Health Equity
The 2025 campaign
SMBW’s Shine the Light research initiative seeks to explore issues that shape the way we design — and the people and communities we design for. This year, we’re focusing on health equity, examining how access, opportunity, and environment intersect to influence well-being.
Across the Commonwealth and beyond, disparities in healthcare, housing, education, and economic opportunity continue to shape health outcomes. Advancing health equity requires more than reforming systems — it calls for reimagining how we design places, policies, and partnerships that support every person’s right to live a healthy life.
Panel Discussion
smbw sat down with our Shine the Light partners to share their diverse journeys and insights into fostering health equity. Their experiences highlight the importance of community connections, trust in healthcare systems, and the challenges faced in accessing resources.
Our Partners
Our firm is excited to share the lineup for this year's Shine the Light program. Our partners, whose work spans policy, community organizing, healthcare, and philanthropy — all working toward a future where health and opportunity are not defined by background or zip code.
The Scholarship
SMBW is committed to the education of emerging design talent. Over the past 30 years, the firm has focused on connecting with the academic community to mentor, collaborate, and support student work through internships and externships, open studios, critiques, mentoring, teaching, and scholarship opportunities.
Shine the Light was born from the desire to put a spotlight on the issues facing the design field today, while encouraging young emerging talent to pursue a professional career path in design. We hope to inspire and support the next generation of creative leaders through the award of this scholarship.
This year, we’re asking applicants: How can design and architectural principles be leveraged to create more equitable healthcare spaces?
Resources
