Minimal Homes, Maximum Expectations

For many people, searching for a home for the first time is an emotional shock. It is not just a financial decision: it is an unexpected test of what “home” means today. At some point in the process, almost all of us have lived through the same scene. We step into a new flat, followContinueContinue reading “Minimal Homes, Maximum Expectations”

The Urgency of Silence: Why Inner Retreat is the Most Necessary Architecture of the 21st Century

In the 1950s, Dr. Jonas Salk—on the verge of creating the polio vaccine—felt completely paralysed. After years of research, exhaustion and global pressure led to an absolute mental block. Exhausted and confused, he made a radical decision: to travel to the Monastery of Assisi, Italy, the home of Saint Francis. There, amidst silent walls, softContinueContinue reading “The Urgency of Silence: Why Inner Retreat is the Most Necessary Architecture of the 21st Century”

Nature as Therapy: The Brain’s Response

If someone were to ask us to imagine paradise, we would probably picture a place filled with trees, flowers, waterfalls, and beaches. Hardly anyone would think of a concrete jungle. That preference is not accidental: it has deep roots in our brains. Neuroscience shows that our connection with nature stems from a biological need, notContinueContinue reading “Nature as Therapy: The Brain’s Response”

How Does Noise Elevate Your Cortisol? Architecture as a Shield Against Stress.

In a world saturated with stimuli, silence has become a scarce commodity.However, more than a luxury, it is a form of health. Every door slam, every running engine, every plane crossing the sky leaves a mark that we do not always hear, but our nervous system records it. The invisible noise of modern life —constant,ContinueContinue reading “How Does Noise Elevate Your Cortisol? Architecture as a Shield Against Stress.”

Neuroarquitectura: Lecciones del brutalismo

El brutalismo fue más que un estilo de concreto crudo y formas audaces: fue un experimento en la forma de moldear la sociedad a través del diseño. Surgido de la devastación de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, prometía dignidad, eficiencia y equidad en la vivienda y en los espacios públicos. Los edificios se redujeron a loContinueContinue reading “Neuroarquitectura: Lecciones del brutalismo”

Neuroarchitecture: Lessons from Brutalism

Brutalism was more than a style of raw concrete and bold forms—it was an experiment in shaping society through design. Emerging from the devastation of the Second World War, it promised dignity, efficiency, and fairness in housing and public life. Buildings were stripped back to their essentials, constructed in béton brut—raw concrete—without ornament or disguise.ContinueContinue reading “Neuroarchitecture: Lessons from Brutalism”

Brutalism and Social Housing: Utopia, Failure, and Legacy

“Less is boring” Robert Venturi Few architectural projects capture the promise and pitfalls of Brutalism as vividly as Robin Hood Gardens in East London. Designed by Alison and Peter Smithson in the early 1970s, it was conceived as a social experiment: vast concrete blocks connected by “streets in the sky” and centred around a greenContinueContinue reading “Brutalism and Social Housing: Utopia, Failure, and Legacy”

¿Qué podemos aprender de los laberintos para ratas y cómo pueden guiar el diseño urbano y la arquitectura?

¿Alguna vez has visto cómo los científicos diseñan laberintos para ratas? Los científicos utilizan laberintos para estudiar cómo pequeños cambios en el entorno alteran el comportamiento. Los niveles de luz, el ancho de los pasillos o la colocación de una recompensa pueden empujar a un animal hacia la cautela, la curiosidad o el acercamiento. PruebasContinueContinue reading “¿Qué podemos aprender de los laberintos para ratas y cómo pueden guiar el diseño urbano y la arquitectura?”

How Lab Mazes Inform Urban Design

Have you ever seen how scientists design mazes for rats? Scientists use mazes to study how small changes in an environment alter behaviour. Light levels, corridor width, or the placement of a reward can nudge an animal toward caution, curiosity, or approach. Tests such as the Social Interaction Test reveal a simple lesson: environment shapesContinueContinue reading “How Lab Mazes Inform Urban Design”

Designing for Mental Health: Architecture’s Role

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health conditions include mental disorders, psychosocial disabilities, and other emotional states that significantly impair daily functioning or increase the risk of self-harm. The Crisis: Anxiety, Disconnection, and Isolation Alfred, a 90-year-old widower from Wakefield, spent six months in near-total isolation. After losing his wife, his only humanContinueContinue reading “Designing for Mental Health: Architecture’s Role”