Routledge Handbook of Neuroscience and the Built Environment

by Alexandros A. Lavdas (Editor), Ann Sussman (Editor), A. Vernon Woodworth (Editor)

Overview

According to the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), in the

21st century, we are living in a New Age of Biology, acknowledging the rapid development

of transformative findings in the life sciences. The Routledge Handbook of Neuroscience and

the Built Environment shows how these new findings impact architecture, planning, and

design, changing our understanding how people respond to their surroundings, and how

these environments can be optimized for human well-being.

 

A total of 31 chapters, presented in six sections, discuss human perception, the need

for connection, and how design impacts health and well-being, through topics such as

neuroaesthetics, color, memory and place, proportion, sound, neurophenomenology,

neurodiversity, biophilia, beauty, artificial intelligence, among many others. Expert

international contributors look to answer key questions as follows: What do architects and

designers need to know about neuroscience? How does architecture and design impact us

non-consciously? Why is acknowledging the human subliminal experience important? What

tools can designers use to “see” our subliminal behaviors?

 

This volume will be important reading for the design community, whether practicing,

educating, or studying, as well as policy makers and public health professionals.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032744216
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/09/2025
Series:	Routledge International Handbooks
Pages:	528
Product dimensions:	6.88(w) x 9.69(h) x (d)

About the Author

Alexandros A. Lavdas is a tenured Senior Researcher Neuroscientist at Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy, an Assistant Professor and Head of Psychology at Webster University, Athens Campus, Greece, and a member of the Board of Directors at the Human Architecture and Planning Institute, Concord, MA, USA. He holds an MSc and PhD from University College London. He has worked extensively in nervous system development and regeneration, and in more recent years, he has been especially interested in examining elements of visually organized complexity, such as those found in nature and pre-modern architecture, and exploring the psychophysiological correlates of exposure to environments incorporating such patterns.

Ann Sussman, an architect, author, researcher, and teacher, is passionate about understanding how buildings impact us. She serves as President of the Human Architecture + Planning Institute (theHapi.org), a nonprofit devoted to improving the design of the built environment through education and research. Her book Cognitive Architecture: Designing for How We Respond to the Built Environment (Routledge, 2015, 2021) won the 2016 Place Research Award from the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA). She has taught  a course on human perception of architecture, Buildings, Biology + the Brain, at the Boston Architectural College (BAC) since 2018.

A. Vernon Woodworth is a registered architect and member of the Faculty at the Boston Architectural College with a BA in Urban Design from the New College in Sarasota, FLA, a Master of Theological Studies from the Harvard Divinity School, and a Diploma in Analytical Psychology from the C.G. Jung Institute Boston. He co-edited a volume of essays titled Programming for Health and Wellbeing in Architecture. His design firm Urban Determination, LLC focuses on small-scale residential and commercial projects in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston.

