Neuroarchitecture: When the Mind Meets the Built Form

The term “neuroarchitecture” is used to describe architecture and interior design that is devised in a way to shape and influence human physiological and psychological responses. Most architects and interior designers practice some amount of neuroarchitecture when they design with human emotional responses and well-being in mind.

Neuroarchitecture is similar in its premise to “neuroaesthetics” in the visual arts and “neurourbanism” in urban planning.

Some examples of architectural and design elements that neuroarchitecture might account for are:

• Spatial configurations
• Lighting
• Acoustics
• Colour
• Atmosphere
• Scale
• Way-finding
• Continuity and transparency
• Access to art and nature

To put some of these elements into perspective, one article argues that such religious monumental architecture buildings were intentionally designed with structural factors such as large scale, vertical position, upward height, and ceiling height to target sensory biases and trigger awe.^[1]

The asclepieia healing temples built in Ancient Greece are another example of neuroarchitecture. Their therapeutic landscapes were strategically designed to help healing and well-being, considering architectural factors such as the natural setting, the built environment, sense of place, and symbolic landscape.^[2]

Neuroarchitecture Examples

From biophilic principles to visual art, explore neuroarchitecture examples across healthcare, the workplace, and educational spaces. 

Neuroarchitecture in Healthcare

With the critical care and urgency involved in healthcare settings, it’s no surprise that neuroarchitecture, along with evidence-based design and therapeutic architecture, is consistently set as a priority over aesthetics. 

Here are some examples of how neuroarchitecture can be applied to healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and assisted living facilities:

• Access to nature: Integrating exterior views or therapeutic gardens has been a design strategy since at least Ancient Greece.^[3] One study showed that patients with views of nature recovered more quickly from surgery and needed less pain medication than those who had a view of a brick wall.^[4]
• Positive distractions: Much like nature, environmental stimuli such as the right visual art can assist in reducing stressors. Spaces without such positive distractions – like clinics with white walls – might encourage patients to focus on their health-related fears and pain. Research has also shown that such positive distractions can even influence physiological systems, namely blood pressure.^[5]
• Natural light: The presence of natural light in healthcare as well as window orientation have been associated with shorter duration of in-patient stays, accelerated post-operative recovery, more effective pain alleviation, and boosted employee morale.
• Colour cues: Colour across signage and zoning can help in wayfinding and orientation, which is a crucial consideration when designing for elderly and dementia care.^[6]

Following their popularity in the healthcare industry, neuroarchitectural approaches are increasingly making it to workplaces to help shape employee well-being, performance, retention, and happiness at work.

In design thinking, evidence-based design (or EBD) has become the common term to describe an approach that accounts for such neuroarchitectural principles. EBD is quickly gaining momentum in its many potential applications to human-centric office design.    

One industry professional that has been researching neuroscience learnings to workplace design is Sophie Schuller, a neuropsychological researcher with 18 years of experience in global real estate and workplace design. Schuller is currently leading Cushman & Wakefield’s Living Lab research project.

According to Schuller, “once we can understand the way in which we interact with our environment through sensory stimulation and the way that impacts our bodily processes, can we then start to design and cultivate spaces to enhance the positive aspects of that experience.”

Neuroarchitecture in Educational Spaces

Considering that one in six children aged 5-16 are likely to have a mental health problem^[9], neuroarchitecture in learning spaces should also account for inclusive education.

The following are some examples of how neuroarchitecture can be applied to educational spaces:

• Colour and texture: Colour and texture both greatly influence student learning. Certain colours and textures have been associated with anticipated learning outcomes. Moreover, colour-zoning differentiation can help with navigation. At the BuBao Sint-Lievenspoort School in Gent, Belgium, each floor was given its own identity.
• Natural lighting: There are a lot of benefits to daylighting. One study with data on over 21 000 students showed that students with classrooms that are illuminated with natural light progressed 20 percent faster on math tests and 26 percent faster on reading tests.^[10]
• Acoustics: Noise levels in the classroom influence students’ ability to hear, learn, think as well as their overall academic performance. According to one study that taps into acoustics in education, 5.5 points are lost on national standardised tests for every 10dB noise increase above 41dB experienced by young students.^[11]

The Future of Neuroarchitecture

Many scientists, architects, and cross-industry professionals have fervently advocated and championed the principles of neuroarchitecture over the past 50 years, bringing the field to the advanced stage that it is at today.

The more that neuroscience advances, the more that the fields of architecture and interior design can innovate for new learnings in neuroarchitecture. “As neuroscience progresses, so does our ability to understand the way in which space can mediate neurophysiology. Looking at our heart rate, for example, or parts of our brain structure that engage when we perceive beauty or homeliness qualities in office design. Neurology is not determinalistic, just like architecture is not determinalistic,” says Schuller.

Of course, the mind and body are made up of highly complex systems and processes. Venturing to trigger a psychological or psychological response with a single design element might not be effective when compared to a holistic approach that takes on the entire space as well as its environmental quality.