Neuroarquitetura. Experienciar e reconhecer a cinestesia humana nos espaços

Abstract

Architecture is generally part of our lives from the moment we are born. We feel and experience it every day, and we receive di<erent stimuli from spaces all the time, and as a result, we behave di<erently depending on the spatial characteristics in which we are inserted. These reasons have encouraged architects and scientists to seek a deeper understanding of the relationship between mind, body and space, thus giving rise to the term "Neuroarchitecture". The aim of this dissertation is to understand the relationship between the human body and spaces from the perspective of neuroscience applied to architecture, clarifying which principles and techniques can be applied in order to make projects more appropriate for architecture, design and related professionals. From the moment we have a better awareness of who we are, how we tend to react to di<erent stimuli, and have a recognition of the spatial location of our body (kinesthesia), we can better choose the technical and empirical applications in the proposals we make for projects, making more assertive choices. Firstly, we sought to understand what Neuroarchitecture is, its history and its philosophical currents of influence. Next, the aim was to recognize the technological methods and tools used in neuroscience to measure brain activity and human behavioral reactions. In this way, some of the most recent software and hardware technologies implemented in the development of architectural projects with the study of Neuroarchitecture were identified, in addition to understanding the role of the architect in this environment and some expectations for the object studied, with information from interviews with architects applying Neuroarchitecture in their projects. Secondly, based on an understanding of the subject under study, we used some case studies that have already applied neuroarchitectural knowledge and others that have not had a direct application, but because they have the characteristics and principles advocated by the subject under study, they serve as good examples, and thus was developed a research project from an international Neuroarchitecture competition. Finally, final considerations were made, based on all the material worked on in the dissertation, and analysis of the results obtained from a survey carried out with students from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Porto.