Neuroarchitecture & Moving Boundaries
Moving Boundaries Nordic X, August 2024
Neuroarchitecture- what is it? And why does it matter? It’s the study of how the built environment affects our brains and bodies. This concept is something that comes natural to most designers, but for those not in the field, it can be a bit more abstract. The human experience of architecture takes place on a largely non-conscious level and for many, the spaces that we’re in feel like nothing more than a backdrop to our everyday lives. And yet, Neuroscience and Environmental Psychology are being used to highlight the profound effects that our surroundings have on us. It’s not just the set, it’s actually a main character in the plot of our lives.
It has been a little over a month now since I got back from a two week study course on Neuroarchitecture, called “Moving Boundaries”. It’s quite an incredible program that brings together a diverse group of scientists, design professionals, professors, and students from around the world to discuss this burgeoning new field. I had the privilege of joining the Nordic X session that took place in Stockholm and Helsinki. It brought together 105 participants from 40 different countries and the focus of this specific session was around the impact of light as well as how to interweave the senses in design. I learned SO much over the course of two weeks and I’m still trying to figure out how to distill that wealth of knowledge down and incorporate it into my own design practice, but a few big themes emerged for me:
Architecture should be considered a form of preventative healthcare. Circadian Rhythms are the body’s natural hormonal cycles that govern our restorative and active states. These cycles are deeply ingrained in our biology and associated with light, in particular. Modern day life (and architecture) can severely disrupt these rhythms causing some rather harmful effects on our health. However, there are many ways that design can support these cycles and actually improve our health. In a world where we focus a great deal on pharmaceutical treatments, one of the presenters-Jenny Roe, Professor and Director of the Center for Design & Health in the School of Architecture, University of Virginia, said, “The question is not only “What is the right drug for me? But also: What would the world need to look like for me not to need drugs at all?”
Design is a holistic mind/body experience. It is not only about using our brains to design, but also paying close attention to the somatic experience of our bodies- being deeply in tune with how we feel, not just what we think. This mode of designing can actually be a wellspring of knowledge, imagination, and spatial experience that can be drawn upon to expand our creativity. This may sound woo-woo to some, but there is quite a bit of scientific evidence about how we can tap into the intelligence that exists beyond our brains--in our bodies, our surroundings, and our relationships.
Architecture is a multi-sensory practice. Space is a compound sense- a cognitive construct that our brain creates from many different sensory inputs. The way we experience the built environment is extremely multi-faceted. So, why has architecture focused primarily on just one sense- sight? By integrating multi-sensory experiences, designers can create more meaningful and emotionally resonant spaces. Similar to how a musician trains their ear, or a sommelier trains their nose, architects should train themselves to be highly attuned to the different sensory elements that make up the holistic experience of a place and better incorporate that understanding into their design toolkit.
I’m grateful to the organizers of Moving Boundaries for bringing this incredibly knowledgeable and talented group together. I look forward to the many fruitful collaborations that will come out of the connections that I made and can’t wait to attend future programs! I hope to see this exciting new field continue to gain traction in the industry. If you want to learn more, check out https://www.movingboundaries.org/
