In conversation with: Ben Channon and Anne Cosentino
Event date:
16 May 2023
13:00 - 14:00
Thank you to everyone who attended our first in conversation event.
About the event
Anne and Ben will be discussing mental health, anxiety and wellbeing in the architectural community.
Ben is a passionate advocate for improving mental health within architecture, and has worked hard to change the working culture and practices in the industry. He developed an interest in design for mental health, wellbeing and happiness after suffering with anxiety problems in his mid-twenties. Ben will be discussing his experience of this and how it affected him during what was a difficult period of his life as well as some of the things that he has seen work, both on a personal and professional level. Joining him to discuss her own experience of mental health and wellbeing in the architectural community, Anne Cosentino brings a unique perspective as the former RIBA Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Manager.
Both Anne and Ben have worked across our community tackling mental health and wellbeing, particularly through their work with ABS and the Architects Mental Wellbeing Forum, which Ben founded in 2017.
This open and personal conversation will delve into Ben’s story, and his experience of anxiety – what he felt and how he found a path through his difficulties, with the combined support of his practice, therapeutic intervention and lifestyle changes.
*Please be mindful that this event will be discussing themes of mental health difficulties and could contain content some listeners may find distressing.
About our speakers
Ben Channon
Ben Channon is an architect, author, TEDx speaker and mental wellbeing advocate, and is well known in the industry as a thought leader in designing for happiness and wellbeing. He is a Director at wellbeing design consultancy Ekkist, where he helps clients and design teams to create healthier places, and researches how buildings and urban design can impact how we feel. Ben was a co-founder of the Architects’ Mental Wellbeing Forum, which is focused on improving mental health within the industry.
Ben has researched the relationship between buildings and happiness, resulting in him writing two books: ‘Happy by Design’ and ‘The Happy Design Toolkit’. Ben now speaks on this subject to businesses and universities around the world.
Anne Cosentino, ABS Wellbeing Programme Lead
As an advocate for creating safe, mentally healthy workplaces, Anne has recently joined the ABS team as our Wellbeing Programme Lead. She is passionate about raising awareness of the importance of mental health and enabling everyone to thrive via practical actions and steps to improve working culture in the architectural community.
Anne was previously responsible for supporting the delivery of the RIBA’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy by supporting the organisation and its members, to become a more inclusive and diverse organisation and profession. Anne sits on several EDI related committees, panels, forums and networks, including the Mayor’s Greater London Authority Diversity Sounding Board, Architects’ Council of Europe’s Women in Architecture Taskforce; Architects Mental Wellbeing Forum and Women in Architecture UK.
Anne is a Mental Health First Aider and an advocate for creating a safe, mentally healthy workplaces, enabling everyone to flourish.
