Designing mind-friendly environments: architecture and design for everyone

Abstract

People develop stress responses to their surroundings on a regular basis. Nevertheless, with a few exceptions, there appears to be a large gap between the therapeutic world and the world of built environment design with regard to people’s neurological requirements; particularly when it comes to inclusive design knowledge that designers can readily access. With a few exceptions, the books are either created considering a specific neurological ailment or a philosophical standpoint. Few books examine the position that project commissioners, architects, and designers can learn from a wide group of people who have had heightened neurological experiences, to commission and build places that are more mind-friendly. Steve Maslin, in his book Designing Mind-Friendly Environments, provides rich professional and personal insights into how design and the environment in which we live and work affect our health and wellness. Maslin’s book firmly places the person at the heart of design, teaching architects and designers about human senses and the very personal act of perceptual experience.