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Neuroscience X Cities A5 1306.2-Reduce-Size PDF
Neuroscience X Cities A5 1306.2-Reduce-Size PDF
FOR CITIES
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword_______________________________________ Page 2
Welcome_______________________________________ Page 4
Executive Summary_______________________________ Page 6
Chapter 1: Introduction_____________________________ Page 12
Chapter 2: Using the Playbook_______________________ Page 22
Chapter 3: A History And Review_____________________ Page 34
Chapter 4: Going Further With Neuroscience____________ Page 42
Chapter 5: Framework for Neuroscience_______________ Page 82
Chapter 6: Using Neuroscience______________________ Page 92
Chapter 7: Future Opportunities______________________ Page 112
Conclusion______________________________________ Page 120
Honourable Mentions______________________________ Page 122
Acknowledgements_______________________________ Page 126
AUTHORED BY
Araceli Camargo MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience & Director at Centric Lab
Joshua Artus Director at Centric Lab
Dr. Hugo Spiers Reader in Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London
4 1
FOREWORD
Nicola Yates OBE
Chief Executive, Future Cities
Catapult
2 3
WELCOME
Nick Tyler CBE FREng
Chadwick Professor of Civil Engineering
Faculty of Engineering Science
University College London - UK
4 5
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
6 7
Executive Summary
Cities have a long-standing reputation work and play, and that provide a high measure could potentially lead to a high solves real world problems in real time.
of being epicentres of culture, politics quality of life. City representatives and human cost, which could turn living in
and industry owing to cohesive social corporates seeking to attract and retain cities undesirable. Especially as cities One of the most exciting aspects about
networks facilitated by their concentrated talent must pay close consideration to are already facing a mental health crisis, these types of programmes is their
infrastructure. From a societal the quality of the spaces they provide, which, without immediate intervention, extensive collaboration between different
perspective, cities catalyse movements and their relationships to key economic could get worse. Providing solutions to areas of science and industry. The future
and inventions, making them highly attributes of high productivity and mental and physical health challenges in of cities looks to be in great hands as they
important to human society. While we complex problem-solving. With cities is crucial for economic development. continue to sprout all over the world.
often think of cities in terms of great neuroscience, we now have the In New York City alone, 4% of the adult
buildings or iconic streets, at their core opportunity to think about concepts such population have a serious mental health As new neuroscience technologies emerge,
cities are people. It is people who guide as productivity and quality of life from a issue. This equates to roughly 230,000 such as the recently reported portable
the visions of cities across all parameters human biological perspective. Allowing adults who are not at their productive Magnetoencephalography system created
of influence. Economic growth and culture us to go one step further into theories best and who cannot fully engage with the by UCL and the Wellcome Trust, they
are driven by human effort. City design of ‘human-centric’ city planning. For city’s services and products. will allow for an increased depth of study
and infrastructure are constructs of the use of this playbook, we are defining into humans in ‘the wild’. This device will
human imagination. Lives led in cities are neuroscience as a multidisciplinary Through the merging of technology not only help with clinical applications,
based on human aspirations. Therefore branch of biology and is the scientific and neuroscience, urban planners, but could feasibly be used to study brain
it makes sense for cities to be seen as study of the brain and nervous system, government, and city experts have the activity as people navigate in natural
the scaffolding that supports and holds including its interaction with the other opportunity to turn around the adverse environments.
human activity. parts of the body. effects of environmental stressors and
catapult cities into a new era. Why This technology can also be used in
This perspective is not new, there has This playbook illustrates the potential shouldn’t a city be a place of convergence, tandem with other technology, such
been a strong and historical catalogue of neuroscience can bring to the built culture, and knowledge mobility, as well as Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual
work that supports the theory of ‘human environment: ranging discussion of how as healthy places to live? Reality (VR), to compare the brain
centricity’. Many architects, engineers, it works with emerging technology, how activity of different environments. This is
and urban planners have launched it utilises and qualifies urban planning Neuroscience will undoubtedly be a especially useful when studying variant
city plans to make cities prosperous, theory, and how it can contribute catalyst for new era of built environment demographics which show differences
industrious, and exciting places to live. In insight to increase the user experience innovation. With time and technological in spatial cognition, such as those with
fact, there is already substantial data on of cities, which in turn, leads to greater advancement, neuroscience will be able visual challenges, people on the autism
what makes a ‘good’ city. In her book, The productivity, wellbeing and desirability. to help us understand the nuances of spectrum disorder, dementia, or those
Death and Life of the Great American City, human biology, as it is affected by the with depression.
urban theorist, Jane Jacobs highlights For the full scope of opportunities that built environment. This will lead to the
four qualities that cornerstone a great neuroscience provides, please see the sophisticated orchestration of different Twenty years ago, to tell a property
city: mixed land use, small blocks, high infographic in the adjacent pages. physical environmental elements such as developer they could virtually walk
density, and diverse architecture. Given light, sound, or street typography. through their future development using
then inordinate amount of knowledge and City analysts predict the rise of ‘mega- their smart telephone would have seemed
theory on cities, it would be redundant cities’, much to the excitement of To reach this level of adaptiveness, we impossible. Twenty years from now we
for neuroscience to comment from this economists, civic leaders, and builders; need the support of multi-disciplinary may look back and wonder how we ever
perspective. Instead it should be seen as the construction rate alone will create programmes and laboratories. For planned cities without the use of cognitive
a tool that allows those who work in the substantial economic growth. Numbers example, the Ecological Brain Project at and biological data.
cities to understand the consequences of indicate more job prospects, more goods University College London (UCL) aims
their work on human biology. and services to consume, and boundless to harness and develop ‘new methods It is exciting to present a new tool for the
opportunities for high-level innovation and techniques to measure behaviour advancement of city life and potentially
In a globalised economy, mobile and brain activity in the wild’ . With the catalyse a new industry.
individuals want attractive places to live, However, growth without purpose or objective of understanding how the brain
8 9
Improved life-cycle of building through long
Opportunities Human metrics for BIM Term adaptability and effective re-use
Neuroscience
Private SME consulting Healthier homes, schools and offices
Increased venture capital investment in life sciences BUSINESS Links between urban pollutants and human impact
URBAN
TECHNOLOGY PLANING Increasing inclusivity in cities for non-
Autonomous devices & robotics AGING POPULATION Normative demographics
10 11
1. INTRODUCTION
12 13
Introduction
14 15
Introduction
WHY IT MAKES SENSE TO USE we perceive the world, how our brain ETHICS AND SCIENCE SCRUTINY
NEUROSCIENCE IN THE BUILT develops, how we think, why we think,
ENVIRONMENT how we problem-solve, and how we As we are breaking new ground with our
interact with the world. Therefore it proposed framework it is important to
All animals adapt their environments to fit makes sense to use neuroscience to better discuss ethics. In writing this playbook we
their needs and ensure survival. Humans understand the relationship between have carefully selected studies based on
have done the same, except at a far greater people and the physical world. This could their scientific merit and ethical approval.
scale, allowing us to build cities and provide us insights to address questions In the media, books and some academic
societies1. The changes and adaptations such as; how are people’s mental health articles, neuroscience is misused to
we impose on our environments have and sense of place impacted by city explain phenomena, and interpreted far
been to ensure survival, both from an expansion? Is air pollution having an beyond the data can warrant, for example,
immediate point of safety and culturally. effect on the neurodevelopment of the endogenous molecule dopamine is
For example, the invention of aqueducts children? How do variable demographics often credited as the ‘feel good’ chemical
provided us access to water more such as those with visual impairments in the brain1. Whereas its role is much
effectively and readily. This adaptation use sensorial information differently to more complex and relates to predictions
not only ensured our immediate survival navigate cities? about possible outcomes2. Neuroscience
as water is an essential element to all and neuroimaging (brain scanning)
living life, it also catalysed an opportunity As already stated, humans have learned to research in particular, has been prone
to create more complex habitats such adapt and manipulate their environments to misguided interpretations of reverse
as cities as we were no longer tied to a to ensure survival. Now we have a new inference3.
specific water source or dependent on knowledge pool and tools to exploit,
weather fluctuations2. to help us create more sophisticated To take an example argument:
adaptations for our evolving needs, ones 1. We know that a brain area called the
The level of sophistication of our that ensure our prosperity and good for anterior cingulate is involved in reward.
adaptations is driven by the type of the greater ecosystem. 2. We observe the anterior cingulate more
technology and science available to us activated by red objects than other objects
at any given time. Now that we have in our neuroimaging task.
entered a new era of rapid advances in 3. Therefore red objects are more
technology and insight into the workings rewarding to humans than other objects.
of the human brain, it makes sense for us
to explore these new tools and insights for This interpretation relies on the
even greater adaptation. assumption that the anterior cingulate is
only activated by reward. This, however,
To some academics and industry is not the case, and the interpretation
professionals neuroscience may seem like in our example is an overreach and
an unlikely ally for the built environment. simplification of the science. This type of
Afterall one is intrinsically biological interpretation is often taken even further 1. ADHD-BeCalmd, (2007). Neu-BeCalm’d
Natural Product For Dopamine Production.
whilst the other is intrinsically non- when it is translated to ‘industry speak’; [Online] Available at: http://www.adhd-
1. Poon, L. (2017) Cities are one big evolutionary
biological, however, the built environment one potential impact of this would be becalmd.com/dopamine.html [Accessed 19
experiment. Citylab. Available at: https://
provides the backdrop or the “set” for www.citylab.com/environment/2017/11/ to say, ‘studies show that the brain is Apr. 2018]
much human activity. Cities are places urbanization-is-one-big-evolutionary- hard-wired to be attracted to the colour 2. Schultz, W., Dayan, P. and Montague, P.R.
experiment/544562/ [Accessed 12 Feb. 2018] (1997) A neural substrate of prediction and
where people are birthed, where they red, so we have included the colour in our
2. Encyclopaedia Britannica (2018) Aqueduct. reward. Science, 275(5306), pp. 1593-1599.
create and where they grow old. In entrances to attract customers.’ In short,
[online]. Available at: https://www.britannica. 3. Poldrack, R.A. (2006) Can cognitive processes
informal terms neuroscience is the science com/technology/aqueduct-engineering for this playbook we have worked to avoid be inferred from neuroimaging data? Trends in
of humans; it teaches us about how [Accessed 07 Mar. 2018] this type of mistranslation. Cognitive Science. 10(2), pp. 59-63.
16 17
Introduction
18 19
Introduction
the full scope of determining factors is not yet known. Both urban and
rural environments are complex ecosystems with many variables, so
it would be an oversight to assume that ‘city life’ is a central driver of
mental health related illness. Nonetheless, certain toxins (produced
by traffic, industrial parks), environmental stressors (noise and light
1 in 10 children in London experience a diagnosable
mental health condition 1
42.1% anxiety
throughout the playbook. in inner London experience high levels of
1
These statistics are to highlight what we are facing rather than give cities
a bad reputation. Cities can be places of health and human prosperity,
however we must start taking action sooner rather than later.
