Archinect - News

Getting a headache from staring at all those buildings? This study explains why

2018-07-09T14:17:00-04:00

Because the repetitive patterns of urban architecture break the rule of nature, it is more difficult for the human brain to process them efficiently. [...] over the last 100 years, the design of buildings has been departing further and further from the rule of nature; more and more stripes appear decade by decade, making the buildings less and less comfortable to look at.

The high psychological cost we pay for boring buildings

2016-04-12T20:24:00-04:00

Boring architecture may take an emotional toll on the people forced to live in and around it. A growing body of research in cognitive science illuminates the physical and mental toll bland cityscapes exact on residents. Generally, these researchers argue that humans are healthier when they live among variety — a cacophony of bars, bodegas, and independent shops — or work in well-designed, unique spaces, rather than unattractive, generic ones.

Putting entire cities on the psychiatrist's couch

2015-07-01T12:59:00-04:00

Rule No. 1 for long life: Stay active, keep the blood flowing. Rule No. 1 for urban planning: Never close an artery.

It's well known that strong social ties can benefit an individual's mental health. Investment in a community can help people to cope with the stress of traumatic events, physical disability, aging, and simply the everyday banal. Cities, the natural biomes of most humans, then become a strong influencer of community and individual psychologies.

This fascinating New York Times piece looks at the career of Mindy Thompson Fullilove, a psychiatrist whose work with entire cities imagines them as a functioning body – one that needs all its parts to remain connected and coordinated in order to thrive.

For more on the psychology of urban environments: