From NDIX measurements and brain imaging to design guidelines and strategic guidance, RISE offers services that help you create environments that promote health and productivity. We translate brain research into concrete design changes that reduce stress.
At a time when more people than ever live in cities, stress and mental health issues are also on the rise. The project explores how urban design affects the brain – and how neuroarchitecture can help create environments that support our mental well-being.
Today, more than half of the world’s population lives in cities—a proportion expected to rise to 70% by 2050. At the same time, we are witnessing a global increase in mental health issues. Urban life offers opportunities for work, education, and culture, but also exposes residents to noise, air pollution, and stress. Research shows that city dwellers are more likely to experience stress-related problems – yet the links between urban design and mental health remain not fully understood.
The project investigates how the built environment affects the brain and our mental well-being, using principles from neuroarchitecture and neurodesign. By analyzing data from University College London, the study identifies stress factors and health-promoting elements in urban environments. Urban planning is a complex process in which multiple goals and interests – economic, ecological, and social – must be balanced. The project also aims to explore how health considerations can be integrated more clearly and systematically into this process, ensuring that these aspects are effectively addressed when shaping the cities of the future.
The goal is to develop methods, policies, and/or digital tools that make it possible to understand and predict how different urban designs affect human health. In the long term, the research aims to contribute to guidelines and standards for incorporating mental health into urban development. With a stronger scientific foundation for how the environment influences the brain, we can create cities that are not only sustainable and functional but also enhance people’s well-being and quality of life.
Read more about neuroarchitecture and neurodesign, our services, our team of experts and our international collaborations here.
Bidra till forskningen genom att tycka till om Fridhemsgatan här!
Området som studeras är framförallt Fridhemsgatan - från korsningen med St Göransgatan fram till korsningen med Drottningholmsvägen. Gatan karaktäriseras idag av en tät och funktionsblandad kvartersstad. Fridhemsplan är en intensiv trafikknutpunkt med högt tempo och många visuella intryck – en miljö med flera potentiella stressfaktorer men också stor potential som mötesplats med många människor i rörelse.
Fickparken är den första av flera förändringar som kommer ske längs gatan och utvecklas av Alecta Fastigheter. Den ska bidra till mer grönska i området i form av planteringar och träd samt skapa fler sittplatser för vistelse och öka platsens potential som mötesplats.
Bidra till forskningen genom att tycka till om Solna, Centralvägen här!
Projektets andra testbädd utgörs av Centralvägen i Solna stad. Centralvägen är en lokalgata som löper i öst–västlig riktning och är en förbindelse mellan Solnavägen och Huvudstagatan. Solna Centrum är ett modernt centrum som präglas av naturligt ljus och inslag av grönska. Centralvägen ligger i anslutning till Solna Centrum och har traditionellt dominerats av ett slutet köpcentrum vilket påverkar gatans liv. Gatan karaktäriseras av en kommersiell och kollektivtrafiknära stadsmiljö.
Sommargågatan som planerats av Kulturstaden tillsammans med Alecta fastigheter kommer fylla platsen med växtlighet och grönska, uteserveringar, nya mötesplatser och aktiviteter för barn och vuxna.
What if the buildings around us are quietly reshaping our minds? RISE researchers have developed a groundbreaking framework proposing that our built environments might fundamentally influence brain function.
Want to know how neuroarchitecture and neurodesign can strengthen your project or your business?
- Emerging evidence from the field of neuroarchitecture suggests that the built environment can flood our bodies with stress hormones, says lead researcher Cleo Valentine, Senior Researcher and Innovation Lead at RISE and PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge. Poorly designed environments trigger physiological stress responses similar to genuine threats, potentially causing lasting brain changes.
The framework proposes that chronic exposure to poor design creates "allostatic overload" — chronically overtaxed stress systems. Features like cramped spaces, harsh lighting, and angular designs might trigger the same physiological cascades as genuine threats, potentially altering brain regions critical for memory, emotion, and decision-making.
- This represents a paradigm shift in understanding architecture's relationship to human health, says Valentine. With over 970 million people worldwide living with mental health conditions, we can no longer overlook how physical spaces contribute to these challenges.