Table of Contents

Introductions: Susan Magsamen and Michael Mehaffy  Part I: Embracing Human Evolution and Biology in Architecture  1.  Architectural Aesthetics: Health & Wellbeing Vasiliki Meletaki and Anjan Chatterjee  2. Neuroaesthetics and Evolution Alexandros A. Lavdas  3. Agency and the Quality of Relationships as Environmental Variables A. Vernon Woodworth  4. Our “Animal Brain” Processes Vehicles as Animals: Architects and Policymakers Need to Acknowledge That Nir Buras and Anaami Pandit-Haji  5. Harmony in Design: Leveraging Human Biology for Aesthetic Wellbeing Natalie Ricci and Donald H. Ruggles  Part II: Perception, Processing and Memory  6. Attention is Currency: Exploring how First Fixations in Architecture are as Important as in Advertising Ann Sussman and Abigail C. Sekely  7. A Guide to Fractal Fluency: Designing Biophilic Art and Architecture to Promote Occupants’ Health and Performance Richard Taylor, Anastasija Lesjak and Martin Lesjak  8. A Map in the Brain for Space, Memory and Imagination Kate Jeffrey  9. Mind and Brain in Architecture: Reviewing the Impact of Angular Versus Curved Designs Nour Tawil and Simone Kühn  10. Unlocking the Hidden Power of Color in Design Roz Kavander and Linda Kafka  11. Weaving Memories into Place - Exploring the Relation between the Built Environment and Associative Memory Dylan Chau Huynh, Lars Brorson Fich & Zakaria Djebbara  12. Proportion - Creation of Harmony through Architecture using Sound as a Medium Pooja Mahathi Vajjha  Part III:  Human Social Behavior and Need for Connection with Others and Ourselves 13. Translating the Architecture of the Brain to the City Alexander Adams 14. Rhythm and Resonance in Architectural Experience Sarah Robinson  15. Shaping Behavior through Spaces: Science-Informed Architecture for Nurturing Cognitive Reserve Andréa de Paiva  16.  Drawing from Within: Immersive Sketching as Neuroscientific Inquiry Cara Armstrong  Part IV: Going Beyond Ourselves, Experiencing the Sacred 17. Seeing and Believing: How Physical and Temporal Context, Subject Matter, and Artistic Style Affect Viewers’ Encounters with Sacred Art Robin Jensen  18. Neurophenomenology and Sacred Architecture Julio Bermudez and Yoshio Nakamura Part V: Neurodiversity, Stress, Trauma and Healing 19. Design for Wellbeing: Understanding the Impact of Architecture on Physiological Stress Cleo Valentine and Heather Mitcheltree  20. Neurodiversity in Architecture: How Neurodiverse Architects Shaped our World and How We are Shaping our World for Neurodiversity Evon Calabrese  21.  Enhancing Well-being and Productivity through Biophilic Design:Integrating Nature into Built Environments Lori Crizel  22. The Role of Beauty in Promoting Wellbeing via the Built Environment Rhett Diessner  Part VI: Building a Future for Human Health and Wellbeing  23. Rethinking Healthcare Design for Enhanced User Experience Vittoria Falchini and Rosi Pachilova  24. The Impact of Architecture on Wellbeing through Sound, Noise, and Silence Frven Lim  25. The Value of Pocket Parks in the 21st Century Gideon Spanjar, Frank Suurenbroek, Zahra Alinam, Justin B. Hollander, Regiena Stolp, Abigail C. Sekely, and Sába Schramkó  26. Advancing Evidence-Based Design (EBD) with Biosensor Integration: A Pathway to Data-Enriched Architectural Solutions Lori Crizel  27. Neuroscience and AI Determine Architectural Knowledge Nikos Salingaros  28. An Architectural Research Framework for Neuroscience of Human Experience Tulay Karakas and Dilek Yildiz Ozkan  29. Activating Salutogenesis: Environmental Enrichment, Embodiment, and Embreathment in Placemaking Tye Farrow  30. Translating Science: Promoting Cross-Disciplinary Application through Clear Communication Veronica Gianinni  31. In Search of Our Place in the World A. Vernon Woodworth

Editorial Reviews

“The Handbook of Neuroscience and the Built Environment is a pioneering exploration of how architecture and design influence our brains, emotions, and well-being. By integrating neuroscience with the built environment, this essential volume offers profound insights into creating spaces that enhance health, creativity, and human flourishing through intentional, science-based design.”

- Stephen Porges, PhD, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine

"This wide-ranging and comprehensive Handbook will be of serious interest to anyone concerned with the built environment. In six parts, spanning human evolution to neurodiversity, contributions cover everything from aesthetics and proportion to context, wellbeing and AI. These essays demonstrate how the investigation of brain sciences and architecture can extend beyond the strictly performative and quantitative, something many of us have been hoping for since the phrase "Neuroscience for Architecture" was first coined."

- Kurt C. Hunker, FAIA, Past President, Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA)

"The Handbook of Neuroscience and the Built Environment fills a crucial gap in the literature, bridging design and cognitive science. This essential handbook highlights how the built environment shapes human cognition, emotion, and behavior. It offers invaluable insights for architects and designers, helping them create spaces that enhance well-being. A must-have for understanding spatial stimuli and their profound impact on human interaction and health."

Maria Christofi, Postdoctoral Researcher, Tufts University

From the Publisher