1 in 5 people in New York City suffer from mental
health problems 2
1. Mayor of London (2014) London mental health: The invisible costs of mental ill health.
[online] London: Greater London Authority. Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/
default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/Mental%20health%20report.pdf [Accessed 19
Apr. 2018]
2. Kearney, L. (2015) New York City finds one in five adults has mental health problems. Reuters,
[online]. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-mentalhealth/new-
york-city-finds-one-in-five-adults-has-mental-health-problems-idUSKCN0T12OO20151112
1 in 5 people in Australia suffer from mental health
problems 3
20 21
Introduction
2. USING THE
PLAYBOOK
22 23
Using The Playbook
3 PILLARS
24 25
Using The Playbook
URBAN
PLANNING
• Scientific evidence to support new city growth • Understand how macro-city trends will
strategies affect what people will need and expect from
developments
• Understand the physiological and cognitive PRIVATE
effect of poor transport infrastructure DEVELOPMENT • Learn how environmental and urban stressors
INDUSTRY impact quality of life
• Wayfinding ideas for enhanced inclusive
mobility for all demographics • Develop methodologies to avoid low adoption
rates through user experience insights and
testing
• Evidence for supporting tech products that help • Provide evidence for future grant applications,
enhance user experience of cities and buildings BUSINESS specifically in support of impact statements for
research councils
• New business and start-up opportunities from
the evaluations highlighted in this document
26 27
Using The Playbook
LIMITATIONS AND CAVEATS the circadian system. Studies have shown to interpret its results as “air pollution “characteristics and qualities of the
the prolonged amount of time in blue light causes crime”. Crime or antisocial residents themselves, and the surrounding
This section is to ensure there is clarity may have an effect on circadian function behaviour11 is a highly complex social, physical and resource context. These
about the limitations and caveats and thus present a change in sleep biological, genetic, and physiological factors moderate the relation between
regarding the use of the playbook. patterns3. These changes to sleep patterns phenomena, therefore interpreting living in high-rise and outcomes of living
in turn may affect aspects of productivity, corollary findings as causal can be in one”12. In Chapter 5 the playbook will
Architectural Design Determinism such as focus, due to sleep deprivation3. misguided and oversimplified. detail what tools and methods can be used
There is a risk of using this playbook However, one recent study has provided to establish further context.
to support a line of thought that could another view, it proposes that the effects Context
be seen as deterministic. The term of blue light might be related to the The final part to consider for this section
architectural design determinism is the circadian phase of light exposure9. This is context. For example, there have been Autism Spectrum Disorder -
term applied to the “concept that building means that the effects are related to where many studies on the effects of high rise “Is one of the most common
environments directly affect behaviour in the circadian phase a person is when buildings. Some studies suggest that neurodevelopmental disorders.
and attitudes1.” Although neuroscience exposed to blue light rather than it being high-rise living promotes unhealthy social According to the Diagnostic and
provides a deeper lens from which to a universal effect. This is important, as it and health habits, whilst others indicate Statistical Manual of Mental
understand people, this is still quite far showcases the nuances in our biology and that they allow for social cohesion1. Disorders, fifth edition (DSM5), the
from thinking it is possible to control with the need to understand them. In short, There is even evidence that those living core symptoms of ASD comprise
certainty the final output of behaviour when it comes to neuroscience, 'x' does in the upper floors breathe cleaner air1. deficits in social communication
by making adjustments to the built not always equal 'y'. However, there is a risk and limitation in and interaction, repetitive and
environment. It is difficult to define the studying a particular physical element in restricted behaviours, and sensory
line, however we shall endeavour to do so As we said, the line is fine and a great isolation. In a review of high-rise studies, abnormalities.”8
by providing a very simple example. example of where physical elements have it argued that new studies need to look
had a perceived positive effect are within at other non-building factors, including
Research into the non visual effects of varied demographics such as those within
natural light indicate changes in cortisol the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
levels, cognitive performance, and Schools designed with considerations
circadian rhythm2. Additionally, natural for ASD symptomatology such as anxiety
light has been linked to better scholastic and noise sensitivity indicate to be better
1. Marmot, A. (2002) Architectural determinism: children on the autism spectrum. Good Autism
performance in children and higher choices than mainstream schools7. These Does design change behaviour? British Journal Practice, 10(1), pp. 36-51.
productivity in the workplace. However, instances should be held up as example of of General Practice, 52(476), pp. 252-253. 8. Loth, E., et al. (2016) Identification and
using natural light in a workspace design best practice and supported with further 2. Harb, F., Hidalgo, M.P. and Martau, B. validation of biomarkers for autism spectrum
may not necessarily have a favourable neuroscience research. (2015) Lack of exposure to natural light in the disorders. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery,
workspace is associated with physiological, 15(1), pp. 70-73.
effect on everyone in the space. Nor sleep and depressive symptoms. Chronobiology 9. Jung, C.M. et al., (2010) Acute effects of bright
should it be expected that this factor Relationship doesn’t mean causality International, 32(3), pp. 368-375. light exposure on cortisol levels. Journal of
alone will determine higher levels of the A limitation of correlating human 3. Webb, A.R. (2006) Considerations for lighting Biological Rhythms, 25(3), pp. 208-216.
general productivity of a worker. In a real behaviour to the built environment is in the built environment: Non-visual effects of 10. Bondy, M., Roth, S. and Sager, L. (2018)
light. Energy and Buildings, (38), pp. 721-727. Crime is in the air: The contemporaneous
world context we should consider the that these relationships are often viewed
4. Wikipedia (n.d). Standard deviation. [online] relationship between air pollution and crime.
many factors at play, for instance, if the as causal. This is especially true when Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ [online] London: Institute of Labor Economics.
people are conducting a task (e.g. software creating a through-line between a built Standard_deviation [Accessed 7 Apr. 2018]. Available at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp11492.pdf
coding) that requires a lot of screen time, environment element (cause) and tying it 5. Swets, J.A. (1961) Is there a sensory threshold? [Accessed 17 Apr. 2018].
natural light might have a different effect to a socially complex behaviour (effect). Science, 134(3473), pp. 168-177. 11. Rowe, D.C. (1986) Genetic and environmental
component of antisocial behaviour: a study of
than for those conducting a task with little For example, a recent study investigating 6. Sinding, C., et al. (2017) New determinants
of olfactory habituation. Scientific Reports, 265 twin pairs. Criminology, 24(3), pp. 513-532.
screen time (e.g. a face to face meeting)3. the correlates between air pollution
7(41047), pp. 1-11. 12. Gifford, R. (2007) The consequences of living
Most of the literature links productivity and crime, pointed to some compelling in high-rise buildings. Architectural Science
7. Scott, I. (2009) Designing learning spaces for
with natural light through its effects on evidence10. However it would be remiss Review, 50(1), pp. 2-17.
28 29
Using The Playbook
Mental Compass/
Grid Cells INSIGHTS
How the Brain
Navigates the
Environment
30 31
Using The Playbook
• Identify methods and mitigation techniques for buildings and cities to increase
usability, wellbeing, and productivity for users. (see chapter 6 and 7 for more
details)
• With the use of VR, AR, mobile biosensing devices (e.g. mobile
electroencephalography), and A/B (controlled experiment with two variables)
testing of different environments can be used to assess how people navigate
different environments. This provides urban planners and architects with a new
tool and process to analyse the effectiveness of design options.
• Neuroscience, together with living labs and smart city technology, could change
cities from passive to dynamic systems that are responsive to human needs by
making iterative changes to the built environment using biological and city data.
32 33
Using The Playbook
3. A HISTORY
AND REVIEW
34 35
A History And Review
THE HUMAN SCIENCE OF CITIES become interested in cognitive elements, on urban space is manifested in the use of Coleman’s recommendations8.
such as human attention and memory, documentary film ‘The Social Life of Small This should not be seen as a failure, as it
The next three sections discuss how to help create not only the most efficient Urban Spaces’4. Whyte narrates the film, provides a future opportunity to develop
human based sciences have been used in physical conditions for a task but also the explaining his methods of observation and better techniques for applying academic
the built environment with great effect. best cognitive conditions2. The next stage the need for this type of research. research into the built environment to
Neuroscience is simply the next evolution. is to use the industrial engineering frame ensure higher adoption rates.
work in user experience, through the Whyte’s work to be presented clear and
Biomechanics and Social Sciences application of neuroscience. practicable metrics which have been used
A desire to understand how human since to design public spaces in New York
biology and cognitive elements relate to Behavioural Observations City.
the built environment, is not new1, nor A key development in understanding
is the application of this understanding how people interact with the built A final and highly influential piece of
to make improvements to specific built environment has come from the research to note is that of Alice Coleman,
environments, for example in industrial systematic observation of the movement Professor of Geography. She famously
factory environments1. Industrial and behaviour of people in Italian public argued there was a corollary between
engineering has used human data to spaces3, by architect and psychologist poor design and social malaise6. While
1. Salvendy, G. (2007) Handbook of Industrial
increase productivity and efficiency in respectively, Jan and Ingrid Gehl in 1965. design can have some influence over Engineering. 3rd ed. New Jersey: John Wiley
manufacturing economies since the Through their work, they established behaviour this might have been too much & Sons, Inc.
Industrial Revolution1. Investigations into a taxonomy of ‘life’ patterns in urban of an overreach. Many of her colleagues 2. Freivalds, A., Niebel, B.W. (2014) Niebel’s
the biomechanics of the human body in spaces4. This work was the inspiration at the time criticised her work for being Methods, Standards, and Work Design. 13th ed.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
relationship to a specific task reveal that for a life-long study of people in spaces, too simplistic in the face of complex social
3. Gehl, (n.d.) Observing people in Italy. [online]
productivity could be increased if the which led to a successful architectural issues, with one colleague commenting Available at: http://gehlpeople.com/story-
body was more efficient through being design practice. The Gehl’s work in that, ‘her recommendations are dangerous article/observing-people-in-italy/ [Accessed 19
better accommodated by the physical Copenhagen has turned the city’s focus in offering politicians and planners Apr. 2018]
elements of the factory environment. from cars to people, which has drastically an over simplistic, yet superficially 4. University of South Carolina History
Department. (2018). The Social Life of Small
Adjustments to ergonomics, air quality, increased the quality of experiencing of appealing, panacea for the complex social
Urban Space. [video]. Available at: https://
space layout, thermal conditions and the city. More recently, between 2007- problems of urban communities in an www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_-nBr2MuBk
lighting have been used to improve 2009, Gehl’s design practice transformed ailing economy’7. Despite these issues, [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018]
working environments2. In lieu of these 400,00 square metres in Manhattan’s her work is important because it stands 5. Gehl, (n.d.) Unrolling a welcome mat for the
adjustments, increased worker output Times Square5. The removal of motorised as one of the first pieces of academic people of New York. [online] Available at:
http://gehlpeople.com/cases/new-york-usa/
is met with reduced physical stress and traffic and the construction of places scientific research to be implemented at [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018]
fewer sick days2. for people to meet, sit down, talk, and a large scale7. She led a survey of 4,000 6. Hickman, P. (2010). Neighbourhood
people watch has given office workers, for residential blocks, which accommodated Infrastructure, ‘Third Places’ and Patterns of
example, a place to take a break. nearly 500,000 people in the London Social Interaction. [online] Sheffield: Centre
for Regional Economic and Social Research.
The field of industrial engineering boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Available at: http://research.shu.ac.uk/cresr/
was the first to establish a clear This has resulted in a 26% increase of Southwark. She looked at 4,172 houses living-through-change/documents/RP4_
structure to understand the people leaving their desks for breaks. A in the same borough and an ‘out of town ThirdPlaces.pdf [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018]
relationship between a person, task, positive intervention and success story: estate‘ in Leys, Oxford7. Once she finished 7. Jacobs, J.M. and Lees, L. (2013) Defensible
space on the move: revisiting the urban
and physical space: initially through affording people the opportunity to her research, a ‘disadvantagement
geography of Alice Coleman. International
understanding biomechanics and be more physical is important to their score’ was allocated to rate the different Journal of Urban and Regional Research. 37(5),
most recently through the use of general wellbeing3. developments7. Despite her work yielding DOI: 10.1111/1468-2427.12047
psychological research2. interesting results, the Mozart Estate, one 8. Hunter-Tilney, L. (2012) Architecture: Paradise
Another important analysis of people’s which Coleman was famously associated lost. NewStatesman, [online]. Available at:
https://www.newstatesman.com/art/2012/03/
behaviour in public space came from to, still has the similar statistics and social coleman-thatcher-interview [Accessed 19 Apr.
Industrial engineering has recently William H. Whyte, whose research problems as before. This is despite the 2018]
36 37
A History And Review
38 39
A History And Review
BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW: Sarah Robinson and Juhani Pallasmaa’s was O’Keefe’s discovery of ‘place cells’;
NEUROSCIENCE IN THE BUILT seminal volume, Mind in Architecture, neurons in a brain region known as the
ENVIRONMENT makes a compelling argument for the hippocampus signal information about
need to understand buildings and cities where the rat is in a given environment6.