By understanding how environmental factors influence neurophysiological health, architects and designers can create spaces that enhance rather than undermine cognitive performance.
Research reveals dramatic differences between design elements. Some studies show participants in cramped, poorly lit spaces experienced measurable shrinkage in brain regions crucial for memory and learning.
The framework suggests chronic stress could cause hippocampal shrinkage, amygdala hyperactivity, and reduced neurogenesis. Memory, emotional regulation, and decision-making abilities might deteriorate under constant architectural assault.
- These changes can alter our cognitive abilities, emotional regulation, and capacity to form new memories, Valentine explains. The research suggests that architecturally mediated stress might contribute to depression, anxiety, and more severe psychiatric disorders.
The framework points toward evidence-based design principles with measurable brain benefits. Natural daylight, appropriate ceiling heights, and biophilic elements all demonstrate positive impacts.
Co-researcher Isabelle Sjövall, Brain Researcher, and Director of NeuroArchitecture and NeuroDesign at RISE, notes:
- Neurosustainability may promote resilience and support mental health through design, says Sjövall. By understanding how environmental factors influence neurophysiological health, architects and designers can create spaces that enhance rather than undermine cognitive performance.
The theory of neurosustainability was developed by Mohamed Hesham Khalil, a PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge. This work was coauthored by researcher Heather Mitcheltree, a PHD candidate at the University of Cambridge.
The researchers advocate for empirical validation of their framework and integration of neurological wellbeing principles into building codes — potentially transforming how we design environments for human flourishing.
Read the full scientific article: Architecturally Mediated Allostasis and Neurosustainability: A Proposed Theoretical Framework for the Impact of the Built Environment on Neurocognitive Health.
Would you like to learn more about neuroarchitecture and neurodesign – and how your organization can benefit from it? Get in contact with us.
We spend more than 90 percent of our lives indoors. But what if the very buildings designed to protect us are quietly undermining our health? Emerging research, within the field of neuroarchitecture and neurodesig, suggests that certain architectural features – from narrow hallways to windowless rooms – may trigger subtle but chronic stress responses that, over time, could contribute to serious illness.
Want to know how Neuroarchitecture and Neurodesign can strengthen your project or your business?
Scientists have found that specific architectural design elements consistently activate stress responses in our bodies without us even realising it. Room proportions, wall curvature, and window arrangements can all trigger what researchers call neuroimmunological stress responses – essentially putting the body into a state of alert.
Cleo Valentine, Senior Researcher and Innovation Lead at RISE, and PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge, has conducted studies within the field and explains the challenge:
- The stress-inducing architectural forms are used liberally within the built environment. Unlike a single stressful event, we're constantly exposed to these architectural stressors in our offices, at schools, and even in our homes.
If certain architectural features are contributing to chronic disease, this could fundamentally change how we approach building design.
When our stress systems are constantly activated, it leads to "allostatic overload" – essentially, our bodies wear out from being in perpetual fight-or-flight mode. This chronic stress state has been linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegeneration.
Researchers can now detect this hidden stress by measuring biomarkers such as cortisol, blood pressure, and inflammation levels. But there’s still a crucial missing piece: while architecture clearly triggers physiological stress responses, no study has yet proven that these directly cause long-term disease.
- We need to understand how our built environment affects our wellbeing on a physiological level, Valentine continues. If certain architectural features are contributing to chronic disease, this could fundamentally change how we approach building design. The concern is particularly for vulnerable groups like the elderly and children, who may spend nearly all of their time indoors. Office workers, too, are continuously exposed to potentially stressful architectural environments.
Not all architecture triggers stress. Biophilic design – incorporating natural elements – shows measurable stress-reducing effects, with studies revealing higher alpha brain waves indicating relaxation.
- We need to design buildings that actively support human health, Valentine emphasises. This research highlights the importance of evidence-based design that gives wellbeing the same priority as aesthetics and functionality.
The study calls for longitudinal research tracking individuals' exposure to architectural features alongside validated allostatic load biomarkers over time.
- Long-term studies are required to determine whether our built environments are contributing to making us sick, Valentine concludes. If confirmed, the findings could position buildings not just as spaces to live and work in, but as instruments of disease prevention. Given that chronic inflammatory diseases cause three out of five deaths worldwide, further research exploring the relationship between stress-inducing architectural forms and allostatic load is highly recommended.
