Lomardini22 designs neuroarchitecture-driven layout. Image © Diego Ravier | Salone del Mobile.Milano

神经科学与建筑： 为人类体验而设计
Neuroscience and Architecture: Designing for the Human Experience

由专筑网王沛儒，小R编译

以人类的体验为出发点设计，一直是建筑师的首要目标和动机。虽然传统工艺经过了时间的考验，但建筑行业仍在不断探索，寻找与其他领域合作的机会。建筑师与其他设计人员，甚至心理学家之间的合作已经出现了新的形式，一起创造更加以人为本的空间。一个新的交叉点吸引了从业者的注意力，特别是最近在米兰国际家具展（Salone de Mobile）上展出的神经建筑装置，Federica Sanchez是一位建筑师，同时也是神经科学研究院，他通过这一案例分析且探索了这个全新领域的发展潜力。

神经建筑学对传统工艺实践产生了积极影响，传统工艺实践通常关注美学、功能性和规范合规性，而神经建筑学则重点考虑幸福感。就本质而言，人类的大脑与他们所居住的环境有着错综复杂的联系。Sanchez解释说：“我们的身体和大脑不断交流，外部刺激和感觉器官之间的相互作用被转换成电信号，身体将感觉信息发送给大脑。这门新兴学科将神经科学与空间设计结合起来，挑战人们对建筑，对人类情感、思想和行动影响的认知。”

Designing for the human experience has been at the forefront of architect's intentions and motivations behind their work. While traditional processes prove beneficial, the industry is peering over boundaries to find opportunities for collaboration with other design and non-design fields. New approaches have emerged with collaborations between architects and service designers, or even psychologists, to create more human-centric spaces. A new intersection captures the attention of practitioners, especially with a recent installation at Salone de Mobile neuroarchitecture. ArchDaily breaks down the scope and potential for this new field with Federica Sanchez, architect and neuroscience researcher at Italian firm Lombardini22, responsible for revamping the Salone.
Neuroarchitecture brings a positive influence on traditional practice- often concerned with aesthetics, functionality, and code compliance- with a focus on well-being in design considerations. Essentially, the hybrid pursuit recognizes that human brains are intricately connected to the environments they inhabit. "Our body and brain continuously communicate interactions between external stimuli and sensory organs are converted into electrical signals, and the body sends sensory information to the brain," explains Sanchez. The emerging discipline bridges neuroscience and spatial design to challenge perceptions of a building's influence on human emotions, thoughts, and actions.


Lomardini22 designs neuroarchitecture-driven layout. Image © Diego Ravier | Salone del Mobile.Milano

“传统意义上的空间设计都是以艺术概念为基础，然后再观察其对人类感知和行为的影响。神经建筑学颠覆了这一做法，神经结构首先探索大脑对于建筑环境的处理方式，然后利用这些知识有意识地进行有实证数据支持的设计。”Sanchez强调说，常规的建筑策略虽然有着特定的理论视角，但神经建筑学解释了不同个体之间对于空间体验的差异性。利用神经科学可以丰富设计直觉。有了这种新的理解，优先考虑以人为本的设计就成了建筑师不可忽视的职业要求。

在 2024 年的米兰国际家具展上，Lombardini与神经科学家合作设计了展览布局。他们了解到网格状的平面布局会使参观者产生疲劳和迷失方向，所以通过对人类导航、空间记忆形成和环境认知映射的研究，提出了一种促进自然运动的循证布局。这个设计方案旨在协调空间和时间体验，从而塑造游客的旅程。迭代式的虚拟现实实验为设计过程提供了依据，实施后收集到的现场数据表明，神经科学驱动的布局提升了使用者的方向感，减轻了认知压力。

“Traditionally, spaces were designed based on artistic concepts, only afterward observing the effects on human perception and behavior. Neuroarchitecture flips this approach by first understanding how the brain processes the built environment, using that knowledge to consciously craft evidence-based designs supported by empirical data,” Sanchez highlights. While architectural training may instill a particular theoretical lens, neuroarchitecture accounts for how diverse individuals subjectively experience spaces, avoiding biases. Leveraging neuroscience enriches design intuition rather than diminishing it. With this newfound understanding, prioritizing human-centered design becomes an ethical imperative architects cannot ignore.
At the 2024 Salone del Mobile, Lombardini22 designed the exhibition layout in collaboration with neuroscientists. With an understanding of grid-based floor plans’ influence on visitor fatigue and disorientation, the team proposed an evidence-based layout facilitating natural movement by applying research on human navigation, spatial memory formation, and the cognitive mapping of environments. The design aimed to harmonize spatial and temporal experiences to shape the visitors' journeys. Iterative virtual reality experiments informed the design process, while on-site data collection after implementation demonstrated the neuroscience-driven layout enhanced visitor orientation, and recall, and reduced cognitive strain.


Concept redesign routes Salone del Mobile.Milano. Image Courtesy of Salone del Mobile.Milano

2019 年初，Lombardini与神经科学家团队合作启动了一个研究项目，调查建筑空间对人类潜在情绪状态和社会认知的影响。研究发现，开放和广阔的空间能使人放松，产生积极情绪，而狭窄或封闭的环境则会引发生理压力和消极情绪。这表明，设计能促进共鸣、注意力，对推动社会积极互动的空间具有深远的意义，这也为神经建筑学提供了依据。

Longoni 指出了神经科学在建筑中的广泛应用，其中包括医院与办公场所，神经科学策略对于监狱等空间也有很大的积极作用，对于这些空间而言，设计方案的选择对罪犯的改造效果能够产生一定程度的影响。例如，在翻新意大利监狱时，建筑师与心理学家合作，剖析囚犯和工作人员的现象学经验。发现通过隔离能引发特定情绪和行为反应的空间特征，设计团队因此将以打造具有积极特性的空间为目的，Sanchez说：“整合神经科学不仅仅是一种工具，更是一种范式的转变，它将人类的体验定位为设计过程的核心。”