This section highlights how neuroscience from a neuroscientific perspective. It Place cells are thought to provide
has been explored as a plausible ally for provides a sound theoretical foundation the foundation of an internal map of
the built environment for at least two to bring neuroscience forward to the space along with other spatial cells in
decades. It is also an opportunity to architectural industry however it fails neighbouring brain regions7. They have
critique the work so we can understand to provide tangible tools or methods also been shown to exist in humans7. In
what we should discard, replicate and for its application. Another influential recent years researchers such as Kate
advance. volume is by the neuroscientist Colin Jeffery at UCL have begun to explore
Ellard, entitled, Places of the Heart: The how these cells process complex, multi-
An early attempt to link neuroscience Psychogeography of Everyday Life. A compartmented space that typifies urban
1. Sternberg, E.M. and Wilson, M.A. (2006)
research to architectural practice is key argument is that, ‘boring façades’ environments8. Because these neurons
Neuroscience and Architecture: Seeking
presented in a review from 2006 by have a measurable negative impact. give us a precise measure of how an Common Ground. Cell, 127(2), pp. 239-242.
Esther M. Sternberg and Matthew A. Ellard’s studies have shown that people animal reacts to an environment, this 2. Ellard, C. (2015) Streets with no game. Aeon.
Wilson entitled, Neuroscience and tend to walk faster and be less likely to work could be used to create better [online] Available at: https://aeon.co/essays/
Architecture: Seeking Common Ground1. dwell in areas that have boring facades2. wayfinding techniques to help people why-boring-streets-make-pedestrians-stressed-
and-unhappy [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018].
They argue that advances in neuroscience This research has proven popular in navigate their way through a street, city
3. Ellard, C. (2014) Cities and their psychology:
had reached the point where it should be the architectural industry, often being centre, or building. how neuroscience affects urban planning. The
used to help architects minimise ‘negative cited by mainstream magazines, which Guardian. [Online] Available at: https://www.
physiological, cognitive, and emotional in turn has popularised the concept of Research with brain imaging has shown theguardian.com/cities/2014/feb/04/cities-
psychology-neuroscience-urban-planning-study
effects’1 that can arise from the built neuroscience in the built environment3. how insights from rats might be applied [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018].
environment. Rather than providing a This has been an important step to humans9. Recent developments with 4. UCL (n.d.) Jeffery Lab Research. [online]
comprehensive coverage of the possible toward obtaining industry acceptance humans have been in our capacity to Available at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/jefferylab/
links and ways forward, this review serves for the perspectives and methods of collect data from millions of people research [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018]
to highlight a number of key findings from neuroscience. navigating in virtual environments. This 5. Nobel Prize (2014) The Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine 2014. [online] Available
existing research with rodents that helps is exemplified by the smartphone gaming
at: https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/
us to think about how the environment When considering more structural built app, Sea Hero Quest10. Initiated by one medicine/laureates/2014/ [Accessed 19 Apr.
might impact our orientation and our elements rather than design elements, of the authors of this playbook, Dr Hugo 2018].
sense of place within it. the link between neuroscience and Spiers and designed by Prof Ruth Dalton; 6. O'Keefe, J. and Dostrovsky, J. (1971)The
industry is more evident. For example, the app has the potential to provide hippocampus as a spatial map: Preliminary
evidence from unit activity in the freely-moving
Their review points to key reasons for studies that look into the non-visual insights into how humans of different rat. Brain Research, 34(1), pp. 171-175.
correlating neuroscience research with effects of light can help shape how light cultures, ages and abilities, navigate 7. Ekstrom, A.D. et al. (2003) Cellular networks
architecture, such as, understanding why is understood in the context of buildings, different spatial environments and aid underlying human spatial navigation. Nature,
natural light benefits school children. such as workspace environments4. One the refinement of models of human 425, pp. 184-188.
The authors also point out that visual, area of research that is pertinent here navigation, outlined above in the section 8. Spiers, H.J., et al. (2015) Place field
repetition and purely local remapping in a
thermal, and acoustic comforts can is the study of how the brain processes on mobility modelling and space syntax.
multicompartment environment. Cerebral
be studied from the perspective of spatial information to create an internal Studies such as Sea Hero Quest, could Cortex, 25(1), pp. 10-25.
neuroscience. However, the review map of the world. Research in this help future city planners create cities 9. Epstein, R.A., Patai, E.Z., Julian, J.B., and
takes a slight overreach when discussing area was awarded with a Nobel Prize that are easier for the brain to navigate, Spiers, H. J. (2017) The cognitive map in
consciousness, as this subject matter is in 2014 to John O’Keefe, May-Brit reducing confusion and disorientation. humans: spatial navigation and beyond. Nature
Neuroscience, 20(11), pp. 1504-1513.
still ambiguous, and more importantly, Moser and Edvard Moser5, for their
10. Sea Hero Quest (n.d.) Sea Hero Quest. [online]
it is not applicable to a discussion of influential discoveries of how a rodent Available at: http://www.seaheroquest.com/
neuroscience and the built environment. brain represents space. Key to this site/en/ [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018].
40 41
A History And Review
4. Going Further
With Neuroscience
42 43
Going Further with Neuroscience
BEYOND PSYCHOLOGY research shows that when we navigate psychological and social theories,
a city, certain parts of our brain such as ‘cognitive maps’ or ‘sense of
Linking neuroscience to cities and process future possible paths at place’. For a long time psychologists
buildings is both timely and relevant. particular times during navigation and only imagined that the brain had
This is due to increasingly applicable only when we rely on our memory, a cognitive process that allowed
discoveries in a range of neuroscience not a Sat Nav2. Testing behaviour people to map their physical
research areas (such as in attention and alone fails to appreciate the specific environment. However, it is the work
with spatial cognition), and also due to demands the environment places on of neuroscience that has proven this
new tools that have emerged in recent us. theory to be true, exemplified by the
years. These tools include new mobile work of Dr. John O’Keefe6. Using
brain imaging and biosensors with GPS 2. Neuroscience provides a level of electrodes in the hippocampus of
tracking, meaning that our capacity precision that is important when mice, he determines how the brain
to understand the link between the considering people in the population maps environments through the
human brain and the environment is who live with dementia or mental identification and locating of ‘place-
becoming increasingly sophisticated1. The health conditions. Understanding cells’6.
processing capacity of computers now the differences in brain function in
makes it possible to process data from these conditions is important towards We are not dismissing psychology as
millions of people to make impressive considering how to build cities that are it is still an important area of study,
predictions concerning mass scale human more inclusive. especially when it comes to analysing
behaviour and experiences. The prospects human to human interaction and the
of which are increasingly attractive to 3. Whilst self-reporting and self-reporting of certain experiences. This
both academia and industry, insofar as questionnaires are a legitimate source section was to highlight new methods that 1. Banaei, M., Hatami, J., Yazdanfar, A., and
the application of science to real-world of research within neuroscience, are now available for understanding the Gramann, K. (2017). Walking through
Architectural Spaces: The Impact of Interior
built environment scenarios. it is now possible to become more complexities of human behaviour. Forms on Human Brain Dynamics. Frontiers in
technical in approach. For example, Human Neuroscience. 11. p. 477.
A key point of contention however is the research into green spaces mainly 2. Javadi, A.H. et al. (2017) Hippocampal and
question of what neuroscience can tell us focuses on self-reported data, prefrontal processing of network topology to
simulate the future. Nature Communications.
that psychology does not; specifically, why concerning how these spaces make
8, doi: 14652.
do we need neuroscience if psychology people feel, or the perceived benefits
3. Maas, J. et al. (2006) Green space, urbanity,
has proven quite useful to industry in to local communities3. With the use and health: how strong is the relation? Journal
the past. Below are four examples of of neuroscience, we can understand of Epidemiology & Community Health, 60(7),
why neuroscience is relevant now and this at a biological level. There is pp. 587-592.
how it works beyond an experimental an emerging field that attends to 4. Kaplan, S. (1995) The Restorative Benefits of
Nature: Toward an Integrative Framework.
psychology approach. Neuroscience restoration theory, which in part Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15, pp.
specifies ‘where’ and ‘how’ the brain proposes that access to greenery helps 169-182.
underpins behaviour. The nuance to this to restore the brain4. Restorativeness 5. Ward Thompson, C. et al. (2012) More green
additional depth of human biology is can be a factor in positive reported space is linked to less stress in deprived
communities: Evidence from salivary cortisol
especially important when looking at the feelings while being in a green spaces4. patterns. Landscape and Urban Planning,
built environment: Understanding this from a biological 105(3), pp. 221-229.
perspective establishes further insights 6. Abbott, A. and Callaway, E. (2014) Nobel prize
1. Technologies used by neuroscientists into the reasons behind the benefits of for decoding brain’s sense of place. Nature, 514,
pp. 153.
help reveal what demands the green spaces5.
environment is placing on us that 7. Granholm, A.C. (2010) Why do we need to
use animal models to study cognition and
purely psychological measurements 4. We now have the opportunity to ageing? Neuropsychopharmacology, 35(8), pp.
cannot achieve. For example, recent look at the mechanisms behind 1621-1622.
44 45
Going Further with Neuroscience
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL As an example, the Romanian orphan with asthma and other cardiovascular
AND SOCIAL TIES TO OUR studies2 provided strong evidence for the problems. However, neuroscience
ENVIRONMENT link between an individual’s ecosystem research is now concluding that air
(physical and social elements) and pollution toxicity is creating problems
We now have the opportunity to take this biological makeup (physiological and in the womb, which can later have a
new knowledge and start to think about brain development) in a real world significant effect on neurodevelopment.
cities in much more expansive timelines. context, going deeper than short-term Having this information can build a
We shouldn’t be thinking of cities in physiological or self-reporting studies. strong case for moving residential areas
terms of 15 or 30 years, we would be In the case of the Romanian orphan away from high-traffic areas, to help
thinking about 50 to 200 years. How does children, deprivation was caused by the reduce the longer-term consequences
what we do right now shape our evolution lack of varied stimulation in the physical of toxicity, such as behaviour problems
as a species, furthermore, what kind of environment; no views outdoors, no including ADHD4, or childhood obesity5.
role do we want to play. A passive role or toys, little wall decoration2. From a social
a proactive role? perspective, the children were not picked
up, and lacked integration and interaction
There is a core understanding that cities with other children and the attendants2.
shape us from a societal and cultural Using Positron Emission Tomography
perspective. However in the next two (PET), it has been reported that,
sections we evidence how cities can also compared to healthy matched control
shape us in a physiological manner. children, these children had significantly
decreased metabolic function in various
Physiological brain regions that are crucial for
Humans have always had a symbiotic cognitive, behavioural and physiological
and evolutionary relationship with the functions. This dysfunction may have
physical environment. Physiologically been as a result of the stress from early 1. Maguire, E.A., Woollett, K. and Spiers, H.J.
(2006) London Taxi Drivers and Bus Drivers:
and cognitively human development environmental and social deprivation2.