Read the full scientific article: in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
>> Discover RISE expertise within Neuroarchitecture and Neurodesign
What if the places we live and work in could affect more than just our moods — what if they could influence the very health of our brains? This is the question driving Cleo Valentine, Senior Researcher and Innovation Lead at RISE, and PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge. Her research sits at the crossroads of architecture, neuroscience, and immunology, in the emerging field of neuroarchitecture.
Want to know how Neuroarchitecture and Neurodesign can strengthen your project or your business?
- In a pilot study I conducted, we examined how biophilic architectural design, which mirrors nature’s shapes and patterns, affects neuroinflammatory activity. Using quantitative EEG, we could watch how the brain responds to different types of buildings, Valentine explains.
At its core, her question is simple but profound: Can architecture that evokes nature reduce inflammation in the brain?
Stress is more than a fleeting feeling. When the body senses threat — from a car accident to a confusing hospital corridor — it triggers immune responses. Short-term stress can help, but chronic stress fuels neuroinflammation, linked to depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Dementia alone is expected to affect 152 million people worldwide by 2050, with UK care costs nearly doubling to £47 billion. Understanding all contributing factors, including architecture, is becoming urgent.
Neuroarchitecture, an emerging research field, investigates how buildings affect the nervous system. We already know that architecture can cause stress. Designs incorporating nature, so-called biophilic design, can lower blood pressure and stimulate brain activity linked to relaxation. In contrast, cityscapes dominated by glass and steel skyscrapers are associated with heightened stress responses.
But what happens deeper in the body, in the immune system itself? This was the uncharted territory Valentine set out to explore.
This is the first time we’ve seen direct neurophysiological evidence that architecture might influence immune responses in the brain
To test the hypothesis, ten participants were shown images of two different buildings while monitoring their brain activity with a 32-channel EEG. One building was rich in biophilic features — organic shapes, natural materials, and lighting reminiscent of a forest canopy. The other was more conventional, with few natural cues.
The study focused on two brainwave frequency bands, delta and alpha, previously linked to stress and inflammation.
The results were striking. When participants viewed the biophilic building, relative delta activity decreased, especially in the brain’s frontal and central regions. This pattern suggests reduced neuroinflammatory signaling: in effect, their brains appeared calmer, and less inflamed. Alpha activity, however, did not shift as expected, and some surprising changes emerged in gamma activity, hinting at a possible new marker for stress-related responses.
- This is the first time we’ve seen direct neurophysiological evidence that architecture might influence immune responses in the brain, says Valentine. It opens up a completely new way of thinking about how we design the spaces we live and work in.
Like any pilot study, more research is needed. Even so, the implications are far-reaching. If architecture can calm inflammation in the brain, it could play a role in managing conditions such as anxiety, depression, or even neurodegenerative diseases. Hospitals, schools, and workplaces might one day be designed not just for function and efficiency, but for neurological health.
- This initial study provides promising clues. It suggests that nature-inspired architecture can influence brain inflammation,” says Valentine. While more research is needed, these findings are a good start. They open doors to create buildings that truly support our brain health. By continuing to explore this new area, we can build a healthier world, one space at a time.
Read the full scientific article: Architectural Neuroimmunology: A Pilot Study Examining the Impact of Biophilic Architectural Design on Neuroinflammation.
>> Discover RISE expertise within Neuroarchitecture and Neurodesign
Developing a neuro-aware framework designed to create integrated transport mobility strategies for neurodivergent children.
The conceptual foundation of this research emerges from the neurodivergent community’s long-standing struggle to assert their “right to the city”; a right which, as Harvey stated, “is far more than the individual liberty to access urban resources: it is a right to change ourselves by changing the city.”
This study therefore centers on the rights of a marginalized community to claim equitable access to resources, services, and opportunities, particularly within the realm of mobility and access to public transport, as essential conditions for their social and economic empowerment.
This aligns with the target 11.2 of Agenda 2030, which urges to “provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons”.
