As spatial designers, we have the power to shape the environment and in doing so, influence the life of the people we are designing for. We can influence the occupant’s behaviors, emotions, quality of life, health, and well-being. This privilege comes with serious responsibility, and it should not be taken lightly. Our design decisions should not come from the designer’s personal stylistic preferences or be influenced by the latest trendy color, materials or products. It should come from empathy and efforts to deeply understand the people we are designing for. Our design choices should be based on an understanding of human behavior and experiences, and science-backed research on humans – our body, brain, and emotions.
With most people in developed countries spending over 90% of their time in built environments, understanding how these spaces affect our emotions, cognition, and well-being has never been more critical. According to acclaimed designer Ilse Crawford, “Good design is more than the way something looks, it’s about well-being and making life better. How the interior space is designed really affects how we feel and how we live.”
As designers for the built environment, we need to ask ourselves: “How do we want people to FEEL in this space? What EMOTIONS should this space evoke?”
Neuroaesthetics offers the scientific underpinning to answer this question.
In Part 1 of this two-part article series on Neuroaesthetics, we will discuss the WHAT and the WHY – the science behind neuroaesthetics, and why it is relevant and matters to our built environment industry.
In Part 2 of this series, we will dive into the HOW – practical tips on how designers, architects, and manufacturers can bring in the proven neuroaesthetics research into the design of built environments – interior spaces, furniture, and building products.
Why Neuroaesthetics?
Neuroaesthetics is an emerging interdisciplinary field at the intersection of design and neuroscience and has been recently gaining traction in the architecture and design industry.
The field combines neuroscience, psychology, and the arts to better understand how aesthetic experiences and sensory experiences influence the human brain, emotions, and behaviors.
In the seminal book “Brains on Art: How the Arts Transform Us”, authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross explain the science of Neuroaesthetics and its related study, Neuroarts, which explores how the arts and aesthetic experiences measurably change our body, brain, and behavior – and how this knowledge is translated into practices that advance health, well-being and learning. The authors emphasize that how our brains respond to aesthetic experiences influence our emotions, decisions, and overall well-being. The book concludes that people who engage with the arts and aesthetics have better emotional experience and mental functioning, hence an improved quality of life.
Integrating neuroaesthetics into our industry’s body of knowledge enables us to add yet more value as the physical spaces we design are directly tied to the human body and mind, and aesthetics is strategically used to create desired emotional outcomes for the people who experience the space.
Designing for Emotion
Interior design has historically prioritized visual aesthetics and focused on crafting the beauty we see. However, to understand and enhance the human experience, we need to understand the complex interplay between our senses, and how they influence our brains to evoke intentional emotions.
“Designing for Emotion” connects neuroscience with creativity and design, offering designers powerful tools in their design toolbox to craft spaces that not only serve functional purposes but also evoke deep emotional responses. According to neuroanatomist Jill Taylor, as humans we would like to believe ourselves to be the ‘thinking beings who feel’, but actually we are fundamentally wired to be ‘feeling beings who think’. Based on the science, we could consider feeling as the foundation of spatial design, and aim to design for emotion.
Neuroaesthetics designer Suchi Reddy’s concept of “Form Follows Feeling” also stresses the importance of prioritizing emotional responses in design. Research shows that incorporating multi-sensory experiences, natural elements, and human-centered design principles can foster emotional connection and reduce stress levels.
A great example of neuroaesthetics in action is “A Space for Being”, an interactive, multi-room installation at the 2019 Salone del Mobile Milano. This project, developed by Google in collaboration with the Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University, Reddymade, and Muuto, was a prime example of science and technology meeting art in real-world applications. Google provided wearable devices to measure visitor’s heart rates and physiological responses, assessing their biological responses to three different environments. This experiment demonstrated that design elements like colors, texture, and spatial arrangements can directly affect our physiological responses and emotional states. This experiment proves the impact of multi-sensory design on human emotion and well-being.
Dr. Sally Augustin, an environmental psychologist at Design with Science, also researches and integrates neuroscience-based insights into the design of places and objects. Her science-based research explores how our emotions and behaviors are affected by design elements and sensory experiences and emphasizes that good design can improve well-being and productivity by tapping into our subconscious emotional responses. Whether it’s using calming colors or incorporating natural elements, these design choices affect our emotions and can bring out a sense of calm, relaxation, or inspiration.
Next Step: Design with Human Experience in Mind
As we reviewed in Part 1 of this column series, Neuroaesthetics bridges science and design, encouraging designers to create environments that not only look beautiful but also improve the physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of their occupants. By incorporating these science-backed insights, designers can craft spaces that promote positive emotions, shape human experiences, boost creativity and productivity, and foster a deeper connection between people and the environments they inhabit.
In next month’s Part 2 column, we will explore the HOW – how us experts in the built environment industry could apply the findings of neuroaesthetics research to the design of spaces, including work places, hospitality, health care, and public spaces. We will take a look at biophilic design, practical design tools to create multi-sensory, emotion-rich environments, and explore ways to boost engagement and create memorable spaces to elevate human experience.
Editor’s Note: Yong In, IIDA, IDEC, NCIDQ, RID, LEED AP, WELL AP, Fitwel Ambassador, is a multiple award-winning interior designer and design educator with over 25 years of experience in spatial design and design strategy. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Purdue University and a Creative Director/Design Strategist at INxD Studio. She has a versatile background spanning interior architecture, workplace strategy, product design, and experience design, cultivated through roles at firms such as Gensler, SOM, HOK, and VOA/Stantec, among others. As a whole-brain designer, Yong advocates for a research-based, science-backed, experience-driven, and people-first design approach. She is passionate about crafting spatial stories and creating environments that elevate human experiences and transform how people feel, engage, and thrive, through the power of design. As a design educator, she is dedicated to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of creatives.