A Structural MRI and Neuropsychological
is dependent on our relationship with The neurodevelopmental and physical Analysis. Hippocampus, 16, pp. 1091-1101.
external environments; our brain and the impairments of about 10% of the adoptees 2. Chugani, H.T. et al. (2001) Local Brain
cognitive systems it supports, develop in have shown to be long-term, even after Functional Activity Following Early
tandem with our interactions with the adoption3. While this is an extreme Deprivation: A Study of Postinstitutionalised
Romanian Orphans. NeuroImage, 14, pp.
physical world, including interactions case, it highlights that the environment 1290-1301.
with other people1. The structure of the can have long-lasting impacts on brain 3. Nelson, C.A. (2017) Romanian orphans reveal
urban environment and its properties, e.g. function, and that its role in nurturing us clues to origins of autism. Spectrum News.
buildings, streets, noises, light, etc., all is vital. [Online] Available at: https://spectrumnews.
org/opinion/viewpoint/romanian-orphans-
have an impact on the brain and cognitive reveal-clues-origins-autism/ [Accessed 19 Apr.
systems, and these impacts vary in scale From an industry perspective, 2018]
with the length of exposure1. this highlights the importance of 4. Peterson, B.S. et al. (2015) Effect of Prenatal
understanding how the physical Exposure to Air Pollutants (Polycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbons) on Development of Brain
This relationship is highly complex, elements in the built environment have
White Matter, Cognition, and Behavior in
which makes it very difficult to study in an effect the biological aspect of human Later Childhood. JAMA Psychiatry, 72(6), pp.
a laboratory setting. Therefore finding development. We now have the means to 531-540.
real-world studies, which provide data define the physical elements or stimuli 5. Rundle, A., et al. (2012) Association of
and an insight of how deeply the physical that have the greatest impact on our childhood obesity with maternal exposure to
ambient air polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
world impacts people are fundamental quality of life. For example, there is strong during pregnancy. American Journal of
to the work presented in this playbook. evidence that air pollution affects people Epidemiology, 175(11), pp. 1163-1172.
46 47
48 49
Going Further with Neuroscience
The Social Brain need in order to communicate at higher disruption helps catalyse social collisions.
At the core of human interaction is quality levels. We are defining quality as Also consider how the greenery can help
communication, verbal and non-verbal. the opportunity to understand context mitigate noise levels8 for more auditory
We can set off a relay of emotions, and extract meaning from an interaction, comfort as noise can cause high levels of
intentions, and meanings with a flick increasing the probability for longer term distraction6 which can in turn lower the
of an eyebrow or a simple “Hello”. bonding and building trust. quality of comprehension from a specific
These initial and superficial moments mode of communication. A point of
of communication can add up to more Additionally, the social aspects of inspiration are Italian piazza’s6, which are
profound moments of conversation, communication also draw on certain centred around human interaction, from
which we use to disseminate ideas, circuits of the brain. For instance, social conversations to simple people watching.
negotiate, and collaborate. With time, cohesion, defined as the willingness of It is also where Jan Gehl based most
and more importantly consistency, these groups to come together and cooperate of his studies on human interaction7.
conversations can turn into long term for survival and prosperity1, is a precursor Understanding what physical affordances 1. Stanley, D. (2003) What Do We Know about
bonds. Paving the way for higher types to good health, mental wellbeing, physical support human to human interaction can Social Cohesion: The Research Perspective
of human activity and outputs, such as and psychological safety, and an overall help mitigate against isolation, increase of the Federal Government’s Social Cohesion
Research Network. The Canadian Journal of
knowledge mobility, culture and the improvement of life quality. When people wellbeing, and create more opportunities
Sociology, 28(1), pp.5-17.
creation of societies. do not have strong social cohesion in their of idea dissemination. All attributes that
2. Kawachi, I. and Berkman, L.F. (2001) Social
communities, feelings of isolation can will make cities attractive places to live. Ties and Mental Health. Journal of Urban
The density of cities makes them ideal occur, which have adverse consequences Health, 78(3), pp. 458-467.
ecosystems for sustaining long-term for mental and physical health2. A report 3. Leeds City Council (2015) Planning a Healthy
social interactions. The infrastructure of on old age living concluded that illness City. [Online] Leeds: Leeds City Council.
Available at: http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/
cities brings people in close proximity, was exasperated by feelings of loneliness documents/s137678/Item%2013%203%20
which provides the opportunity for and lack of social contact3. Loneliness can DPH%20Annual%20Report.pdf [Accessed 19
dynamic and varied social interaction. even expedite cognitive decline in older Apr. 2018].
This aspect is one of the main reasons adults4 and according to some studies it 4. Cacioppo, J.T., et al. (2006) Loneliness as a
Specific Risk Factor for Depressive Symptoms:
people are attracted to cities. Interaction increases the likelihood of mortality by Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses.
with people means information and 26% 5. Robert Weiss in 1973 went as far Psychology and Ageing, 21(1), pp. 140-151.
information can be used to create new as to describe it as a ‘gnawing chronic 5. Griffiths, H. (2017) Social isolation and
ideas and solve problems. Furthermore, disease’4. This is an important insight loneliness in the UK. [online] London: Future
Cities Catapult. Available at: https://iotuk.
people interacting means bonding, for city planners, as tackling incidents
org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Social-
which is essential for our survival as it of isolation through social cohesion can Isolation-and-Loneliness-Landscape-UK.pdf
builds families and friendships. Given help elevate wellbeing and health in [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018].
how significant human-to-human neighbourhoods and cities. 6. Beaman, C.P. (2005) Auditory distraction
communication is to cities, it is important from low-intensity noise: a review of the
consequences for learning and workplace
to define it in neuroscientific terms. In terms of built environment industry, environments. Applied Cognitive Psychology,
we should begin to consider how well 19(8), pp. 1041-1064.
Communication has biological neighbourhoods afford the opportunity 7. Ditommaso, A.G. (2015) Here’s how American
underpinnings as the task of for human interaction and to what cities can learn from Italian Piazzas. Next
City, [online]. Available at: https://nextcity.
communication itself requires level of quality. For example, do the org/daily/entry/italian-piazzas-the-future-of-
physiological and brain anatomy for public areas such as parks genuinely public-space [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018].
its execution. In the diagram below we offer an opportunity to engage in casual 8. Dimitrijević, D., Živković, P., Dobrnjac, M., and
explain the different components of interactions or conversations? Even very Latinović, T. (2017) Noise pollution reduction
and control provided by green living systems
human-to-human communication. As we basic considerations such as seating that
in urban areas. In: International Scientific-
consider the future of cities, we should provides closeness to allow for people Technical Conference “Innovations 2017”.
take into consideration what people to hear each other or interact without Varna: Innova, pp.124-127.
50 51
Going Further with Neuroscience
Human to Human
Communication Transmission of
info verbally
time3. Information
has been
transferred
52 53
Going Further with Neuroscience
PERCEIVING CITIES the sensory system, prior experience with which is out of sync with the racial/ethnic
that specific stimuli, the context in which demographics of Manhattan and New Key protagonists in the built
Before going further, it is important that a stimulus occurs, influence from other York City as a whole. The “level of racial environment are real estate
we establish some working principles of sensory systems, mood, mental states, homogeneity significantly exceeds that of developers who have access to global
human perception. and physiological state of the perceiver6. other comparable parks7. This difference capital resources. They are often
There are also other more complex “top in use is quite surprising as the space is seen as the necessary leaders in
This section will include 3 parts; down factors”, which also play a role in open to the public, has no fee and it is in urban change, however they are risk
perception and senses, visual spatial influence perception such as emotional the middle of the neighbourhood with averse as often trade in investors
attention, and orchestration. modulation, culture, past experiences, various access points. However, there capital. This often leads to low levels
and social context6. might be cognitive factors or cultural of innovation and new ideas being
Perception and Senses top down factors that are responsible implemented. By adding guidelines,
Perception is one of the most Therefore what we perceive goes beyond for the difference in use. This example underpinned by biological and
fundamental and significant topics just sensory input6. presents two opportunities; the first it cognitive data, a more innovative
in relation to the built environment, is an opportunity to understand more development can be done with
it traverses across psychology and For built environment practitioners it about how culture or social factors greater confidence.
neuroscience. It is a complex and vast means considering how physical elements influence perception and adoption rates.
subject matter with many working may be interpreted and experienced Secondly, it offers an opportunity to study
definitions and different elements that differently than intended by those who the extent of variation between what
underpin its identification. At its most created them. This goes to further support is intended by the design and how it is
basic level perception can be defined as against deterministic design which is interpreted by the user.
having an awareness of the external and discussed in the section "Limitations and
internal environment generated by the Caveats". How we modulate sensorial
neural processing of the human sensory stimuli is so complex and driven by
system6. Even though we experience the different variables therefore it would be
world as a unified whole, sensory systems difficult to assume a literal or linear line 1. Straub, H. (1964) A history of civil engineering:
and outline from ancient to modern times.
do not input to the brain in this way8. from design to adoption. Massachusetts: M.I.T Press.
For instance, different brain areas are
2. Matsuoka, R.H. and Kaplan, R. (2008) People
specialised for encoding different features For example, a local park could have needs in the urban landscape: Analysis of
of the visual modality such as colour, high aesthetic value and be in the right Landscape and Urban Planning contributions.
Landscape and Urban Planning, 84, pp. 7-19.
shape, size, and motion8. location from a planning perspective.
However, if it is perceived as too far 3. Lounsbury, C.R. (2010) Architecture and
cultural history. In: Hicks, D. and Beaudry,
It would be sensical to assume that what (psychological distance), spatially M.C., ed., The Oxford Handbook of Material
we see, hear, touch, or smell is a literal confusing, or even socially intimidating, it Culture Studies, 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford
representation of sensory inputs. In other can run the probability of not being used University Press, pp. 484-501.
words, it would be sensible to think that by intended demographics. An interesting 4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs
what we experience through our senses example of this phenomenon is the 5. Jacobs, J. (1992) The death and life of great
American cities. New York: Vintage Books.
(sounds, light, smells, touch) is what New York City High-line. It has been
6. Purves, D., Brannon, E.M., Cabeza, R., Huettel,
we become aware of (shades of colours, reported that whilst it has been a great
S.A., LaBar, K.S., Platt, M.L. and Woldorff, M.
loudness, softness, hardness, bitterness, achievement for the city on economic (2008) Principles of cognitive neuroscience.
sweetness, forms)6. However, this is not metrics, it has not done well on human or Sunderland Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates.
the case. The information generated by society metrics7. The author of a recent 7. Reichel, A.J. (2016) The High Line and the
the first phases of sensory processing report concluded that the High Line is ideal of democratic public space. Urban
Geography, 37(6), pp. 904-925.
is refined, modulated, and integrated failing as a democratic public space7.
8. Robertson, L.C. (2003) Binding, spatial
with the influence of other factors. These The data gathered indicated that the use attention and perceptual awareness. Nature
factors may include the recent activity of of the space was predominantly white, Reviews Neuroscience, 4(2), pp. 93-102.
54 55
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56 57
Going Further with Neuroscience
Orchestration
The final piece to this section is what Hippocampus . “It is crucially
we have identified as orchestration. involved in cognition, particularly
The senses do not work in isolation and in episodic, semantic, and spatial
the perception of one sense is highly memory processes. It also plays a
influenced by other senses. For example role in novelty processing”
in the case of olfaction (smell) basic
aspects of olfactory processing, such as Konrad et al 2009. Defining the human
detection thresholds, adaptation rates, hippocampus in cerebral magnetic resonance
images—an overview of current segmentation
and intensity are all strongly modulated
protocols. Neuroimage, 47(4), pp.1185-1195.
by visual information1. This suggests that
the interactions between olfaction and
other sensory modalities may play a role From the perspective of the built
in effective odour perception1. environment orchestration means two
things. Firstly, we need to fund more
An event-related fMRI study, using a low research to further investigate the
level odour detection task, demonstrated effects of diverse sensorial information
that olfactory detection was faster and specifically in the context of offices,
more accurate when odours appeared schools, and hospitals. These are
in context of semantically congruent environments where this type of
visual cues1. In other words detection information will be most useful.
improved when the smell of an orange Secondly, we must start to think in
was experienced simultaneously as an terms of sensorial orchestration rather
image of an orange was shown1. The full than saturation. Small environments
extent of how the modality happens in such as offices, schools, and hospitals
the brain still needs more study, however are especially vulnerable to incoherent
the hippocampus is indicated to be partly sensorial input that can yield significant
involved in the modulation1. impacts. For example, absenteeism
and poor performance has been linked
to noise in hospitals2 and in offices3.
“Event-related fMRI involves Another challenge is when we focus on
separating the elements of an one sensorial input, we do not understand
experiment into discrete points in it the bigger context. For example, does
time, so that the cognitive processes an office space filled with warm lighting
(and associated brain responses) have an effect on thermal perception4?
associated with each element can be Finally, we should also consider those
analyzed independently” who are neurologically different, to
make these spaces more inclusive, for 1. Gottfried, J.A. and Dolan, R.J. (2003) The nose environmental psychology, pp.499-510.