Earlier in 2019, Lombardini22 initiated a research project in collaboration with a team of neuroscientists to investigate the effects of architectural space on underlying human emotional states and social cognition. The study found that open and expansive spaces promote relaxation and positive feelings, while cramped or confined environments can trigger physiological stress and negativity. This points to the deep implications for designing spaces that foster empathy, attentiveness, and positive social interactions, building a case for neuroarchitecture.
Longoni points at the vast applications of neuroscience in architecture- from hospitals designed to accelerate patient recovery to office spaces that enhance cognitive performance. Neuroarchitecture is particularly promising in spaces inhabited by vulnerable populations, such as prisons, where design choices can significantly impact rehabilitation outcomes and recidivism rates. For example, the renovation of an Italian prison had architects collaborate with psychologists to dissect the phenomenological experience of inmates and staff. By isolating spatial features that elicit specific emotional and behavioral responses, the design team could focus their strategies on creating an environment that supports rehabilitation and personal growth. “Integrating neuroscience represents more than just a tool- it is a paradigm shift positioning human experiences and well-being at the core of the design process”, Sanchez shares.


Lomardini22 studies neuroarchitecture and its applications. Image Courtesy of Lombardini22


Lomardini22 studies neuroarchitecture and its applications. Image Courtesy of Lombardini22

将神经科学成功融入建筑实践依赖于建筑师与科学家之间的有效合作。然而，这种跨学科交流也存在挑战。这两个领域不同的方法论、工作流程和交流方式，都会对知识的无缝转化造成障碍。Sanchez发现，“在将科学发现转化为设计实践的过程中，仍然存在有限制因素，在其他环境中保证实验条件和效果的前提下，能与先前研究中得到的效果相同”。

一方面，科学过程严谨有序，依靠大量的实验、数据收集和同行评审来验证研究结果。另一方面，建筑往往遵循更加直观和创造性的设计过程。知识交流的障碍也是一个重大挑战，在传统的学术文化中，研究成果是公开共享的，而在私营部门，专有知识往往受到严密保护，两者形成鲜明对比，神经科学家和建筑师之间的合作需要一个对两个学科都有利的合作环境。

除此之外，科学研究需要一定的时间，这和传统的设计节奏存在差异，因此这也是神经科学与建筑学结合时所存在的问题，不过，在测试设计方案时投入的初始时间有可能在项目完成前为业主节省成本。所以各个学科之间的协调，需要多方都能够保持足够的耐心，以及开放的思想。

The successful integration of neuroscience into architectural practice relies on effective collaboration between architects and scientists. However, this interdisciplinary exchange is not without its challenges. The different methodologies, timelines, and communication styles of these two fields can create obstacles to seamless knowledge translation. Sanchez finds that "something that still represents a limit in the translation of scientific findings into design practice is a generalization: the possibility of recreating the experimental conditions in other contexts and guaranteeing that the effects will be the same as those obtained in previous studies".
On one hand, the scientific process is rigorous and methodical, relying on extensive experimentation, data collection, and peer review to validate findings. Architectural design, on the other hand, often follows a more intuitive and creative trajectory, shaped by conceptual visions and aesthetic sensibilities. Barriers to knowledge exchange have also been identified as significant challenges. The traditional academic culture, where research findings are shared openly, has been known to contrast the private sector's competitive nature, in which proprietary knowledge is often closely guarded. The collaboration between neuroscientists and architects demands a collaborative environment beneficial to both disciplines.
Additionally, the mismatch between the time required for structured scientific studies and experiments and the typical rhythm of design processes familiar to architects and clients is a concern. However, the initial time investments in testing design options could potentially lead to cost savings for property owners once projects are realized. Reconciling these distinct approaches requires open-mindedness, patience, and a willingness to embrace new perspectives from both sides.


Lomardini22 designs neuroarchitecture-driven layout. Image © Diego Ravier | Salone del Mobile.Milano

神经建筑学将建筑设计建立在经验数据和对人类认知与行为的更深入理解的基础上，为彻底改变建筑设计带来了巨大的机遇。这种跨学科的方法使建筑师能够根据建筑构件对人的影响，积极主动地设计空间，从而实现更有意识的、以实验结论为基础的设计。有依据的设计决策会优先考虑人的感受，从而对感知、情绪状态和行为产生积极影响。

神经科学与建筑之间日益紧密的联系反映了广泛的社会趋势，即以科学结论为基础的决策。这种做法通过优先考虑人类的福祉，强调了建筑作为严谨和创新领域的定位。为了充分释放其潜力，建筑师需要促进知识共享和跨学科合作。通过融入神经科学、心理学、人类学、社会学和行为科学的见解，建筑师将彻底改变原本的设计方法，将人类的体验作为首要设计目标，并创建出支持人类复杂生活的空间环境。

Neuroarchitecture presents strong opportunities to radicalize architectural design by grounding it in empirical data and a deeper understanding of human cognition and behavior. The interdisciplinary approach allows architects to proactively design spaces based on how architectural components affect people, leading to more conscious, evidence-based design. Informed design decisions prioritize human well-being to positively impact perception, emotional states, and behavior.
The growing connection between neuroscience and architecture reflects a broader societal trend– the move towards decisions informed by evidence. This dialogue strengthens architecture's position as a rigorous and innovative field that prioritizes human well-being. To fully unlock its potential, architects need to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration across disciplines. By incorporating insights from neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, sociology, and behavioral science, architecture revolutionizes its approach, setting human experience as the primary design objective and creating built environments that support the intricacies of human life.