Bridging Space Perception, Emotions, and Artificial Intelligence in Neuroarchitecture

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience and Architecture: An interdisciplinary review exploring the impact of the built environment on human neural processing.
• Emerging Technologies in Design Research: Focus on virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) for understanding spatial experiences.

Background:

• Neuroarchitecture has rapidly advanced, establishing measurable connections between architectural features and human brain activity.
• Existing research highlights the influence of built environments on occupant emotions, stress, and cognitive functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize current research on neuroarchitecture, emphasizing the role of VR and AI in understanding human spatial experience.
• To identify methodological advances and propose a framework for future neuroarchitectural studies.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of empirical studies from 2015-2025.
• Categorization of research into neuroarchitectural components, physiological sensing (EEG, HRV) with VR, and AI integration.
• Analysis of how built environment elements affect brain activity and occupant responses.

Main Results:

• Architectural elements like geometry and lighting demonstrably influence brain regions associated with emotion, stress, and cognition.
• VR experiments coupled with neuroimaging and physiological sensors provide ecologically valid data on occupant responses.
• AI facilitates real-time emotion recognition and pattern discovery, linking design features to emotional outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The current evidence base for neuroarchitecture is developing, with limitations in sample size and data fragmentation.
• A proposed 'SPEC' framework (somatic, psychological, emotional, cognitive) can guide future research.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration leveraging AI and VR is crucial for creating robust datasets and neuro-informed design tools for enhanced well-being.