Author Archives: Genetics of Design

Cognitive Architecture, 2nd edition, is out!

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 | 2 Comments

Why Ornament + Detail Really Matter in Architecture

“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

Posted in Architecture, Eye Tracking, Neuroscience | 1 Comment

Using Biometrics + Instagram in 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

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

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 | 4 Comments

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

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

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

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

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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Seeing How Cars + People Grab Us

With eye tracking we can ‘see’ how humans take in the world. This biometric tool gives an inside view of our remarkable subliminal activity, including what’s really going on when we do something seemingly simple, like walking down a city … Continue reading

Posted in Biology, Design, Eye Tracking, Walkability | Leave a comment