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RDC's Editor on the Implications of Design

Sally Augustin, RDC's Publisher and Editor, is interviewed in this New York Times article.

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Need Research to Inform a Design Decision?

Search through our extensive collection of practical articles and blog posts (over 1,800 articles and blog posts) to find what you need to support your design solution and give you a competitive advantage.

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RDC 2013 - Issue 1

Research Conversations

What Do Designers Need to Know About Biophilic Design?

Biophilic design is again a hot topic in the design world. Biophilic design makes people more productive, enhances their mental health, and does wonders for their well-being—and the financial bottom lines of employers.

How Can Design Help Prevent Crime?

As spring plantings and trimmings begin, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) becomes especially topical. 

Office Art: What? How?

What sort of art should you use in your office? 

What Sort of Spaces Promote Learning?

Applying design research makes it more likely that environments support educational programs.

How Can Lighting Make a Difference in Human Lives?

A conference provides new insights into the influence of light on human experience.

Are You Sure?

 Think all design-related research is only common sense? That you know the results without investigating? Maybe not.  People respond to their environment based on many factors. Check out some non-intuitive examples here.

 

 

PlaceCoach News Alerts

Design That Encourages Exercise

How can design encourage  physical activity?

Restorativeness of Vacation Spots

People developing vacation spots, or other sorts of places, need a good understanding of how design can help humans restock their mental energy.

How Much Employees Say Workplace Design Matters

How important is office design to workers compared to other work factors?

Getting People into Plazas

Fountains or food? Which is more of a draw?

Real Residential Design

Archeologists visited homes and  interviewed family members before developing some intriguing insights about Americans and their belongings.

Scents, Stores and Sales

Scenting the air is common in stores, but under what conditions is it most likely to lead to increases in sales?

Flooring in Healthcare Settings

Flooring  influences people's impressions of a facility.

Refurbished Offices: Aligning Objectives and Perceptions

Sustainable, refurbished office buildings are valued by those who work in them.

Workplace Productivity

What factors affect productivity, and how important are they?

Tailoring [Design] Messages

Congruent messages are more effective.

The 2025 Office

An interesting discussion of the future of offices.

Green Design Post-Occupancy Evaluation

A  report on a green building that attempted to send messages to users—sometimes they weren't received.

Of Interest

EDRA 44

How does place design influence human health and behavior? Can your physical environment enhance your well-being? The Environmental Design Research Association invites you to EDRA44Providence, May 29 - June 1, 2013 to answer these and other questions.

Book Reviews

Mirrors: Reflections of Style

This book will interest people intrigued by the ways designers have used mirrors—indoors and out—over time, and also individuals fascinated by the effects, psychological and otherwise, created by using mirrors.

Building Bridges, Blurring Boundaries: The Milwaukee School in Environment-Behavior Studies

The professors and graduates of the School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP) at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee have made significant contributions to practice and research in environment and behavior-based design.

The Planning Game: Lessons from Great Cities

This book effectively discusses the roles of participants  in the urban planning process, the importance of public expenditures that foster continuing private investments, and the usefulness of outlined planning strategies to communities of various sizes.