Category Archives: Health

Nature’s Patterns + Designs in Architecture, April 27 @ 5 PM EST, hosted by The National Arts Club

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Genetics of Design

This free webinar, hosted by The National Arts Club, features 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 will review the science of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Fractals, Health, Nature, Neuroscience, Patterns, People-centric Design | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Architecture, Biology, Health, Neuroscience | Leave a comment

Empathy in Design: Measuring the Impact of Biophilia

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Genetics of Design

Is home your happy place? Does it make you feel warm and welcome? Now that a pandemic has turned our homes into multipurpose spaces that double as offices, gyms, schools, playgrounds and safe havens from a virus, feelings matter more than … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Biology, Design, Eye Tracking, Health, People-centric Design | Tagged | 2 Comments

How Boston’s Glassy Seaport Fails + Why It Always Will!

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Genetics of Design

A recent article in the Boston Globe Magazine, 15 Things to Love and 11 Things to Loathe about Boston, labels the newest glassy section of the city “soulless” something people “loathe,” calling Boston’s Seaport District a “bland cityscape, a tract of … Continue reading →

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Posted in Architecture, City Planning, Design, Health, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Imagine No Cars !

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Genetics of Design

“Imagine there’s no autos It’s easy if you try Only healthy walking And cycling ‘neath the sky” —A riff on John Lennon’s, Imagine Visitors to Kyoto, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Porto and Paris don’t have to imagine – they already have miles … Continue reading →

Posted in City Planning, Cycling, Exercise, Health, People-centric Design, Walkability | Leave a comment

A Trip to Tahoe: Walking the California/Nevada Divide

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Genetics of Design

When I asked the concierge for directions to cafes and shops, he told me to walk three blocks to the traffic lights, then turn right to California or left to Nevada. “You’ll see the difference,” he said. Indeed. Little did … Continue reading →

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Wellness Walls: A Look at Leaves and their Long-lasting Allure

Posted on November 17, 2017 by Genetics of Design

Last week’s GreenBuild/ ABX2017Expo in Boston boasted a mind-boggling 550+ exhibitors and 75+ product categories focused on sustainable building—from insulation to solar panels. As the escalator descended to the 12-acre exhibit space, I felt that Robin Williams’ Moscow on Hudson … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Health, Primal Vista, STEM | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Park Benches Where No One Sits

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Genetics of Design

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 →

Posted in Architecture, City Planning, Design, Health, People-centric Design | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Genetics of Garden Design

Posted on July 6, 2016 by Genetics of 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 →

Posted in Biology, Design, Exercise, Health, People-centric Design, Walkability | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Joy of Modern Houses

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Genetics of Design

The first time I toured a modern house, it was love at first sight. Heart racing. Pulse pounding. Face flushing. Love. Or maybe lust. Either way, once I met a house with cathedral ceilings, I never went back. Humongous windows. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design, Health | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment