How spaces affect us and our behaviour is no news to us… to most of us at least. Now that Covid-19 has forced half the world to be indoors, with working from home becoming the new norm, understanding environmental or space psychology has become even more important and relevant. Winston Churchill famously said “we shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us.” Neuroscientists and psychologists have done enough research and studies to support this, but not just for the silhouette of giant structures that house us but also for the smallest of details like the lamp throwing blue light in the corner of the room. small changes in your space can bring about big differences to your moods and behaviours. Small changes in your space that can bring about big differences to your moods and behaviours.
According to John Paul Eberhard, there are primarily five areas in the brain system that have been studied to be applied to architecture and interior design.
- Sensation and perception – relates to how we smell, see, hear, etc
- Learning and memory – relates to how we store and recall sensory perceptions
- Decision making – relates to how we evaluate the potential outcomes of our actions
- Emotions – relates to what makes us feel certain emotions
- Movement – relates to how we navigate our environment
These principles are not only applied to design hospitals, offices, schools, etc., but can also be applied to design our homes and personal spaces. For example:
- Horizontal lines evoke a sense of stability, calmness and harmony with the earth
- Curved lines evoke playfulness, fluidity and femininity
- Angular or zig-zag lines evoke energy, action and excitement
- Vertical lines evoke drama, power and impact
At UrGrund, we are always aware of the psychology behind such details. We believe that home is where the heart is and the spaces around us should always evoke the desired mood, emotions and a state of well-being. Our team not only works on the ground but also counsels home-owners, architects and project managers to make sure that every decision we make is well informed and centered around the needs of the occupants of the spaces we create.