Huettel, S.A. (2012) Event-related fMRI in example do noise level affect how a blind smells what the eye sees: crossmodal visual 4. Huebner, G.M., Gauthier, S., Shipworth,
cognition. Neuroimage, 62(2), pp. 1152-1156. person navigates a space? Or does a facilitation of human olfactory perception. D.T., Raynham, P. and Chan, W. (2014)
Neuron, 39(2), pp. 375-386.
person with ASD have different sensorial Feeling the light? Impact of illumination on
2. Ryherd, E.E. et al. (2012). Noise pollution in observed thermal comfort. In: Proceedings
requirements than those who are not on
hospitals: impacts on staff. Journal of Science of Experiencing Light 2014: International
the spectrum? Communication, 19(11), pp. 491-500. Conference on the Effects of Light on
3. Bronzaft, A.L. (2002) Noise pollution: A hazard Wellbeing. Eindhoven: Technische Universiteit
to physical and mental well-being. Handbook of Eindhoven, pp. 82-85.
58 59
Going Further with Neuroscience
As it has been specified in the first section In the context of today’s culture we are
of this chapter, perception is highly satiating our curiosity through digital
influenced by “top down factors”. These devices as they are a portal for which to
can range from micro factors such as an access an ordinate amount of information.
immediate goal (‘I need to find my keys’) to Digital devices are fully integrated into
more macro factors such as societal trends. nearly every aspect of our lives2. Imagine
In this section, we will point out the factors the change in productivity if we couldn’t
that will have the most influence on city answer emails on a train, or how our social
dwellers in the next 20-50 years. connections would change if we couldn’t
access loved ones around the clock, or how
There are two parts to this section the our perception of autonomy and safety
first is “technology” and the second would change if we didn’t have our phones
is “urban sprawl”. Each part will also to call for help? Ofcom has presented
include sub-parts titled “The unintended statistics which indicate that people are
human consequence” and “Relevance to spending nearly 9 hours per day on various
the built environment”. devices2. Young people (16-24) are doing
14 hours per day and children are also
Technology spending more time on screens than they
The first major factor that will influence do on other activities2.
how people perceive and interact with
cities is technology. Within this subject These stats should be taken with caution
there are two further distinctions; digital as this is not representative to all sections
devices and automation. These have been of society. For low income families, their
chosen due to their impact on our attention situations is quite opposite. Their lack of
systems and human to human interaction. access to digital technology is having an
effect on their ability to excel at school
I) Device use and information access: and work at the same rate as their digitally
Digital devices are a technology that connected counterparts3. This is referred
accesses media and information; laptops, to as digital inequality, which is focusing
smartphones, tablets, televisions and on how access to, and the use of digital
computer screens4. The devices are technologies varies among people with or
catalysing and affording a new culture of without access to the internet3.
high information consumption.
There are two things to take away from
1. Olson, K., Camp, C. and Fuller, D., 1984. households. Washington D.C.: Office of Policy
A key trait amongst most mammalian this part; the first is that digital devices Curiosity and need for cognition. Psychological Development and Research.
species is curiosity, it is a drive to seek are a portal of access to information and Reports, 54(1), pp.71-74. 4. Deloitte (2015) Digital media: Rise of on-
new information1. It is curiosity that led to the second is the amount and rate of 2. Ofcom (2017) Adults’ media use and attitudes. demand content. [online] Gurgaon: Deloitte.
access new types of food resources, explore information is the important factor rather [online] Available at: https://www.ofcom.org. Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/
uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/102755/ content/dam/Deloitte/in/Documents/
new territories, and it landed us on the than the device. In the next part we will
adults-media-use-attitudes-2017.pdf [Accessed technology-media-telecommunications/in-tmt-
moon. Formally curiosity can be defined look at what this consumption is doing to 23 Feb. 2018] rise-of-on-demand-content.pdf [Accessed 23
in terms of emotion, behaviour, and task1. our attention systems. 3. Office of Policy Development and Research Feb. 2018]
We feel a need to be curious, we behave in (2016) Digital inequality and low-income
60 61
I) Device use and information access:
A) The Unintended Human high value and interest will still capture all children, this very much a western and
Consequences and sustain our attention. Therefore it middle class perspective. However, it is
might be more accurate to say that our important to include these observations
The most affected attention type by our attention is becoming more selective, we in this playbook as they provide context
increasing consumption of information no longer seem to have the patience of for future neuroscience led research
is called sustained attention. This type of “sticking with it” if a task is perceived of which could then be used to understand
attention is defined as the ability to direct low value, i.e. boring4. However, this is how cognitive changes have an effect on
and focus cognitive activity on a specific only based on observation rather than how we perceive and interact with our
stimuli for a specific amount of time. This on neuroscience. This knowledge gap environment.
ability allows us to complete any planned presents a place for further neuroscience
activity, sequenced activity or action, research to emerge. If there is a
or thought process. We use sustained evidence that our attention spans are
attention for reading a book or holding changing then we should take this into
a conversation. One of the key factors in consideration when looking at improving
being able to sustain attention is the ability wayfinding in cities.
to select and focus on specific goal rather
than automatically attending to all other
stimulus, this is called cognitive control1. It is important to look at behaviour
The length of time a person can sustain patterns in children as they will be the
attention is defined as “attention span”. next generation of city users. A U.S.-wide
This type of attention is very important for observational study of over 600 teachers
higher cognitive abilities such as learning. across kindergarten to high school with
For example if a person is in an important varied years of service, subjects and
meeting and will later need to recall what technology knowledge3 reported that
was said for future application, it would be children are facing new challenges due
necessary for that person to stay focused to their high levels of media use. What is
throughout the conversation2. interesting is that in the case of children
there seems to go beyond attention.
The longer a person keeps their attention The teachers reported trouble with eye
on the task at hand the more effective the contact and face to face communication
brain will be at encoding the information. as well as a lowered ability to “put the
This in turn will allow for higher recall rate effort into areas that don’t give them
at a later point in time (memory)2. instant gratification.” If this trajectory 1. Posner, M.I. and Snyder, C.R.R. (2004).
Our attention spans are perceived to be continues it would be fair to infer that Attention and cognitive control. In: Balota, D.A.
and Marsh, E.J. (Eds.), Cognitive psychology:
diminishing since the adoption of digital problems with complex problem solving Key readings. New York: Psychology Press., pp.
devices3, however these indications should will be a big challenge as well as long 205-223.
be caveated. One, there is little study from term bonding. This could have serious 2. Gabrieli, J.D. (1998) Cognitive neuroscience of
a neuroscience perspective, therefore societal consequence as we have already human memory. Annual Review of Psychology,
49, pp. 87-115.
we do not fully understand if these established the importance of productivity
3. Common Sense Media (2012) Children,
differences are causing brain changes and social bonding for city prosperity.
teens, and entertainment media: The
or if they are long term. We should also view from the classroom. [online] San
consider the type of task as we don’t seem Again we will caveat that we do not Francisco: Common Sense Media. Available
at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static
to have a problem sustaining attention understand yet if these behavioural
/f/1083077/20832535/1351788309210/
when it comes to our digital phones. This changes are long term or their neurological CSM_TeacherSurveyReport2012_FINAL.pdf
might be driven by novelty, events of underpinnings. Furthermore, this is not [Accessed 03 Mar. 2018]
62 63
I) Device use and information access:
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Going Further with Neuroscience
II) Automation
Automation refers to the use or
introduction of automatic equipment, such
as robots, machines, or computers into the
workforce, with the objective of reducing
waste, increasing repetitions of a task, and
saving money1. Automation is not new,
however the current pace and extent is
causing some to speculate there will create
a change in our economic system and lives.
66 67
II) Automation
68 69
II) Automation
70 71
Going Further with Neuroscience
72 73
I) Transport and Distance
74 75
I) Transport and Distance
B) Relevance to Built Environment debilitating mental disorders. In schizophrenia “the symptoms Antisocial personality disorder is
segregated into three syndromes: an overt pattern for anti-social acts
• One of the challenges in creating • How to transport people from A to B is psychomotor poverty (poverty of alongside traits such as impulsivity and
solutions within cities is knowing where a long studied concept and the role of speech, lack of spontaneous movement irritability.
to start or what solution will have the neuroscience is from two perspectives. and various aspects of blunting of
most impact. With neuroscience pointing The first is research to support the affect); disorganisation (inappropriate De Brito, S.A. and Hodgins, S.H.E.I.L.A.G.H.,
2009. Antisocial personality disorder.
out the infrastructure elements that have longer term biological effects to validate affect, poverty of content of speech, and Personality, personality disorder and violence, 42,
the most acute biological consequences, city planning strategies. The other disturbances of the form of thought); pp.133-153.
industry can use this data to create is wayfinding, especially in public and reality distortion (particular types
guidelines, which can aide with decision transport. Part of the access problem of delusions and hallucinations).
making on mix use developments or in with the elderly and the physically Both the psychomotor poverty and
understanding what planning initiatives variant is that it is not intelligible to disorganisation syndromes were
to prioritise. them. For example, someone with visual associated with social and occupational
impairment may find it difficult to impairment; in particular, the
• Those living on city peripheries can navigate complex tunnels and multiple psychomotor poverty syndrome was
feel excluded and find it hard to access points, which can act as deterrent, associated with impairment of personal
take up available jobs unless there is decreasing their desire to access their relationships, and the disorganisation
transportation linking them to the local transport link. In the case of the syndrome with poor self-care and
centre. The Brazilian city of São Paulo elderly, legible and clear signposting, impersistence at work.”
is experiencing commutes of up to 4 auditory instructions, and better safety
hours where almost 70% of journeys are measures would increase use as it would Liddle, P.F., 1987. The symptoms of chronic
schizophrenia. A re-examination of the positive-
made by bus. In some municipalities make transport less confusing and negative dichotomy. The British Journal of
like Itaquaquecetuba in the extreme daunting3. Psychiatry, 151(2), pp.145-151.
east of the city, bus transportation is
the only link to work1. This translates
to forcing poor people to endure, not
only the mental stress of extremely long
commutes, but also long exposure times 1. Van Mead, N. (2017) The four hour commute: Health Impact Assessment of Air Pollution
to pollutants as they sit in traffic, which the punishing grind of life on São Paulo’s in São Paulo, Brazil. International journal of
can have severe mental and physical periphery. The Guardian, [online]. Available environmental research and public health,
at: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/ 13(7), p.694. Available at: https://www.ncbi.
health implications4. nov/29/four-hour-commute-grind-life-sao- nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4962235/
paulo-periphery [Accessed: 09 Feb. 2018]. [Accessed: 14 April 2018]
• There is also a nutritional factor, that 2. Kim, S.H., Myers, C.G. and Allen, L. (2017) 5. Allcott, H., Diamond, R. and Dubé, J-P. (2018)
many ghettoised places outside of Health care providers can use design thinking The geography of poverty and nutrition: Food
to improve patient experiences. Harvard deserts and food choices across the United
city centres have higher incidences of Business Review, [online]. Available at: https:// States. Stanford Business Working paper No.
malnutrition due to poverty and lack of hbr.org/2017/08/health-care-providers-can- 3631. Available at: https://www.gsb.stanford.
access to fresh food5. Malnutrition is not use-design-thinking-to-improve-patient- edu/faculty-research/working-papers/
experiences [Accessed: 09 Feb. 2018]. geography-poverty-nutrition-food-deserts-
only a physical experience, it also has food-choices-across-united [Accessed 07 Feb.
