Decoding Spaces: How Neuroarchitecture Reveals the Hidden Language of Buildings

The Unspoken Dialogue Between Space and Senses

The architect Ákos Orbán illuminates this phenomenon, noting how our sensory experiences within a space often bypass conscious thought. Referencing neuroscientist Gio Balty Taylor, Orbán underscores that we are, fundamentally, 'feeling creatures that think'. Modern neuroscience, as Orbán points out, suggests that a mere 5% of sensory input reaches our conscious awareness, while the remaining 95% silently orchestrates our emotional landscape. Therefore, the impact of architecture extends far beyond aesthetics; it forges a deep, often imperceptible connection with our inner selves.

The Milan Design Week Installation: A Turning Point

The "A Space for Being" installation during Milan Design Week in 2019, a collaboration between Google, Johns Hopkins University, and the architecture studio Readymade, marked a pivotal moment for Orbán. This exhibit, as Orbán describes, employed biometric sensors to monitor visitors' physiological responses within meticulously designed rooms. The findings revealed a striking disconnect between conscious perception and the body's unfiltered reactions, underscoring the idea that architecture is not merely seen but felt.

The Three Pillars of Spatial Understanding

According to Ákos Orbán, the study of neuroarchitecture integrates cognitive neuroscience, environmental psychology, and phenomenology. Cognitive neuroscience, with its empirical tools like mobile brain imaging and heart rate variability tracking, offers insights into our unconscious reactions to spaces. Environmental psychology studies our behaviors and interactions within environments, while phenomenology provides first-person accounts of lived spatial experiences. These disciplines converge to reveal that perception is active; our brains recreate spaces internally through embodied simulation. A curved wall evokes the sensation of leaning against it, while a soaring cathedral subtly adjusts our posture, indicating spaces move through us as much as we move through them.

Prospect, Refuge, and the Atmosphere of Spaces

Environmental psychology reveals our innate preference for spaces offering both 'prospect and refuge' – the ability to see without being overly exposed, as Orbán explains. Phenomenology adds another layer, highlighting that spaces possess atmospheres that shape our inner states. These atmospheres, as Orbán emphasizes, are co-created by the physical environment and our presence within it.

Neuroarchitecture in Practice: A Budapest Restaurant

Ákos Orbán illustrates the practical application of neuroarchitecture through a restaurant design in Budapest. The design prioritized multi-sensory engagement. Charred wooden elements released subtle smoky aromas to activate the olfactory system, while rounded curves provided a sense of shelter picked up by the nervous system. Wooden blocks echoing neighborhood pavers subtly reinforced a sense of belonging. These elements combine to create a space of 'silent hospitality.'

Expanding the Vision: From Healthcare to Urban Design

Ákos Orbán broadens the scope of neuroarchitecture, envisioning its application in hospitals, schools, and public spaces. He notes that in healthcare, access to a garden view can expedite recovery. Classrooms with natural light, optimized acoustics, and adaptable layouts enhance students' cognitive performance and reduce stress. In public areas, the equilibrium between shelter, visibility, and sensory comfort dictates whether we feel secure or threatened.

Architecture as Empathetic Design

Ákos Orbán argues that neuroarchitecture enriches our toolkit, enabling us to design for the holistic human experience. It's about empathy, designing for the unspoken, felt experiences of individuals. In a world often characterized by fragmentation and disconnection, neuroarchitecture offers a path to create spaces that foster belonging, transforming architecture into a means of building not just shelter, but genuine human connection.