How Outdoor Amenities Help Residents Live Healthier Lives
Wellness spaces don't have to be large or expensive, writes Shawn Reed of FK Architecture.
There’s been a quiet shift in how we think about amenities in multifamily housing. Amenities are no longer just about attracting tenants—they’re about supporting how people want to live. The search for a home represents a new beginning, and right now, more than ever, people want to start over and live in ways centered around health, peace, and more connection.
Researchers at Ohio State University, discovered that 68 percent of adults attributed “near-home” activities as their most recurring outdoor experience. Landscape architecture provides a gateway to achieving this. It has the power to encourage this behavior even more. Amenities like community gardens and wellness spaces aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re essential infrastructure for healthier living.
READ ALSO: How Incorporating Flexibility and Wellness in Your Design Can Deliver ROI
Design as choice architecture
Behavioral economics gives us a useful lens here. In their popular book Nudge, Thaler and Sunstein introduced the idea of choice architecture—how the design of environments can influence behavior without forcing it. Landscape design is a prime example. A path may loop past the mailboxes, which nudges residents to walk more. A garden could be made visible from a common area, inviting curiosity and casual participation. Even a shady bench on the way to the dog park encourages people to linger a little longer. None of these are mandates. That’s the point—they work because they’re easy, natural and optional. Good design doesn’t tell people what to do. It simply provides a better option that is a more appealing one.
This type of seamless behavior-shaping only works well when landscape and architectural design are integrated from the start. When outdoor space is considered early—not just whatever is left after the building footprint is established—there’s more opportunity to create real cohesion between the indoor and outdoor experiences. Instead of bolting on amenities around the edges, we get the chance to subtly guide movement, site lines and daily rituals through deliberate spatial relationships.
Gardens that grow more than food
Community gardens are one of the clearest examples of design meeting health goals. At face value, they promote food access. But they also support physical movement, sensory stimulation, stress relief, and—maybe most importantly—connection. A study at Oregon State University highlighted how access to parks, greenways, and tree-lined streets buffered Americans’ mental health during the peak of the pandemic.
You don’t need much to make a garden successful. Some raised beds, accessible paths, a water source and a place to sit will suffice. The real trick is placement. Visibility and proximity matter. If the garden is not tucked out of the way, people are more likely to stop, chat, and appreciate.
When coordinated with architecture, even small moves can amplify impact. Creating a visual corridor from the lobby to the garden, or a kitchen window that looks onto it, makes it relevant every day—not just on move-in tours.
And beyond individual benefits, gardens create a shared purpose. As Elinor Ostrom’s work on commons management has shown, people care more about spaces in which they feel they have a stake. When residents invest time in a garden—even casually—they tend to feel more connected to the broader community.
Wellness spaces that go beyond the buzzword
The term “fitness center” is used to depict the whole story. Now, we’re seeing a broader definition of what wellness means—and that’s a good thing. Truly effective wellness spaces aren’t necessarily large or expensive. They’re intentional. Think of quiet walking loops, shaded seating under trees, open lawns that can be anything from a reading spot to a picnic zone. These are places designed not to prescribe a specific activity, but to afford many possible actions. In environmental psychology, this idea of “affordances”—spaces that invite meaningful use without defining it—is a core principle of user-centered design.
When architects and landscape architects collaborate early, these affordances can be woven directly into the circulation of the building itself. A wellness space isn’t just a spot you have to seek out—it’s part of how you live and move through the site. Residents don’t need to be told to use it. They find themselves there because it was placed where they naturally go.
Don’t just build it—activate it
The best amenities are supported not just by good design but by light-touch activation. We’ve all seen beautiful spaces sit empty because there’s no reason for people to engage. Sometimes all it takes is a seasonal planting day in the garden, a monthly walking group, or a chalkboard with garden updates. These kinds of micro-programming moments help give a space a rhythm. Partnering with property managers and even a few interested residents can go a long way in sustaining momentum.
Maintenance matters too—when these spaces feel loved and cared for, people are more likely to use them and contribute to their care.
Healthier residents, healthier properties
Wellness amenities don’t just benefit residents—they support the business case for multifamily developments. Healthier, more satisfied residents tend to stay longer, leave better reviews and shape a community that draws others in.
From a development standpoint, that’s a strong ROI. You’re not just offering features, you’re building an environment that supports long-term retention, positive word-of-mouth, and a brand that feels aligned with modern values.
Not just a pretty picture
Walkthroughs are important. But the real test of design is what gets used when no one’s touring the building. When we think collaboratively—across disciplines and from day one—we don’t just create attractive amenities. We build places people are naturally drawn to, repeatedly, without needing to spend any brain energy thinking about it.
That’s the difference between a space that looks good on a leasing brochure and one that becomes part of someone’s routine. And it’s a difference worth designing for.
Shawn Reed is a senior planner and landscape architect at FK Architecture.