The rationale for this project is that every child has the right to experience public transport as safe, welcoming, and empowering. Yet, for neurodivergent children, invisible barriers often stand in the way. Public transport feels overwhelming, pushing families to rely on costly, low-occupancy car travel. That intensifies environmental impact and places financial strain on households and municipalities. It also limits opportunities for developing independent community mobility skills.
A groundbreaking index in the emerging field of neurodesign and neuroarchitecture could transform the way we plan and invest in our cities, schools, and workplaces. Drawing on brain science and AI, researchers can now measure how physical environments influence our health, cognition, and overall wellbeing – with the ambition to set a new global standard for the built environments of tomorrow.
- We know that the surrounding environment has a significant impact on people's quality of life and mental health. The problem has been the lack of reliable methods to measure these effects, says Isabelle Sjövall, neurodesigner and brain researcher, as well as scientific director for neurodesign and cognitive innovation at RISE.
The NeuroDesign/NeuroArchitecture Index (NDIX) is a research-based tool that enables evaluation of how different types of environments affect humans — from schools and offices to hospitals and entire cities. The index is grounded in neuroscience and psychological research, taking into account factors that influence the brain, such as light, sound, color, shape, and temperature.
We aim to help companies, municipalities, communities, and organizations make smarter investment decisions in the built environment.
–Think of the index as a health check-up for environments. We start with a baseline analysis to identify how different elements impact performance, wellbeing, and mental recovery. For instance, a higher index score could translate into calmer students who learn more effectively in a school setting, Isabelle explains.
As mental health challenges and urbanization continue to rise, interest in neurodesign and neuroarchitecture – an interdisciplinary field bridging brain science, architecture, and design – has grown rapidly. NDIX offers a practical way to turn this research into action and create measurable improvements.
- We aim to help companies, municipalities, communities, and organizations make smarter investment decisions in the built environment. Today, vast sums are poured into urban development projects without knowing how they actually affect the people who use them, says Isabelle.
The methodology employs advanced techniques such as functional MRI (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), as well as biomarkers like heart rate variability (HRV) and breathing rate to map how the brain and body respond to different environments.
– We validate our findings with lab-based brain imaging techniques to ensure they truly capture how environments affect us on a deeper level, Isabelle notes.
The long-term goal is to establish a new world standard for designing environments more consciously, in a way that actively support mental and physical health. NDIX has the potential to improve quality of life, boost productivity and lower societal costs.
– We hope that this becomes a new benchmark in sustainable urban development – where insights from neuroscience are integrated from the very start of the planning process, says Isabelle Sjövall.
The research is conducted in collaboration with the Faculty of Brain Sciences, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience at University College London (UCL) and RISE, through the International Center for Neuroarchitecture and Neurodesign. Pilot projects are already underway in Stockholm and London, ranging from green infrastructure to healthcare, education, and workplace design.
The process begins with a needs assessment: should the space promote focus, creativity, learning, healing, or a sense of safety? Next, researchers analyse how the cumulative effect of the environment influences the brain and body through factors such as light, sound, colour, scent, and temperature. These effects are measured using brain imaging technologies, biomarkers, and prediction models. Based on the results, targeted design adjustments are made. The index has the potential to optimise a wide range of environments – from schools and offices to hospitals. In healthcare settings, for example, a high index score could result in a reduced need for pain medication and shorter recovery times.
Read the preprint of the scientific paper: The NeuroDesign/NeuroArchitecture Index (NDIX): Development of a method to evaluate the impact of the built environment on health, cognitive performance, and wellbeing.
Would you like to learn more about neuroarchitecture and neurodesign – and how your organization can benefit from it? Get in touch with us.
Can brain research be used to design and build cities in ways that improve human well-being? A major step forward is now being taken in the fields of neuroarchitecture and neurodesign, which could help make cities around the world healthier places to live in.
Global urbanization is spreading across large parts of the world. By 2050, 70 percent of the world’s population is expected to live in urban environments, according to forecasts from the WHO. At the same time, there are growing concerns that mental health issues are increasing in tandem with urbanization. In addition to affecting many individuals, this also poses a significant challenge to the global economy.
