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New Report Supporting Brain-Healthy Environments — How Our Buildings Shape Our Brains
We spend more than 90 per cent of our lives indoors, yet the spaces around us are seldom evaluated through a brain health lens. The new Building Brains Coalition report highlights a growing scientific consensus: urban form, building design, light, acoustics, and spatial configuration all influence how our brains regulate stress, process emotions, and perform cognitive tasks.
Chronic exposure to poorly designed environments contributes to allostatic load — the biological wear and tear linked to long‑term stress — a factor associated with cardiovascular disease, mental health disorders, and neurodegeneration. As cities around the world densify, the built environment becomes one of the most powerful long‑term exposures affecting both public health and economic productivity.
Design isn’t just about how places look — it affects how we think, feel, and function every day.
– Design isn’t just about how places look — it affects how we think, feel, and function every day, says Cleo Valentine, co‑author and Senior Researcher and Innovation Lead at RISE. By bringing neuroscience into planning and design, we can create environments that truly support human potential.
The report introduces a brain lens framework
The report, co-authored by experts across multiple institutions, synthesises interdisciplinary findings from neuroscience, biomarker research, environmental psychology, and computational analysis. It shows that design decisions measurably influence cognitive load, stress physiology, and overall brain function—from regional planning to façade composition and interior layouts.
A key contribution of the report is the introduction of a “brain lens” framework, enabling developers, designers, and policymakers to evaluate projects not only in terms of cost or aesthetics, but also in terms of how they support cognitive wellbeing and human performance. This framework can be applied through neuro‑informed design guidelines, computational assessments, updated planning policies, and procurement processes that include brain‑health metrics.
The report highlights the role of research organisations contributing to the development of neuroarchitecture. It notes the Centre for NeuroArchitecture and NeuroDesign, jointly established by RISE and University College London, as part of a growing academic and applied research infrastructure. The centre is presented as an example of how neuroscience and design research are being linked to practical applications across different environments.
We can support public‑sector bodies, developers, and design firms by translating the report’s findings into practical tools,
How brain‑informed design benefits society
The report makes clear that better environments benefit everyone:
- Individuals gain improved cognitive wellbeing, emotional stability, and reduced chronic stress.
- Developers and property owners can improve sustainability and long‑term building value by creating healthier, higher‑performing environments.
- Cities and policymakers gain tools to align urban development with brain capital, productivity, and population‑level health outcomes.
– At RISE, we can support public‑sector bodies, developers, and design firms by translating the report’s findings into practical tools, says Cleo Valentine. This includes developing brain‑informed design strategies, conducting computational façade and spatial assessments, running pilot studies, and integrating cognitive and emotional health metrics into regulatory and investment frameworks.
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Call for real‑world validation studies
The report calls for scaling real-world validation studies, embedding brain-health metrics into building codes, developing standardised assessment frameworks, and strengthening cross-sector collaboration.
The message is clear: advancing neuroarchitecture is not only a public health priority but also an economic one. With new tools, growing scientific consensus, and increasing international cooperation, the built environment can become a powerful pathway to healthier, more resilient societies.
> Read the full report from Building Brains Coalition.
Learn more about:
> RISE applications of neuroarchitecture and neurodesign in urban spaces
> Brain Economy and how brain health is a critical key resource in the modern economy.
