Author Archives: Genetics of Design

How Modern Architecture Takes Us Up – to the Sky (literally!)

Posted on October 22, 2021 by Genetics of Design

It’s fascinating to look at how we really look at buildings – or not. Indeed, it can be revealing to see how modern buildings draw us to look at things around them – their surrounding trees, sky, or roof line – rather than … Continue reading →

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Cognitive Architecture, 2nd edition, is out!

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Genetics of Design

This just in: Cognitive Architecture, 2nd edition, by Ann Sussman and Justin B. Hollander, is out! The book reviews new findings in psychology and neuroscience to help architects and planners better understand their clients as the sophisticated mammals they are, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Biology, Eye Tracking, Neuroscience | 1 Comment

Why Ornament + Detail Really Matter in Architecture

Posted on June 29, 2021 by Genetics of Design

“Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail.” – Leonardo da Vinci Details really matter in architecture, and today we have the high-tech tools to show why and how to make the case quickly. For instance, below are two … Continue reading →

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Using Biometrics + Instagram in Design

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Genetics of Design

Given two interiors, how do people experience them and which do they prefer—the wallpapered room at left or the one with a living plant wall at right? That’s the question designer Amanda Grinley looked to explore. Starting with a simple, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design, Fractals, Health, Interiors, Nature | 1 Comment

From CommonEdge.org: How Biometric Software is Changing How We Understand Architecture—and Ourselves

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Genetics of Design

by Ann Sussman + Janice M Ward It doesn’t matter where they are—city, state, country, continent, it makes no difference. When it comes to big and boxy glass buildings, the human brain is hardwired to take them in the same way: as … Continue reading →

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Students Changing Design with Biometrics

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Genetics of Design

Welcome to the New Age of Biology where students familiar with biotech tools change design outcomes. That’s what happened this spring, when architecture students at Catholic University of America, suggested changes to a new dining hall on campus and used biometric … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Biology, Design, Education, Eye Tracking, Health, Neuroscience, People-centric Design, STEM | 2 Comments

Nature’s Patterns + Designs in Architecture, April 27, hosted by The National Arts Club

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Genetics of Design

This free webinar, hosted by The National Arts Club, featured Nikos Salingaros, PhD and Ann Sussman, discussing the importance of patterns and ornament in architecture and their impact on our health and well-being. The speakers reviewed the science of natural … Continue reading →

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Webinar: Designing for the Subliminal Brain

Posted on April 2, 2021 by Genetics of Design

Curious to understand how we see the world like animals? Want to learn how evolution presets what we focus on, and how we take in our surroundings? Here’s link for public media event from WSKG, an NPR-radio affiliate in New … Continue reading →

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How an Apple Store Grabs You … Subliminally

Posted on March 22, 2021 by Genetics of Design

Apple reached a $2 trillion market valuation last summer, a clear marker of its tech prowess. But when you look at its retail store design, you see the company also excels at something else entirely: understanding people—and how to capture … Continue reading →

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Webinar: Architecture + the 21st-Century Paradigm Shift: Designing for the Subliminal Brain, February 25

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Genetics of Design

This talk was part of a WELLbeing Seminar Series, organized by Prof. Robin Z Puttock, RA of the School of Architecture + Planning at Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington DC.  In it Ann Sussman discussed how new findings about … Continue reading →

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