3. Holley-Moore George, Creighton, Helen (2015)
vast neurodevelopment problems, which 2018]
The Future of Transport in an Ageing Society,
can lead to lifelong disorders, such as [online]. Available at: https://www.ageuk.org. 6. Yan, X., et al. (2018) Effects of early-
schizophrenia and antisocial personality uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports- life malnutrition on neurodevelopment
and-publications/reports-and-briefings/ and neuropsychiatric disorders and the
disorders6. Therefore urban planning
active-communities/rb_june15_the_future_ potential mechanisms. Progress in Neuro-
concepts like density where there are of_transport_in_an_ageing_society.pdf Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry,
various options to access food and work [Accessed: 12 Feb. 2018]. 20 (83), pp. 64-75.
can help mitigate against long term 4. Abe, K.C. and Miraglia, S.G.E.K., 2016.
76 77
Going Further with Neuroscience
II) Climate
78 79
II) Climate
A) The Unintended Human Alienation is feelings of B) Relevance To The Built 1. Bogost, I. (2017) Houston’s flood is a design
problem. The Atlantic, [online]. Available at:
Consequences meaninglessness, powerlessness Environment https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/
(lack of control) belonging lessness, archive/2017/08/why-cities-flood/538251/
The demand for new infrastructure social and self-isolation. • We need to understand more about [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018].
in cities as a result of urbanisation is the cognitive and psychological effects 2. Amadeo, K. (2018) Hurricane Harvey facts,
Clark, J.P., 1959. Measuring alienation within damage and costs: What made Harvey so
pushing a city’s resilience to breaking of displacement. This will help urban
a social system. American Sociological Review, devastating. The Balance, [online]. Available at:
points. The replacing of nature with 24(6), pp.849-852. designers and engineers understand https://www.thebalance.com/hurricane-harvey-
built environments destabilise an what type of design interventions and facts-damage-costs-4150087 [Accessed 19 Apr.
ecosystems natural ability to mitigate The second consideration is the UHI social systems are needed for cities 2018].
extreme environmental activities, such effect occurring in urban areas,which is taking in displaced people. Research 3. McCartney, M., Amerasinghe, P. and Ortinez,
I. (n.d.) Fighting floods with ‘sponge cities’.
as flooding3. A recent example of this generated from urban structures, such should especially focus on the effects of CGIAR, [online]. Available at: https://wle.cgiar.
was the devastation caused by hurricane as buildings or large areas of concrete social cohesion and social capital. org/thrive/2018/02/07/fighting-floods-sponge-
Harvey in Houston, Texas2. One of the re-radiating the heat coming from cities [Accessed 19 Apr. 2018].
major contributors to the high levels vehicles, power plants, air conditioners, • Industry should start to consider how 4. Neria, Y., Nandi, A. and Galea, S. (2008) Post-
traumatic stress disorder following disasters:
of flooding was the ratio of concrete and other heat sources8. A lack of natural extreme weather might change people’s a systematic review. Psychological Medicine,
pavement to natural green areas11. This heat-mitigating elements such as trees interaction with the built environment. 38(4), pp. 467-480.
caused the city of Houston to become providing shade and ventilation can Do colder winters or hotter summers 5. Nolen-Hoeksema, S. and Morrow, J. (1991)
water repellent increasing the expansion result in people increasingly living in “hot cause children and adults to choose A prospective study of depression and
posttraumatic stress symptoms after a natural
and levels of flooding11. ovens”, with no respite8. The UHI effect shelter over outside activities? What will
disaster: The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
causes demand for more energy as people be the health implications of these new Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
There is an argument that flooding in struggle to keep buildings cool, which in behaviours? What will staying indoors 61(1), pp. 115-121.
cities is a zoning problem, the allocation turn adds more pollutants into the air8. mean for human-to-human interaction? 6. Kovacs, M.L. and Cropley, A.J. (1975) Alienation
of land for development (sidewalks, It increases ground level ozone layer, Will it change how we socialise? Social and the assimilation of immigrants. Australian
Journal of Social Issues, 10(3), pp. 221-230.
buildings, roads) rather than for green which can be very harmful to children and cohesion? Could it increase isolation
7. Tan, J., et al. (2010) The urban heat island
spaces (parks, natural reserves) is infants8. Most of the current literature in varied demographics such as the and its impact on heat waves and human
causing cities to flood uncontrollably1. concentrates on UHI’s effect on general elderly? health in Shanghai. International Journal of
Hurricane Harvey damaged over 200,000 health and mortality, which are very Biometeorology, 54(1), pp. 75-84.
homes and nearly 40,000 people were important factors to consider7. However, it • What will extreme weather do for 8. Rizwan, A.M., Leung, D.Y. and Chunho,
L. (2008) A review on the generation,
displaced to shelters, other cities, and is also important to consider what effects economically challenged demographics determination and mitigation of urban heat
hotels3. This is a significant amount of UHI has on cognitive performance and in terms of quality of life, if they cannot island. Journal of Environmental Sciences,
human disruption. Relating this back in turn productivity due to stress caused afford to mitigate the effects of weather? 20(1), pp. 120-128.
to neuroscience, we propose that the by elevated temperatures. Heat stress 9. United States Environmental Protection Agency
displacement of people via these natural affects cognitive performance differently, • UHI deteriorates the experience of the (2017) Fast Facts: U.S. transportation sector
greenhouse gas emissions 1990-2015. N.A.: EPA.
disasters has mental health implications. depending on the type of cognitive task city as it thermal comfort decreases,
10. Mathiesen, K. (2015) Extreme weather already
The first is post traumatic stress and exposure levels12. However, one this could have an effect on dwell and on increase due to climate change, study finds.
disorder (PTSD) from the initial shock core correlation is that heat contributes general engagement with city activities The Guardian, [online]. Available at: https://
of experiencing extreme trauma4. PTSD to lower cognitive performance as it and resources. www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/
apr/27/extreme-weather-already-on-increase-
has devastating long term effects, such as competes for attentional resources12. due-to-climate-change-study-finds [Accessed 19
depression and anxiety5. As more extreme In other words, as attention is being Apr. 2018].
weather conditions arise and force people allocated to respond to the stress of heat 11. Frazer, L., 2005. Paving paradise: the peril of
to leave well established lives for new and it distracts focus from the task at hand. impervious surfaces. Environmental Health
Perspectives, 113(7), p.A456.
possibly alien environments, industry Additional research should be considered
12. Hancock, P.A. and Vasmatzidis, I., 2003.
should think about how this contributes to investigate if UHI has an effect on brain
Effects of heat stress on cognitive performance:
to isolation and alienation6. development and structure, which could the current state of knowledge. International
have further effects on productivity. Journal of Hyperthermia, 19(3), pp.355-372.
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Going Further with Neuroscience
USING
NEUROSCIENCE
TO UNLOCK
OPPORTUNITIES
FOR BETTER
USER
EXPERIENCE IN
CITIES
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Going Further with Neuroscience
5. FRAMEWORK FOR
NEUROSCIENCE
84 85
Framework for Neuroscience
TERMINOLOGY AND TOOLS affect sleep/wake cycles in children?" impact on the built environment. When it can lose its effect over time and
neuroscience is able to understand how adjustments will need to be made.
This is a list of terms to build a common Cognitive Affordance: This term high a building should be in relationship Hypothetically, a lighting setting for a
lexicon between neuroscience and the is already in some industry lexicons, to the cognitive affordances, cognitive task might need adjusting throughout the
built environment. They are unique to the but not yet fully employed. In design types, and the scale of the area, then day as the sensorial perception of it will
framework developed by The Centric Lab terms affordances refer to how physical the built environment will be changed diminish overtime, which in turn might
therefore they should be seen as working elements provide opportunities for substantially. change the effect. More research needs to
definitions, which will further evolve and different activities. For example, a cup be done in this area to understand how/if
be redefined as more research is conducted. affords you the possibility to hold liquid. Stimulation: Stimulation describes the adjustments need to happen.
Finally, these terms are open access and are Following the same train of thought a amount of sensorial information in a
available to be used across industry. cognitive affordances provides the mental specific environment that impinges upon
opportunities to achieve certain tasks. For the user2.
Terminology example, calm is the cognitive affordance
that affords a better opportunity for the Environmental Enrichment: Enrichment
Specific Human Problem: Every task of reading. has its roots in clinical neuroscience. This
investigation into the built environment area of neuroscience defines an enriched
needs to start with a specific human Cognitive Types: Cognitive types are environment as one that provides rodents
problem (SHP). SHP should follow identified through different tasks/ with enhanced sensory, cognitive, and
the scientific method, starting with activities a person performs in a specific motor stimulation in comparison to
observations that lead to a core question space. An example of a cognitive type standard housing conditions3. Scientists
to which a hypothesis can be assigned. would be a “learner” in the context of are using these micro environments
For example; an office building, which is someone to study the long term influence an
• How can one create a sense of place for whose main tasks for the day require environment has on brain regulation and
an established neighbourhood? reading, learning new information, behaviour3. Studies have already resulted
• What are the effects of light pollution on communicating etc. The “learner” can be in highlighting a strong relationship
sleep patterns? gender agnostic, any age group, or social between the physical elements of an
• What are the long-term cognitive effects background. environment and brain activity. Enriched
of deprived neighbourhoods? environments “induce a number of
Comfort levels: The built environment neuro-anatomical, neurochemical, and
Cognitive/Biological Baseline: There is already has references to comforts, behavioural alterations”3. Extending this
need to have a baseline from the human which are metrics for assessing the level to the built environment and enriched
perspective to create a starting point for of perceived satisfaction of a specific environment should afford varied social
comparisons. We are proposing the use physical element or stimuli. For example, collisions, activities, and tasks to a good
1. Designing Buildings Wiki (2018) Thermal
of biological and/or cognitive elements thermal comfort1 is how someone quality. comfort in buildings. [online] Available at:
of the human condition as baselines perceives the thermal quality of their https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/
due to their low variance levels. These environment, do they feel too cold, too Coherence: How well all the physical Thermal_comfort_in_buildings [Accessed 21
Apr. 2018].
baselines are expressed in terms of tasks warm, or are they comfortable. elements of an area follow a specific
2. Shanahan, D.F. et al. (2016) Health benefits
or activities. For instance, the activity of narrative or schema.2 from nature experiences depend on dose.
sleep proposes little variance in terms Dose: Dose is a unit of measurement Scientific Reports, 6. 28551.
of biological and physical requirements that is in reference to the adequate level Habituation: Habituation is a filter that 3. Goes, T.C., Antunes, F.D. and Teixeira-Silva,
to achieve it (everyone needs levels of of exposure or ratio of a specific comfort. optimizes the processing of information F. (2015) Environmental enrichment for
adult rats: Effects on trait and state anxiety.
darkness, to lay flat, low stimulation, low Already used in terms of green spaces, by our brain in all sensory modalities
Neuroscience Letters, 584, pp. 93-96.
stress, etc). A sample point of enquiry which have been substantially studied2. and is temporally dependent4. This is
4. Sinding, C., et al. (2017) New determinants
using sleep could be "does long term This is the area that needs the most an important element to consider as of olfactory habituation. Scientific Reports, 7:
exposure to night time light pollution development and that will have the most whatever physical comfort is changed, 41047, doi: 10.1038/srep41047.
86 87
Framework for Neuroscience
88 89
Framework for Neuroscience
90 91
Framework for Neuroscience
6. USING
NEUROSCIENCE
92 93
Using Neuroscience
WHAT WE CAN DO NOW the beacons via bluetooth3. As it stands Please use this map to understand the
this technology is being programmed guidelines on page 90
This section will focus on how without the knowledge of human
neuroscience research can be used right navigation strategies or the neural
now by built environment industry. networks that support their function. TWO COGNITIVE STRATEGIES FOR NAVIGATION
The section is broken down into three Furthermore, as this technology is
sub-sectors where impact is greatest; intended to aide blind people it would be
technology, building, and city. useful for technologist to consider how
the absence of vision affects the access
Technology of particular brain networks associated
There is now access to many great with allocentric and egocentric navigation
technologies which are aimed to improve strategies. Most literature suggests
the experience of the built environment that navigation in the blind is not only
ROUTE BASED MAP BASED
and to make it more inclusive. One of impaired by the lack visual input, but also
the most important sectors to focus on is the inaccessibility of brain networks that
wayfinding as it has a significant impact are used for large scale representations.
