Insider’s Guide to 2015 Trends: Wellness Homes, Communities & Cities

Forget about living in the lap of luxury—how about living in the lap of wellness? It’s completely possible, thanks to the uptick of the wellness living market. We’re seeing a combination of not only eco-minded design and construction, but spa and fitness amenities in these master-planned wellness homes, communities, and cities (they are, in fact, among the top 10 trends we mentioned in our 2015 Global Spa & Wellness Trends Forecast). It’s healthy living at its finest—as Alfredo Carvajal, president of international and signature programs at Delos, said in our trend report: “…this trend is not a fad, it’s the very future of real estate because for many more people, healthy really is the new wealthy.”

We’re excited to share just a few examples here.

Wellness Homes/Residences
Delos Signature Homes, open in buildings in Manhattan (66 E. 11^th Street) and Philadelphia (ICON Tower), feature obscure yet dramatic amenities that are beneficial to residents’ health. These include advanced air and water purification systems, circadian rhythm and dawn simulator lighting that energizes by day and regulates melatonin levels for prime sleep, “floating” cork floors and reflexology stone pathways that support musculoskeletal health, and centralized aromatherapy dispensers.

Colleges and universities are educating themselves on wellness living, too: Delos has designed WELL Signature Suites at The Legacy at Drexel Arms, an off-campus housing facility not far from Philadelphia’s St. Joseph’s University. Many of the same features found in Delos Signature Homes can be found in these suites, from circadian lighting to advanced air purification systems. Additionally, some universities now boast “Wellness Living” dorms, complete with fitness, yoga, and meditation classes, nutritional counseling, and healthy cuisine.

Wellness Communities
When the 1,000-acre Serenbe community project is completed, it will feature 1,200 homes and distinct hamlets: one that hosts the playhouse, culinary arts center, and galleries; another, an organic farm and general store; and yet another, health and wellness elements, with medical offices that emphasize Eastern and Western approaches. A fitness center and destination spa/hotel are also planned for this community outside Atlanta, Georgia.

Mixed-Use Hospitality and Residences
GOCO Retreats (GO for travel; CO for wellness living communities) is scheduled to open seven locations from 2015 to 2017. All emphasize an East-meets-West approach, combining wellness programs with spas and thermal experiences. Among the developments: Following its 2016 debut, GOCO Retreat Niuto in Beijing will become the first high-end, mineral springs-based wellness living property in northern China; GOCO Retreat Ubud in Bali, with its Ayurvedic center, organic farm, and artists’ village, will launch in 2017.

Your Own Residence
Unable to live in Serenbe or visit a GOCO Retreat? Here are three quick tips to make your own home more “well,” taken from our 2015 trends report:

• Install Vitashower’s Vitamin C-packed shower filters/tablets—they’re designed to help eliminate chlorine
• Alleviate allergies with PURE’s hypoallergenic bedding and air purification products
• Check out NaturVention’s indoor, high-tech, self-irrigating vertical gardens designed to purify and humidify the air

See what else is trending in 2015!