DAY 1 • TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER • 10:55 – 11.15
The science of neurodesign: What the brain tells us about built environments
A neuroscience-led exploration of how humans perceive and respond to the spaces we inhabit.
Drawing on cognitive neuroscience and neuroarchitecture, this session explains how built environments influence wellbeing, attention, and cognitive load.
It translates emerging scientific research into practical insights for the future of design.
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How the brain processes space, light, sound, and environmental complexity
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The impact of design on attention, stress, memory, and cognitive load
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What neuroscience reveals about comfort, overwhelm, and “fit”
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How emerging research is shaping architecture and workplace design
Hugo Spears, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience , UCL
Hugo Spiers
Hugo Spiers is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, and a Vice Dean for Enterprise, at University College London (UCL).
He has over 25 years of research experience in neuroscience and psychology studying how our brain recalls the past, navigates the present and imagines the future.
He has published over 100 academic articles and received numerous awards. He is co-director of the International Centre for NeuroArchitecture and NeuroDesign, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation, a Lighthouse Fellow of the Centre for Conscious Design and the Vice Chair of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture in the UK.
His research project Sea Hero Quest has tested over 4 million people in 195 nations on their navigation ability, providing a powerful benchmark for assessment in Alzheimer's disease and global insight into cognition.