The connection between urbanization and health issues is nothing new to Isabelle Sjövall, Neurodesigner and Brain Researcher, Director of Neurodesign Intelligence and Strategic Innovation at RISE, a frequently consulted expert in the real estate industry, and senior researcher at RISE:
- An urban environment is an extremely complex setting for the brain, which can accumulate and create a significant cognitive load on the nervous system. This can involve everything from crowds, noise, and traffic hazards to various types of smells, she says.
Today, there is a lack of understanding about how humans are affected — both physically and mentally — by the overwhelming sensory input that urban environments generate.
According to Isabelle Sjövall, neuroarchitecture and neurodesign (NA/ND) (see fact box) can significantly improve quality of life in cities by designing offices, schools, healthcare facilities, and city centers based on human behaviors, needs, and emotions.
- We may feel better when exposed to certain materials, color schemes, lighting, or patterns, and balancing all these impressions can lead to more effective recovery, she explains.
General initiatives of this kind can also be tailored to the individual level through so-called precision health — a term for a new, personalized approach in healthcare — and environments designed to support specific needs or functions, such as creativity or healing.
- With new knowledge, we can work more proactively in the future with preventive and health-promoting measures in urban development — especially with the help of AI and digital tools — which will be a key piece of the puzzle in promoting public health on a global scale.
By building cities based on the latest research, we stand to gain a great deal, including reduced healthcare costs.
If cities are built based on this new research, society could save vast amounts of money. However, to reach that point, more research is needed to provide scientific evidence identifying exactly what affects us in built and urban environments — and how the combined impact of all these factors plays out.
Isabelle Sjövall emphasizes that more research-based knowledge is especially needed on which factors can make us more resilient to stress in urban environments. It’s not possible to completely shield people from things that may trigger stress responses, but it is possible to improve urban environments using so-called resilience factors. And here, everyone involved in constructing, designing, or furnishing urban spaces needs concrete data on what can counteract stress and what needs to be added to create better balance.
For example, the connection to nature has proven to be extremely important for brain health, which is why so-called green and blue spaces are vital in urban settings.
- Working with access to areas with water and using so-called biophilic design — in other words, recreating the feeling of nature — is one way to bring our original environment into the cities, she says.
Research is now entering an exciting phase, thanks to technological advancements.
With mobile equipment that scans brain activity, it is now possible to measure people’s physical and psychological reactions in real time as they move through different urban environments. Using scanners, biomarkers, and MRI — a type of modern magnetic imaging — researchers can gather comparable data, such as how people respond to different types of sounds, lighting, materials, colors, or scents.
The data from these tests is a crucial tool for taking the research to the next level. The goal is not to stop at isolated research reports, but to apply this knowledge in society in a meaningful way — to make a large-scale difference.
In May 2024, a partnership was launched between RISE and UCL to advance the fields of neurodesign and neuroarchitecture. UCL’s world-leading laboratories — such as PEARL— offer an exceptional testbed for large-scale, high-precision studies. This new knowledge provides opportunities to strengthen business strategies and increase the value of properties and buildings when they are developed using principles from neuroarchitecture and neurodesign. Insights from the research can also help future investors make more informed decisions.
- By building cities based on the latest research, we stand to gain a great deal, including reduced healthcare costs. The partnership between RISE and UCL is something entirely new, and we complement each other perfectly. UCL brings the technology and lab environment, while we at RISE specialize in applying research into the society, says Marco Lucisano, Executive Director, Public Sector and International Relations at RISE.
- Collaboration with architects, engineers, interior designers, construction companies, and urban planners will be essential to scale up solutions, implement them, and evaluate their impact. This way, the knowledge can help guide investment decisions and contribute to a sustainable societal transformation, Lucisano concludes.
The partnership between UCL and RISE also includes Prof Hugo Spiers, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioral Neuroscience, and Vice Dean of Enterprise & Innovation Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL, and Dr Fiona Zisch, Associate Professor in Architecture, Programme Director of Design for Performance and Interaction MArch, The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL.
Neuroarchitecture and neurodesign involve the scientific study of how the brain responds to built environments, as well as how design and architecture affect people psychologically and physiologically in relation to cognition, mental health, and well-being. This knowledge about what promotes human well-being can then be applied to improve environments such as cities, buildings, healthcare facilities, schools, or offices.
