Wellness goes well beyond the personal. It should inform everything from how we tackle our own health to the planning of cities and the ways in which we address an aging population. Our September 2015 issue, now on newsstands, examines the innovative ways architects and designers are improving personal and social wellbeing.

In our main feature package, we shine a spotlight on ingenious solutions, such as the plan to turn a defunct elevated highway in Seoul into an urban parkland that will help clean the air and lift the spirits of downtown residents. We also present a spa in China by Aim Architects that offers a contemporary take on the ancient ritual of hot springs; and a house in Montreal by Naturehumaine that bolsters the owners’ fitness routines.

We also tour a standout Toronto duplex by architect Luc Bouliane that integrates a central elevator, allowing the owners to live at home long after retirement. And we look at how a group of designers and architects, including Matthias Hollwich of HWKN, are making the future more friendly for seniors.

Food is a big part of wellness, so focus on five Expo Milano 2015 pavilions – including the United Kingdom’s buzzing hive structure by Wolfgang Buttress and the United Arab Emirates’ pavilion by Foster and Partners – that capture how the global food network is changing.

The issue also features Thomas Heatherwick’s Learning Hub in Singapore, a profile of London studio DeForm, and the best moments from NYCxDesign, Chicago’s NeoCon, and the Euroluce light fair in Milan.

The September 2015 issue is on newsstands now in Canada, and August 17 in the U.S.