See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/356138190

ANFA 2016 | NeuroArchitecture and Workplace Design: how space can affect performance and wellbeing

Poster · September 2016

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25760.51208

CITATIONS READS
2 2,330

1 author:

Andrea de Paiva
NeuroAU
8 PUBLICATIONS 63 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Andrea de Paiva on 11 November 2021.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 neuroarchitecture & workplace design
By Andréa de Paiva
Master in Architecture
andrea.paiva@fgv.br

how space can affect performance and wellbeing How can space foster respect, collabora- Illumination impacts on
tion, happiness, engagement, creativi- The perceived ceiling height impacts on cogni- human cognitive and cre-
Innocent Drinks has built a space to stimulate ty? tion. High ceilings promote abstract thinking ative ability. Children in
schools with better illumination
integration, leisure activities and ex- How can people and creativity. Low ceilings promote concrete and de-
and more natural light have

Cortex
change of information. make a more tail-oriented thinking (Joan Meyers-Levy). better performance. But more
self
strategic use actualization
creative environments, like a
of space? theater, have a higher contrast

System
esteem

Limbic
between lights and shadows.
Supermarkets with
love/belonging
higher ceilings

Reptilian
safety prime clients to pay
less attention to
physiological
People must understand the space as a sce- product’s flaws.
Maslow Pyramid and the Triune Lower ceilings
nographic place that can be changed
make them more
Innocent Drinks, according to the ‘’scene’’. Brain (Paul McLean) Olson Kundig
London, UK attentive to such Architects, Seatle,
issues. USA

How can architecture prime people and influence their Sharp shapes activate
Lindholmen Sci-
behavior? the amygdala which is re-
ence Park has Lifts are examples of priming through architecture. The sponsible, among other
meeting rooms
which provide
mirror inside most lifts helps decrease claustrophobia
sensation and vandalism acts. Status Vs Hierarchy things, to process fear.
This means that a space
decorated with too many
privacy in the
middle of an
open space.
Lindholmen Science Park,
C ontrol sharp objects might cause
an unconscious stress to
the brain, impacting on

con
Autonomy
Gothenburg, Sweeden
The brain has an instinctive behavior cognitive process and cre-
regarding territoriality. People feel ativity.

strat
ce
more comfortable when they feel they

s ur
R elatedness are in “their territory” and this impacts

y
ntr

lit
their behavior and cognition. For

pr i
instance, children tend to choose a

r ia
egy
ati
Fairness
pr

pa g
place to seat in the classroom on their

se
in

ito
first day of class and seat there until the
i

tt
m

on
d end of the school year. Pons and Hout Office,

er n Paris, France
in

rr
pr n f i o n
g

y ti

te
Many offices nowadays have no privacy (acoustic
nor visual), no enrichment, no windows, no colors, iva s a n a e s
no biophilic approach.
cre cy w mi s c a l
How can architects use the space to improve
ativ reason li lu es and For some people this might be an amazing view... for
Lindholmen Science Park,
Gothenburg, Sweeden
SCARF model inside companies? ity a p
others this must be the most scary place to be.When does

engagem sh architecture solutions stimulate fear?

Human beings have a basic need to belong to a group
and form relationships. Since the first moments of their
ent colour The brain is wired to be in constant contact with nature. Environments rich in
nature views and imagery reduce stress and blood pressure and en-
lives babies learn to bond with other human beings. The
species survival is linked to social connection (Matthew connection biophilia hance focus and concentration (Roger Ulrich).
Since companies cannot control if their employees often go to parks and green
Lieberman).

o r a t i o n e multise areas, how can they stimulate biophilia through workplace design?
How can workplace design improve social connection?
collab m ct n o n s ory
ru s t o tio in rad
t s t thr r ena Volvo Trucks factory in Gothenburg
The Baby Wall, at Innocent Drinks` office in London
x in n in do ea line built an oases for their employees
inside the factory as a space for
has baby pictures of all their employees, increasing
t o n pa t V & co
emotional connection and creating a more re- y o sr rtis
leisure, social connection and

ox eur mi
ch

contact with nature.

laxed and fun environment.
ne ew ol
ne rcise
mo e

all

n ard
r

exe
mea y

r p
enriched en
ning
u

e it

o
an
r
t

Is it possible to stimulate
r
r
l

r
on
cu

i
ge

mirror neurons
m l
to tam

through architecture and

e

sf
s
&

build a smiling building?

m
ty

Volvo Trucks Factory,

ire

Innocent Drinks,
London, UK
a Gothenburg, Sweeden
ti

B
ve &
en

dt

Innocent Drinks has a green

DN

Innocent Drinks,

s
id

carpet on their office in London London, UK

name it

og

as well as vases with plants and

vironment
rati

The Wall of Love is a place a communitarian garden

et

where Innocent Drinks con-

centrates all their fans’ letters. t for their employees.
he
nar

This helps to increase emo- Hospital patients who have views of trees and nature

i
r

tional connection of sights need less medication and have faster recovery
employees to the brand and times after surgery than those without such views.
company. The Circle Hospital in Bath (designed by Normal Foster + Part-

Graffiti by Banksy
Innocent Drinks,
London, UK
c ners in 2010) offers views of the surrounding countryside from
almost every window. The bedrooms have oak floors, a
pull-down bed for visitors and fragrant herb boxes outside the
Studies have shown that surprise activates the
pleasure centers in the brain and drives the motiva-
tion to learn and it is an important tool in cognitive
Multisensorial Evelina Children`s
Hospital, London,
i window. Along with the absence of corridors, every room, in-
cluding the operating theaters, receives natural light.
environments and UK
development. It also builds new neural pathways,
leading to a more flexible and creative way of think-
meaning help to
improve memory
t Enriched environments stimulate brain plas-
ticity (Eric Kandel). Mice kept in information-rich en-
ing. How can the built space be used to surprise? and learning. vironments had their brains increased in size and Circle Hospital, Bath, UK

How can Proust

The brain recognizes every information
brougth by the senses as a pattern.
Quick interpretation is instinctive
and not accurate and matches the stim-
uli with an existing pattern, con-
sciousness process are slow.
How can architects use Gestalt and
McGurck Effect knowledge to make
the brain interpret messages quickly?
Effect be used in
y neural connectivity by up to 20%.
How can architects create spaces that are rich All the care units in the Östra
Psychiatric Hospital in Gothen-
enough in order to increase brain plasticity on people?
architecture to stimu- burg (designed by White in
late vivid reliving of 2007) have direct contact with a
events from the past Zoo animals that are kept
courtyard garden. The
through sensory in monotonous and min-
heart is the department’s center
stimuli? imalists environ-
Evelina Children`s Hospital, in London, make use of with all rooms grouped around
meaning to improve wayfinding for children who ments start to exhibit a small glazed conservatory in
a way that there are no long,
have to be at the hospital for long perios of time. All neurotic and antiso-
floors have themes and their colors and decoration narrow corridors.
cial behavior.
are related to the themes so children can recognize Östra Psychiatry Hospital,
where they are. Gothenburg, Sweeden

View publication stats