Author Archives: Genetics of Design

About Genetics of Design

Blog for the Human Architecture + Planning Institute, theHapi.org

Why Eye Track Architecture? To See How ‘Fixations Drive Exploration’

What happens when you eye track architecture? The City of Somerville provided us with some views of Davis Square to find out. Here’s one picture of an existing building there surrounded by parking. And here’s the same image we photoshopped … Continue reading →

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Eye-Tracking Picasso: How We See Art

Eye tracking, often used in web and ad design today, can help us see how we see art. Here’s Femme a la Fenetre, (Woman at a Window) a portrait Picasso painted of his mistress Marie-Thérèse in 1936. (It sold at auction for … Continue reading →

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Park Benches Where No One Sits

If the goal of the bench is socialization, safety, scenery and shelter, why do these benches face busy streets, blank walls and parking lots? Continue reading →

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Building Relationships

This cartoon by Hilary Price really gets it: We’re built for relationships, so much so that we love looking for and at people all the time and extend this trait to looking at inanimate things that resemble us. We are … Continue reading →

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Eye Tracking the ‘Villa’: A First Step toward Understanding How We Experience Architecture

La Villa Rotunda by architect Palladio is, arguably, one of the most significant buildings in architectural history. Designed in the late 16th-century as a country house in Vicenza, Italy for a retiring  cleric, its captivating elevations would go on to … Continue reading →

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‘Seeing’ How We Actually Look at Buildings at ABX 2016

Interested in ‘seeing’ your brain subconsiously take in the buildings around you? Then come to our talk Thursday, November 17th, at 1 PM at the Boston Convention Center, part of the ABX 2016 Conference. We’ll be presenting eye-tracking research from our recent … Continue reading →

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We See Like an Animal…and that Matters

Eye-tracking tools can help us see how we look out on the world as an animal – and it can help us understand why some buildings catch our attention while others don’t and never will. Check out the photos below: … Continue reading →

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BSA Placemaking Network: Sept 26 Talk

The Biometrics of Placemaking: Why We Need Buildings to ‘See’ Us When:September 26, 2016 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Where: Boston Society of Architects (BSA) Space, 290 Congress St, Suite 200, Boston Info: This event is free w refreshments and open to all … Continue reading →

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Eye Tracking for ANFA 2016 conference

The Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA) hosts its fall conference, Connections: BridgeSynapses September 22-24 at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, CA. We’ll be sending along the poster below, the pilot-study of eye tracking Boston buildings, mentioned in a previous … Continue reading →

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The Genetics of Garden Design

Architecture is not just about houses and buildings—it’s also about gardens and landscapes. In the Genetics of Design, we write about how design affects biology and how biology affects design. Well-designed spaces make people feel comfortable and safe. They mesh … Continue reading →

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