participation of individuals in managing their own health and medical conditions is crucial. To effectively support and promote this dynamic system, new approaches in building design must incorporate salutogenic principles, fostering environments that enhance well-being. By good design, we can create hospital environments that not only optimize resource use but also promote the well-being of patients and staff.
Achieving this mission requires a multidisciplinary effort, uniting architects, designers, landscape architects, engineers, public health experts, technologists, psychologists, and economists. Through continued research, education, and policy development, IADH is dedicated to reducing lifestyle diseases and advancing the integration of health and design.
We invite you to contribute to this vital dialogue at the WCDH 2026 Congress in the Greater Kuching Healthy City, Sarawak, Malaysia, from 28 September to 2 October 2026. Submit your scientific abstracts and case study projects by 30 April 2026 and join global experts in shaping the future of health-promoting cities and environments.
Prof. Alan Dilani, PhD Prof. Ray Pentecost
Founder, President
International Academy for Design & Health,
Dr Rosalia Saimon, PhD
Chair, 15th Design and Health World Congress & Exhibition
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Congress Website for wcdh2026
World Congress on Design and Health
“I would like to take this opportunity to warmly congratulate you on the renewal of these important and inspiring congresses. Your lifelong dedication to advancing the dialogue between design and health continues to have a profound impact on professionals and institutions around the world. I have personally learned a great deal from past gatherings, and I look forward to another enriching and meaningful experience."
Dr Eytan Wirtheim MD MHA
CEO - Rabin Medical Center- Beilinson & Hasharon hospitals
Invited Keynote Speakers for WCDH 2026
International Academy Awards
Finalist 2025!
Pan Pacific Orchard Congress venue
Singapore on 29 Oct - 02 Nov 2025
Ecological Design
“The challenge for ecological design is to provide a green context for a healthy society, dealing with built infrastructure that creates clean air, clean water, clean food, and clean land. These principles are intertwined with those of salutogenic design, which support human health in daily life through stimuli of psychosocial supportive design factors.”
Dr Ken Yeang, Ph.D.
Architect, planner and the founder of Ecological Design, The world's leading green skyscraper architect
Salutogenic Design
The Salutogenic Design support the sense of coherence that fostered by people’s ability to comprehend the built environment (Comprehensibility), to be effective in his behavior (Manageability) and to find meaning from the stimuli and exposure from their built environment (Meaningfulness). The high degree of Sense of Coherence supports people in managing stress and promote health and wellebing.
Dr Alan Dilani, Ph.D.
Architect, Public Health Scientist who develop the theory of Salutogenic Design
World Congress on Design and Health
“I would like to take this opportunity to warmly congratulate you on the renewal of these important and inspiring congresses. Your lifelong dedication to advancing the dialogue between design and health continues to have a profound impact on professionals and institutions around the world. I have personally learned a great deal from past gatherings, and I look forward to another enriching and meaningful experience."
Dr Eytan Wirtheim MD MHA
CEO - Rabin Medical Center- Beilinson & Hasharon hospitals
Neurobiological salutogenic mechanisms of architectural beauty
“The salutogenic design with curvy-shaped architecture are able to activate brain centers of the beauty circuit, with impacts on particles such as dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins that can interfere with anxiety, stress, depression. These are precisely the health benefits of salutogenic effects of architectural beauty and its contribution.”
Prof. Enzo Grossi
Medical doctor, scientist,and researcher in the field of Pharmaceutical Medicine, ArtificialIntelligence, Art Culture and Health.
Duties of the Architect
“We are committed to the key illuminations of theoretical neurobiology and expanding the value creation and artistic function of architecture in order to produce the best performing and most optimised salutogenic environments for today’s interconnected world.”
Kristen Whittle, RIBA AIA M. Arch SCI-Arc BA Hons
Studio Kristen Whittle is focused exclusively on the creation of human health and planetary health environments.
Salutogenic design is ‘good design’
It is not only because of its direct applicability to people’s health but because it’s based in research, science and quantifiable evidence. By adopting salutogenic design, advocates for ‘good design’ in government share a common purpose with decision makers. It is precisely from this evidence base that design professionals can rebuild trust in their profession and design more broadly—a worthy intellectual and creative pursuit for the public good.”
Stefano Scalzo
Former Executive General Manager, Infrastructure Planning, Victorian Department of Health, Australia
Vision and Mission
"Healthy Environment - Healthy People"
PARTNERS
%20(002).jpg?etag=%221d99e-66adfbf9%22&sourceContentType=image%2Fjpeg&quality=85 "Ar. Lim Lip Chuan, Frankie, Senior Vice President (Architecture), CPG")