EGOCENTRIC ALLOCENTRIC
on how people and the environment
interact. Spatial cognition, which studies In a review of standards for BLEB’s
how the brain finds its way from point A Danny Ball breaks down the different
to point B is becoming more and more areas of concern, following these REPRESENTS THE LOCATION ENCODES INFORMATION ABOUT
robust. This means it is one of the most guidelines will already make a difference OF OBJECTS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THE LOCATION OF THE OBJECT IN RESPECT
RELATIVE TO OUR OWN BODY TO THE LOCATION OF ANOTHER OBJECT
useful fields of study to bring forward into in the user experience of the technology
industry. and increase adoption rates amongst
blind users3. Below are Danny's
This case study is from a discussion with guidelines for improving the user
Danny Ball, who is a PhD Candidate at experience of wayfinding technology for
University College London. He is both those who are visually different.
a neuroscientist and a potential first
person user for wayfinding technology Cardinal coordinates: Means of
as he is legally blind. First the basics of communicating general directions to a
navigation strategies will be defined, user based on points of a compass where
then the technology, and finally some 'North' is straight ahead
new guidelines for improving the user
experience . GUIDELINE: We do not know if blind
individuals can process allocentric
There are two types of cognitive information. Using the term “north” may SMALL SCALE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTS LARGE SCALE REPRESENTATION
AND RELIANT ON LOCAL USEFUL FOR FLEXIBLE NAVIGATION
navigation strategies allocentric and be confusing, in one sense it is arbitrary LANDMARK STIMULI IN MAPPING NEW ROUTES
egocentric, the adjacent map shows how without orientation information relative
the two strategies work1. to features or objects in far space. As
discussed previously, vision is needed
Bluetooth low energy beacons (BLEB’s) to determine the location of features in
are being used to help blind people with the distance. It would be simpler to say
indoor wayfinding. The technology works straight ahead rather than north.
through receiving auditory instructions
via a smartphone app that connects with Sequential delimiter: Word or phrase
94 95
Using Neuroscience
96 97
Using Neuroscience
Buildings and Campuses lost. In a book co-edited by Professor urgent problem to solve. Unfortunately, the effect does not end
A tool that can be used in industry is that Dalton called "Take One Building: with asthma; diesel particles also have
of a risk assessment with a mitigation Interdisciplinary Research Perspectives The three environmental stressors we huge impact on cognition. Especially
schedule informed by data from a of the Seattle Central Library"(5), it goes should focus on are noise, light, and air vulnerable are pregnant women. The womb
library of neuroscience studies. The risk into detail on the various aspects that pollution. Whilst there are many more, environment is particularly vulnerable to
assessment is intended for early stage make the library conducive to confusion, these three stressors have been identified environmental toxins for three reasons.
development of a building or campus. It which can make people feel stressed and as they are related to a wide range of The first is that the blood-brain barrier is
assess the relationship between people psychologically unsafe. illness, mental health issues, and they are not fully formed making the developing
and their tasks against the built elements. indicators of city mismanagement (please brain more permeable to toxins. Secondly,
If a building causes people to feel stressed refer to charts in subsequent pages.). as the baby develops, cells are dividing
Purpose through disorientation, there has been a at rapid rate - increasing the chance of
• Inform multidisciplinary teams in core failure in making a building inclusive, A reduction in these stressors has the mutations which increase in the presence
large complex projects of the human user friendly, and accessible. Furthermore, potential to have a widespread effect of toxins. The brain in particular takes
experiences of physical qualities. this case study highlights that the built on the quality of life and health of city longer to develop than other organs,
environment is in need of more than residents. For example, in the UK 40,000 leaving it more susceptible to consequences
• Understand the unintended human just "good design" to make a building people could be saved per year if there of environmental toxins. Thirdly, the
consequence of building programming intelligible to human cognition. was a reduction in air pollution1. Thirdly, brain is made up of different types of
concentrating efforts on mitigating these neuronal cells, “each type having a distinct
• Implement scientific research and There is now robust spatial cognition three stressors would help meet the goals growth phase and potentially a different
findings into routine practice research to add to way finding techniques, of city strategies such as “green cities”, toxicity profile4”. In a study that looked
such as space syntax, that can be combined “inclusive cities”, and “active cities”. at four birth cohorts, prenatal exposure
• Inform programming of culture, to elevate the user experience of a building to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
services and design. through making it more navigable. The final point to consider is how the (PAH) found in polluted air suffered from
rate of exposure to environmental cognitive deficits. These can range from
Here is an opportunity to relate stressors differs between socioeconomic lower IQ scores to learning and behavioural
Outputs navigability and disorientation to backgrounds. One particular 2006 study difficulties4.
• Increase usability rates economic performance across all built by New York University found a direct
environment scales. For example, does it correlation between air pollution and We propose that a cross disciplinary group
• Reduce margin of error in capital affect dwell in public realm spaces where disproportionately high rates of asthma be gathered to conduct a study in London
expenditure socialisation or consumerism are the in a predominately poor South Bronx that looks at high toxicity rates and high
desired outputs? Or does it have an impact neighbourhood. They obtained longitudinal illnesses (mental and physical) rates.
• Improve intended adoption rates of on operational performance of buildings data over 5 years of 90,000 residents in 2.2 This is an opportunity to bring together
spaces by users by decreasing lost passengers at airports or sq miles neighbourhood. This population academics, government, and industry
patients at hospitals who end up needing was exposed to soot particles from diesel professionals to work together and provide
• More inclusivity staffing assistance to guide them? trucks passing through the four major robust solution to a core city problem.
highways3. Asthma symptoms doubled It is also an opportunity to use existing
Another immediate use of neuroscience during high traffic days, especially for neuroscience and city data to provide new
for this sector is to improve the user City elementary school children whose schools insights.
experience of buildings or campuses. There are many instances where we can were in close proximity of the heavy goods
Specifically focusing on its navigability. start using neuroscience in cities, from traffic, because of past inefficient land-use This type of study requires a robust
improving the navigation, improving the decisions3. To make matters worse, this experiment design to understand how the
In an interesting case study, Professor user experience of transport systems, or area has now become home to several fossil data will be collected and analysed, this
Ruth Dalton, examined why the highly mitigating the effects of environmental fuel plants, a waste transfer station and a is not the place for such detail. Therefore
acclaimed Seattle Central Library was stressors. We propose that the third option sewage treatment facility, releasing even we will point to three heuristics for the
causing people to feel disorientated and be the first point of action, as it is the most more toxins into their neighbourhood3. study. First a mapping of prominent built
98 99
Using Neuroscience
100 101
Cities: Using Neuroscience
Air Pollution
pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives,
sample from the recent TFL report cites 117(11), pp. 1752-1759.
construction, traffic signals, and city (11) Urban children exhibit brain structural
Chart works for an increase of traffic. and volumetric abnormalities, systemic
Air Pollution Transport for London (2017) TLRN performance inflammation, olfactory, auditory,
report. [online]. London: Transport for London. vestibular and cognitive deficits v low-
City Management Available at: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/street-
performance-report- quarter2-2017-2018.pdf
pollution controls.”
[Accessed 01 May 2018]. Calderón-Garcidueñas, L., Torres-Jardón, R.,
Kulesza, R.J., Park, S.B., D’Angiulli, A. Air pollution
and detrimental effects on children’s brain. The
(6) "pavement soaks up heat and keeps need for a multidisciplinary approach to the issue
land areas relatively warm overnight, complexity and challenges, 2014. National Center for
Urbanisation Infrastructure the contrast between land and sea Biotechnology Information (USA) https://www.ncbi.
nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4129915/
temperatures is reduced during the
summer. This in turn causes a reduction (12) A study published by the Global
in night-time winds." In turn this can Labor Organization noted “higher air
Non-Permeable
Surfaces
Lack of Green
Spaces
Poor Signage
(3)
Poor Roads
(4)
Poor Distribution
of Services contribute to the trapping of pollutants. pollution index (API) significantly
(1) (2) (5)
National Center for Atmospheric Research (2011) reduces hedonic happiness and raises the
Air quality worsened by paved surfaces: Widespread rate of depressive symptoms
urban development alters weather patterns.
Science Daily, [online] Available at: https://www. Zhang, X., Zhang, X. and Chen, X. (2017) Happiness
sciencedaily. com/releases/2011/06/110607121137. in the air: How does a dirty sky affect mental health
htm [Accessed 09 Apr. 2018]. and subjective well-being? Journal of Environmental
Economics and Management, IZA, pp. 81-94.
(7) Poor distribution of resources can also
Change in Air Circulation Traffic
increase traffic as people are forced to take (13) City residents of lower economic
vehicle transport from low density single areas are shown to show higher
use areas to denser multi-use ones to associations to anxiety symptoms.
Traps Air
Pollution
Creates Air
Pollution access them. Pun, V.C., Manjourides, J. and Suh, H. (2017)
(6) (7)
Downs, A. (2004) Traffic: Why it’s getting worse, Association of ambient air pollution with depressive
what government can do. [online] Washington: The and anxiety symptoms in older adults: results
Brookings Institution. Available at: https://www. from the NSHAP study. Environmental Health
Increased exposure of toxins decreases walkability and leads to problems in.(8)
brookings.edu/research/traffic-why-its-getting-worse- Perspectives, 125(3), pp. 342-348.
what-government-can-do/ [Accessed 09 May 2018].
(14) “Long-term exposure to PM2.5-10
Asthma Cardiovascular Neurodevelopment Depression Anxiety Cognitive Decline
(9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (8) Walk-ability is a measure of how and PM2.5 avt levels typically experienced
conducive the built environment is to by many individuals in the United States
(1) New research focusing on the Houston urban trees, shrubs, lawns and previous walking and that predicts physical activity is associated with significantly worse
area suggests that widespread urban soils located in an urban setting has clear and active transportation. cognitive decline in older women.”
development alters weather patterns in a affect land surface temperatures in the Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M. and Frank, L.D. (2009) Weuve, J., et al. (2012) Exposure to particulate air
way that can make it easier for pollutants city and these elements are critical for Healthy neighborhoods: walkability and air pollution and cognitive decline in older women.
pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, Archives of Internal Medicine, 172(3), pp. 219-227.
to accumulate during warm summer improving urban air quality. 117(11), pp. 1752-1759.
weather instead of being blown out to sea. Zupancic, T., Westmacott, C. and Bulthuis, M. (2015) (15) “Increased PM2.5 exposure in specific
National Center for Atmospheric Research (2011) The impact of green space on heat and air pollution (9-10) “Physical inactivity and outdoor prenatal windows was associated with
Air quality worsened by paved surfaces: Widespread in urban communities: A meta-narrative systematic
review. [online]. Vancouver: David Suzuki Foundation.
urban air pollution are two of the top poorer function across memory and
urban development alters weather patterns. Science
Daily, [online] Available at: https://www.sciencedaily. Available at: https://davidsuzuki.org/wp-content/ 15 global causes of health impairment”. attention domains”
com/releases/2011/06/110607121137.htm [Accessed uploads/2017/09/impact-green-space-heat-air-pollution- These impairments can include poor Chiu, Y.H., et al., (2016) Prenatal particulate air
09 Apr. 2018]. urban-communities.pdf [Accessed 05 May 2018]. pollution and neurodevelopment in urban children:
cardiovascular health and asthma.
