
Research Conversations

When people are active, moving indoors or outside, they’re likely happier as well as healthier. Their brains work more effectively, they’re better at problem solving, creative thinking, and getting along with others, for instance. Neuroscience research establishes how design can encourage us to get, and keep, a move on.

Design has a significant influence on our mental and physical health. Neuroscience research indicates not only how aspects of designed environments can influence user health, but also how our mental and physical health are linked.

Neuroscience research makes it clear that, wherever they are, humans excel in a place that they can claim as their own, a “home base.” When we’re in a space that’s “ours” (even momentarily), we process incoming information more effectively, more pleasantly deal with challenges, and our levels of wellbeing increase, for example.
Neuroscience research spells out how design influences how well our brains’ memory centers work. Design can boost the performance of our memories – and that’s important whether we’re at work, at school, or debating the details of a movie plot with friends.
Book Reviews
PlaceCoach News Briefs
What, when, why
Directly considering control
Focusing on key factors
Wellbeing elevating spaces
Phonetics matter, a lot
Better spaces for people together
Design at Work

The Elizabeth Line, a section of London’s underground system largely opened in 2022, has a lot going for it from a science-informed environmental design perspective.
Open Access Article
Special Focus

It’s great when there’re resources (time, money, and otherwise) to thoroughly deal with all of the sensory issues that might arise in a workplace—but that’s often not the case. Neuroscience research can guide you to highest priority actions.
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Research conducted by a Gawryluk-lead team argues for keeping air clean.
Turunen and colleagues researched links between green and blue spaces and quality-of-life.
Bergefurt and colleagues studied the experiences of people working from home, finding that work-at-home experiences were much like those in the workplace.