Intangible Aspects of Architectural Spaces that Influence Well-being

This research demonstrates how intangible aspects of architectural spaces influence human well-being. The goal is to increase awareness that interior spaces do impact human well-being and that architecture can be regarded as a solution to satisfy space users’ needs. First, a qualitative approach is explored through narrative inquiry in order to identify intangible aspects of residential and office spaces that affect human well-being. A discussion is built around the Model of Human Experiential Responses to Space and its purpose as a tool to unearth environmental characteristics that enhance well-being. Then,a quantitative approach is applied to neurosciences and architecture in order to measure how architectural spaces influence human well-being. Neuroscience and environment / behaviour concepts are used where eight brain-based neuroscientific correlates (Zeisel 2006) are investigated in order to measure brain effects on architectural spaces. Both studies reveal that people’s moods may be affected similarly in residential or office space settings and that a good environment that energizes employees will affect their work performance in a positive way (Vischer 2005).