The impact of buildings and urban design on human health and performance has been documented through more than forty years of scientific research. The Hx Lab integrates this human experience research into the design process to improve environmental quality, respond to human health emergencies, and ensure occupants are functioning optimally. We explore design strategies for diverse spaces including clinical, academic, and workplace using bespoke surveys and tailored sensor applications. With collaborations and cutting-edge tools, we are demonstrating the value of human-centered design.
Given the ongoing climate of fear surrounding gun violence in K-12 schools, safety and security for school facilities have come to the forefront as a top priority for architects and designers. Unfortunately, very little scientific research exists to recommend design approaches that measurably impact school violence rates. This article seeks to provide a brief overview... Read more »
As extended reality technologies become better, more seamless, and more available, our virtual space and physical space will tend to merge into one hyperreal space. When this hyperreality emerges, it will fundamentally transform our human habitat at every scale. This transformation doesn’t have to be a bad thing! Ubiquitous XR activation may actually improve the... Read more »
Personal objects in the workplace have a proven positive impact on morale, productivity, and creativity. But in the ‘free address’ workplace, real estate is at a premium, and design teams are challenged to find a personal storage solution that feels personal. We believe new tools should complement this new work style, so we developed an... Read more »
The past 30 years has produced growing documentation of the numerous health benefits of nature. While this has reduced the demand for “proof” of the value of green space in healthcare settings, there remains a critical need for research that focuses on the design elements that can best serve specific patient populations. In the United... Read more »
The primary focus of this study is to determine how design decisions may influence human behavior. Specific characteristics of four recently built student residences at the University of British Columbia (UBC) will be evaluated. Each residence is a tower typology of roughly the same size and scale. Different design characteristics are present in each tower... Read more »
Immersive Virtual Reality and Telemedicine is already in use by several Healthcare Institutions, but Architects and Designers, Governing Bodies, and Regulations may not be all in sync with the evolution of treatment methods. Some States and Countries are more prepared than others. However, we are still designing centralized Clinics and Hospitals for physical interaction with... Read more »
This research proposal is for the development, fabrication and preliminary evaluation of an experimental wearable, ‘pentachromic’ circadian light tracker prototype. By doing so, it would then be possible to record ‘pentachromic’ circadian illuminance indicators for a building’s occupant’s lighting environment alongside responses to intermittent polling targeting information a user’s alertness, cognitive function, psychological state-of mind... Read more »
Eve Edelstein was one of three experts invited to address the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) regarding the impact of architecture and design on the brain. As part of the Neuroscience and Society lecture series, a collaboration between the Dana Foundation and AAAS, Eve spoke of translating research on the effects of... Read more »
Eve Edelstein and Ruchi Masand spoke to UCSF Students, Postdocs, and Faculty about “Neuro-Architecture” and how they can apply the scientific method and their scientific training to develop disruptive design solutions.
The open office has been a central theme in contemporary workplaces, reasoned to provide flexibility, natural light, supervision, cost savings, transparency, democracy, and collaboration. While almost 70% of US workers occupy open plan or open seating settings (International Facility Management Association, 2010), this design strategy remains contentious (Kim & de Dear 2013). These settings may... Read more »
This article discusses the importance of perception of spaces, and involvement with spaces during the design process. Over the last decade, mapping the relationship of architectural spaces to human experience has become popular as a successful design methodology. The beginning phase of the design process is characterized by perceptual integrity; unfortunately, this integrity often fades... Read more »
