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Author Archives: Genetics of Design
Drives Me Crazy
Donna called at 5pm with a last-minute request, “Can you give me a lift to Bedford? I promised to have dinner with my parents and my car’s in the shop.” “Sure” I said, not realizing that a 10-mile drive during rush … Continue reading
Posted in City Planning, Exercise, Health, Walkability
Tagged Health, Traffic, Walking
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The Allure of Repeated Patterns
The main draw of the new Broad Museum slated to open in Los Angeles on September 22 is the eye-catching pattern on the building’s skin. Humans are captivated by repeating patterns: dots, diamonds, circles, cross hatches, ovals, stripes, spirals, scallops, … Continue reading
No Faces – We’ll Affix That!
How We Add Faces to Blank Places Humans are drawn to faces. Our brains are built to see them. Indeed, more of our brain is engaged in facial recognition than the recognition of any other visual object, says neuroscientist Eric … Continue reading
The Primal Vista: Why We Crave Water Views
Every summer, Mark and I reserve one vacation week for a trip to the quaint Cape Cod town of Wellfleet, Massachusetts. No chateau in Chinon, palazzo in Paris or castle in Cardiff, just a few rooms with a view—an ocean view. Like many … Continue reading
Why We Love Buildings that Look at Us …
A few months ago, I attended an unusual high school reunion. It was a special ‘tea’ for the alumnae of a girl’s high school which was getting its first major renovation in more than fifty years—and the grads were invited … Continue reading
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Following Fractals
“God is in the details.” – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe As New England emerged from a record-breaking snowy winter, I watched trees blossom overnight into intricate patterns against a blue sky. Without thinking, I grabbed my iPhone and pointed … Continue reading
Designing Inside-Out: How Hillary’s Video Grabs your Mind in Milliseconds
Hillary Clinton’s video officially launching her presidential campaign came out last month and we still can’t get enough of it. Why? It’s a picture-perfect demonstration of how the human brain works, what it’s built to focus on, and how it … Continue reading
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Planning for People
“First life, then spaces, then buildings–the other way around never works.” Jan Gehl While Boston celebrated the start of the American Revolution on Patriot’s Day this week, the city of Somerville, two miles west, started a different kind of rebellion … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, City Planning, Design, Health, People-centric Design
Tagged City Planning, Design, People-centric Design, Walkability
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Face-i-tecture
Do you see a face in Palladio’s Villa Rotunda? Do the windows on the second floor suggest eyes, and the portico a nose or mouth? Or maybe the front door behind the columns represents the mouth, and the windows symmetrical about … Continue reading
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People Need Green Space
In 1970, Joni Mitchell sang “they paved paradise to put up a parking lot” to decry the lack of green space in the built environment. Since then, architects, planners and builders have expanded parking lots, widened highways and removed green … Continue reading