Examining sensitive windows and sex-specific
(2) The density and spatial configuration (3-5) An array of infrastructure to human Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M. and Frank, L.D. (2009) associations. Environment International, 87, pp. 56-65.
of an urban forest, which is the sum of all activity can contribute to traffic. A Healthy neighborhoods: walkability and air
102 103
Cities: Using Neuroscience
Noise Pollution
health in vulnerable groups: A review. Noise and
(1) In London 30% of noise pollution Health, 15(64), pp. 153-159.
complaints were due to construction (9) Another demographic that is vulnerable
Chart works. to the effects of noise those with ASD. For
National Center for Atmospheric Research (2011) those that have auditory hypersensitivity,
Air quality worsened by paved surfaces: Widespread noise can lead to great physiological stress
urban development alters weather patterns. Science
Daily, [online] Available at: https://www.sciencedaily.
and anxiety. Which in turn can exacerbate
com/releases/2011/06/110607121137.htm [Accessed symptomatology or in extreme cases cause
09 Apr. 2018]. outburst of panic, fear and distress.
(2-4) In Europe road traffic is the dominant O’Connor, K. (2012) Auditory processing in autism
source of environmental noise, with an spectrum disorder: a review. Neuroscience &
Biobehavioral Reviews, 36(2), pp. 836-854.
estimated 100 million people affected by
harmful levels, this is followed by railways
Noise Pollution
and airplane noise.
European Environment Agency (2017) Managing
City Management
exposure to noise in Europe. [online] N.A: European
Environment Agency. Available at: https://www.
eea.europa.eu/publications/managing-exposure-to-
noise-in-europe [Accessed 06 May 2018].
Tools
(1)
Automobiles
(2)
Planes
(3)
Trains
(4)
The effects of noise pollution may in part
be driven by the physiological response to
the stress of being exposed to a persistent
Blood Arterial source of discomfort.
Pressure Hypertension Obesity Cognitive
(5) (6) (7) (8) Stansfeld., S.A. and Matheson, M.P. (2003) Noise
pollution: non-auditory effects on health. British
Medical Bulletin, 68(1), pp. 243-257.
104 105
Cities: Using Neuroscience
Light Pollution Chart (1-2) Light pollution comes in many long term physiological (diabetes, obesity)
forms, including sky glow, light trespass, and cognitive problems (depression,
glare, and over illumination. Sky glow is anxiety disorders, cognitive decline).
the bright halo that appears over urban Wyse, C.A., et al. (2011) Circadian desynchrony and
areas at night, a product of light being metabolic dysfunction: Did light pollution make us
fat? Medical Hypotheses, 77(6), pp. 1139-1144.
scattered by water droplets or particles
in the air. Light trespass occurs when (9-10)“Although these sleep and circadian
unwanted artificial light from, for instance, abnormalities were once dismissed as
a floodlight or streetlight spills onto an consequences of the disease process,
adjacent property, lighting an area that accumulating evidence suggests that
would otherwise be dark. Glare is created sleep and circadian disturbances likely
Light Pollution by light that shines horizontally. Over occur very early in the disease process
illumination refers to the use of artificial and may contribute to the pathogenesis of
City Management
light well beyond what is required for a Alzheimer’s.”
specific activity, such as keeping the lights Musiek, E.S., Xiong, D.D. and Holtzman,
on all night in an empty office building. D.M. (2015) Sleep, circadian rhythms, and the
pathogenesis of Alzheimer Disease. Experimental
National Center for Atmospheric Research (2011) & Molecular Medicine, 47(3), doi: doi:10.1038/
Air quality worsened by paved surfaces: Widespread emm.2014.121.
urban development alters weather patterns. Science
Daily, [online] Available at: https://www.sciencedaily.
Street Lighting (1) Building Lighting (2) com/releases/2011/06/110607121137.htm [Accessed
09 Apr. 2018].
(3) Circadian rhythms are defined as
oscillations that calibrate approximately
Circadian every 24hrs. “Circadian rhythms are
Rhythm
Disruption generated by an interactive network of
(3)
transcriptional and translational loops in
the expression of a panel of clock genes,
and this molecular ‘‘clock’’ is present in
virtually all mammalian cells.” This means
Metabolic Change Sleep Disruption Organ Function
(4) (5) (6) that a disruption to it has a potential
to have wide and varied effects on our
physical and mental health.
Wyse, C.A., et al. (2011) Circadian desynchrony and
PHYSIOLOGICAL COGNITIVE metabolic dysfunction: Did light pollution make us
fat? Medical Hypotheses, 77(6), pp. 1139-1144.
106 107
Using Neuroscience
108 109
Using Neuroscience
behaviour to high level this would mean ‘sat nav’3. Based on activity dynamics easy it is to navigate town centres and
that they can predict A) where people will the prefrontal cortex appears to perform retail districts and whether difficulties
go, B) when they will get lost, C) how they a ‘breadth-first-search’ of possible proposed will alienate demographics
will learn, and C) crucially the cognitive streets ahead when the intended path is and discourage return and engagement.
costs associated with new buildings or blocked3. Building on these results certain Ultimately lowering user experience.
city layouts. The challenge for research AI agents can be simulated to perform
is to created simulated agents that are as more like a human, predicting novel
accurate in their predictions as possible. circumstances where humans would
Current research by the UCL Spatial make errors of find challenging and the
Cognition Group led by Dr Hugo Spiers impact that conditions such a dementia
has been exploring this issue by studying might have since dementia will impact
the behaviour of humans, rats and AI’s certain brain regions.
in similar matching environments with
the same layout and task demands. Study One challenge to sculpting accurate AI
both humans and rats and matching agents is having enough data to really
their behaviour to AI’s is helpful because support the process of tuning the model
rats can help give precise insights in AI’s. Testing how 100,000's or millions
the neural systems involved in spatial of people navigate a building or interact
navigation and decision making (see in a space is a significant challenge. This
our previous section on place cells). has recently been overcome by Dr Spiers
Recording from populations of neurons and collaborators of the project Sea
directly allows the scientist to test Hero Quest, which over 4 million people
aspects of AI systems and improve them. navigated a set of virtual environments
Methods like optogenetics allow scientists and provided demographics via an online
the capacity to disrupt the neural circuits app5. This would allow predictions about
and understand causal relationships how people of different backgrounds (e.g.
between brain and environments. In older vs. younger people) and mixes of
humans we can cross validate these background will explore and navigate a 1. Hassabis, D., Kumaran, D., Summerfield, C.
measurements spatial processing from space. and Botvinick, M., 2017. Neuroscience-inspired
artificial intelligence. Neuron, 95(2), pp.245-
fMR or MEG. 258.
This approach is especially ground- 2. Sutton, R.S. and Barto, A.G., 1998.
Combining fMRI with film simulations breaking as it can help understand how Reinforcement learning: An introduction (Vol.
of London its has been possible to neurologically diverse people will make 1, No. 1). Cambridge: MIT press.
identify how particular regions of the sense of a space. For example, how might 3. Javadi, A.H., et al. (2017) Hippocampal and
prefrontal processing of network topology to
brain respond at different moments a person with depression vary from that simulate the future. Nature Communications,
when navigating a city, what properties with autism spectrum disorder. This 8: 14652.
of the city are driving their activity, and work is crucial for creating buildings 4. Maguire, E.A., Gadian, D.G., Johnsrude, I.S.,
what computations might be performed and streets that are optimised for all Good, C.D., Ashburner, J., Frackowiak, R.S.
and Frith, C.D., 2000. Navigation-related
by these brain areas3. For example, demographics, helping create genuine
structural change in the hippocampi of taxi
entering a new street with lots of street inclusive cities. drivers. Proceedings of the National Academy
connections drives more posterior of Sciences, 97(8), pp.4398-4403.
hippocampus (the area that is larger in For industry it allows for engineers and 5. Coutrot, A., Silva, R., Manley, E., de Cothi, W.,
London taxi drivers4), but only when planners to understand complexity levels Sami, S., Bohbot, V., Wiener, J., Hölscher, C.,
Dalton, R.C., Hornberger, M. and Spiers, H.,
navigating from memory, not when of environments measured against their 2017. Global determinants of navigation ability.
guided by instructions such as with a commercial goals. This goes into how bioRxiv, p.188870.
110 111
Using Neuroscience
7. FUTURE
OPPORTUNITIES
112 113
Future Opportunities
Macro
OPPORTUNITIES BY SECTOR SECTOR: Government
TOP OPPORTUNITIES
These tables are broken down by sector and indicate where Long term funding for multi disciplinary projects.
what we need to focus for future work. It also explains what
HOW
these opportunities will lead to. TECH: A wide range of neurotechnology, machine learning, virtual
reality, IoT sensors,
SCIENCE: Study the aspects of the brain relating to how people makes
sense of environments and navigate from point A to point B.
RESEARCH:
• Advance the research of perception; how sensorial information is
processed in the brain.
• Advance the research for spatial navigation amongst varied
Macro demographics such as the blind, those experiencing depression,
dementia, and ASD.
SECTOR: Government • Advance research into how noise, light, air pollution and other
environmental stressors affect cognitive performance long term at
TOP OPPORTUNITIES building and neighbourhood level.
• Developing more advanced mobile technologies would allow
researchers to conduct in the wild experimentations. • Advancing the research into enriched environments at the human scale.
114 115
Future Opportunities
Micro Micro
HOW HOW
TECH: Space Syntax, Virtual Reality, Mobile EEG, fMRI, Artificial TECH: Space Syntax, Mobile EEG, VR, Living labs
agent modeling. SCIENCE: Longitudinal studies on measuring “dose” of different
SCIENCE: combinations of built environment elements.
• More studies on how different cognitive demographics perceive
distance.
RESULTS
• More studies on how different cognitive demographics use the two MITIGATION: Environmental Stressors, Mental health issues,
types of navigation strategies Inequality
AFFORDANCE: Increased quality of tools to reduce long term social
RESULTS problems. Improved quality of life
MITIGATION: Isolation, Depression, Social & Economic Exclusion.
AFFORDANCE: Inclusion to wider culture and economy, Economic
opportunity SECTOR: Planning
TOP OPPORTUNITIES
SECTOR: Transport Increasing effectiveness of green areas in neighbourhoods and cities
RESULTS
MITIGATION: Isolation, Stress, Social Care Cost
AFFORDANCE: Physical exercise, Inclusiveness, Autonomy, Wellbeing
116 117
Future Opportunities
Micro Micro
HOW HOW
TECH: Data Standards, Space Syntax, Mobile EEG, VR, Living labs TECH: VR, neurotechnology
SCIENCE: Longitudinal studies on measuring “dose” of different SCIENCE: Use historical neuroscience to validate products and
combinations of built environment elements. enhance user experience. Living Labs to observe the performance of
the materials as well as monitor the long term physiological on users
RESULTS
MITIGATION: Disorientation. Alienation and Exclusion. Stress. Impact RESULTS
of social care MITIGATION: Reduction of pollution from construction traffic. Less
environmental toxins at city and building level. Decrease "sick building
AFFORDANCE: Inclusivity. Autonomy. Walk-ability. Dwell. Social
syndrome". Reduce environmental stressors.
Engagement. Sense of Place
TOP OPPORTUNITIES
Improved quality of residential, commercial and leisure environments
that are accommodating to later life living, working and playing.
HOW
TECH: Smart Home and smart building operating systems and
technologies. IoT sensors and devices
SCIENCE:
• Advancing research in how the environment plays a role in the later
development of dementia and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
Advancing research into sense of place and place attachment using
neuroscience research.
• Living lab based research to understand enrichment at a human scale.
RESULTS
MITIGATION: Personal health issues. Social care cost.
AFFORDANCE: Autonomy, Quality of Life, Productive contribution to
wider economy later in life
118 119
Future Opportunities
CONCLUSION
There is no greater time than right now, we
have the state-of-the-art technology at our
fingertips, great advancements in science,
and amazing human resources to push
city innovation into groundbreaking areas.
Neuroscience can serve as a lens to identify
the united human consequence of built
environment elements, with the purpose of
enhancing the user experience of buildings
and cities.
120 121
Honourable Mentions
122 123
Honourable Mentions
124 125
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This was a collaborative effort bringing together a wide range of
industries and insights. Thank you to all the gave us their time and
guidance to bring this playbook to fruition.
INTERVIEWS
Anja Maerz
Euan Mills
Dr. Henry Chan
Luz Yazmin Viramontes Fabela
Dr. Nick Tyler
Stefan Webb
Project Manager
Ramola Nadkarni
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Future Opportunities