About Academy

The International Academy for Design and Health (IADH) is a leading global, interdisciplinary knowledge community dedicated to the stimulation and application of research concerning the interaction between design, health, science and culture.

Founded by Dr Alan Dilani at the Karolinska Institute, Medical University in Stockholm in 1997 after the successful outcome of the 1st World Congress in Trondheim in Norway.

The aim of the IADH is to provide a highly visible global forum for promoting an ongoing international exchange of research findings among scientists, designers, health professionals, industry and Ministries of Health worldwide.

We are passionate about the impact of Salutogenic Design on health promotion and believe that the built environment should empower, support and sustain our health and wellbeing.

We provide a highly visible global forum for an ongoing exchange of research findings among scientists, designers and industry, we work in close partnership with our international network of governments, universities and commercial organizations to create Salutogenic environment that prevent stress and promote human health.

Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson, Swedish royal family and Dr Alan Dilani at the Karolinska Institute on the 2nd World Congress on Design and Health, Stockholm, June 2000.

Our Vision and Mission

Vision:

Our vision is to foster Salutogenic design to promote health and wellbeing by creating physical environments that support health promotion and thereby healthy societies.

Mission:

To fuel our passion to drive improvement in the quality, of life and value of health and wellbeing through our physical environment.

To develop and disseminate knowledge through the promotion of research and professional and clinical practices in the development of our physical environment to improve our health and wellbeing.

To promote and participate in the worldwide adoption of Salutogenic environments through the translation of research into practice.

To provide a forum for its constituent network to engage and thrive.

To provide a platform for education, training, research, advocacy, events, media and publishing activities that improve knowledge, shape thinking, and influence global practices in the design of physical environments.

Governing Bodies

Executive and Global Board

Consists of representatives from institutional, government, non-government organisations (NGOs), private and corporate organisations, industry partners and other areas of industry.

The Executive Board of Academy

Alan Dilani, Ph.D. President and Founder
Sandra Surkamp, Director Chapter South Pacific, Australasia
Stefano Capolongo, Ph.D. Director of European Chapter
Hessam Ghamari, Ph.D. USA, Director of Academy Awards
Sahand Abbasi, Ph.D. Director of North American Chapter
Calvin Luk, Ph.D. Hong Kong, Director of Asian Chapter
Innocent Okpanum, Ph.D., Director of Africa & Middle East Chapter

The Global Board of Academy

Alan Dilani, Ph.D. President and Founder
Sandra Surkamp, Director Chapter South Pacific, Australasia
Stefano Capolongo, Ph.D. Director of European Chapter
Hessam Ghamari, Ph.D. USA, Director of Academy Awards
Sahand Abbasi, Ph.D. Director of North American Chapter
Calvin Luk, Ph.D. Hong Kong, Director of Asian Chapter
Innocent Okpanum, Ph.D., Director of Africa & Middle East Chapter
Andrea Rebecchi, Ph.D. Director
Freda Angebe, Director of Africa
Eleonora Zioni, Director of South America

Prof. Alan Dilani, Ph.D. President and Founder

Dr Alan Dilani is founder of the International Academy for Design & Health and World Health Design journal, author of many books, articles and research papers on Salutogenic Design. Dr Dilani has been engaged worldwide in several universities in the field of design and health developing “Salutogenic Design Program”, both in medical and design institutions. Awarded by American Institute of Architects for his high-quality research on the built environment.

Prof. Stefano Capolongo, Ph.D. Director Europe

Architect, PhD in Public Health, Full Professor in Hospital Design and Urban Health at the School of Architecture, urban planning construction engineering (AUIC) of Politecnico di Milano. Head of the Department in Architecture, Built environment and Construction engineering (DABC) and Scientific Coordinator of the Design & Health Lab. President of the Urban Public Health Section for the European Public Health Association (EUPHA).

Prof. Hessam Ghamari, Ph.D. USA, Director of Academy Awards

Dr. Hessam Ghamari is an Associate Professor of Interior Design for the Department of Family & Consumer Sciences at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Interior Design in 2014 from Texas Tech University. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences on environmental psychology, and healthcare design.

Dr Calvin Luk, Ph.D. Director Asia

Dr. Calvin W. Luk is Acting Director and Project Manager- Spatial Team Leader of Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He develops and leads community participatory action research on topics spanning Universal Accessibility, Inclusive Design for people with disabilities, Therapeutic landscape for Dementia, and Environmental assessment of care facilities for older persons. He engages extensively in community and urban infrastructure projects, in...

Arch. Sandra Surkamp, Director Australaisia

Sandra Surkamp is an architect with almost 20 years of experience. She has specialized in healthcare facilities, earing recognition as one of Australia’s leading health facility planners. Her pragmatic approach to the development and implementation of health infrastructure projects creates efficient facilities that support the model of care and contribute to a sustainable health system. Sandra is a Director of the Destravis Group, an organization focused on health system, health service and heal...

Prof. Sahand Abbasi, Ph.D. Director North America

Dr. Sahand Abbasi is an accomplished designer, educator, and researcher renowned for his pioneering work in design for health and wellbeing. As an Assistant Professor at South Dakota State University and a distinguished Designer, his influence extends across academia and professional practice. His research focuses on crafting spaces prioritizing health, nurturing childhood development, and inclusive design. Driven by his belief in design thinking, Dr. Abbasi fosters innovation and positive exper...

Prof. Innocent Okpanum, Ph.D. Director Africa / Middle East

Dr. Innocent is an architect, researcher, urban designer, healthcare design specialist, and the managing director and owner of the architectural firm, Ngonyama Okpanum & Associates, which has offices in eight cities in South Africa; Abuja, Nigeria; Accra, Ghana; and in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He studied in Genova, Italy, where he obtained a doctorate degree in architecture. He also holds a Ph.D. in architecture for health care facilities design from the University of Newcastle in the United K...

Dr Andrea Rebecchi, Ph.D. Director

Dr Rebecchi has PhD in Architecture, Built environment and Construction engineering (ABC) at the Politecnico di Milano (2017). He achieved the II level Master in Planning, programming and design of hospital and social-health systems (2013), since May 2021 he’s Senior Researcher at the ABC Department Design&Health Lab. Professor in Technologies for Construction and Environmental Hygiene

Arch. Eleonora Zioni Director South America

Eleonora Zioni is an architect with B.A. and master from University of Sao Paulo, Executive specialized in culture of health and healthy buildings at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; MBA from Michigan University certified; LEED certified WELL faculty; Planetree fellow in 2022; DGNB consultant; Green Building Council Brazil consultant. Director of Brazilian Association to Develop Hospital Buildings (ABDEH). Hospital Architecture Post-graduate course teacher. She is PhD candidate in Neur...

Freda Anegbe, Director Africa

Freda has studied entrepreneurial and Business Management and got certification in Management Development from the prestigious London School of Business and Finance. She founded Panto interiors, an internationally recognized interior design company in 2014. Through Panto interiors, Freda implements design-related corporate social projects to promote awareness about the impact of design on health and well-being. She currently serves as the National Vice President of the Interior Designers Associa...