Cross-Modal Interior Architecture. A Behavioural Neuroscience Framework for Spatial Design

Based on a transdisciplinary convergence of behavioral neuroscience, interior architecture, and spatial design, this book responds to the increasingly widespread call for an organism-centered approach to the built environment; an approach that is attentive to, and fully consistent with, the complex web of psychological, emotional, and social needs that define human life. It does so by weaving together scientific research, design practice, and experiential insight, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding and shaping spaces that foster both individual well-being and collective harmony. Human perception, in its most ordinary yet profound form, is inherently multisensory—the outcome of automatic, spontaneous, and often unavoidable mental processes. Every moment of spatial experience is shaped by a complex interplay of visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and proprioceptive cues, all of which are processed in overlapping neural pathways. When design succeeds in orchestrating these multisensory signals so that they remain coherent and mutually reinforcing, the brain can integrate and interpret them with greater fluency. This, in turn, generates a state in which aesthetics and comfort merge seamlessly, producing an enhanced cognitive and emotional experience. Such an experience does not simply delight the senses; it actively shapes aesthetic preferences, affects mood regulation, and exerts a measurable influence on the decisions we make in and about our environments. This book is intended as both a scholarly resource and a practical guide. Researchers will find conceptual frameworks that open new lines of inquiry; designers and practitioners will discover actionable strategies for translating perceptual and neuroscientific insights into tangible design interventions. In doing so, the work supports the improvement of livability in both new constructions and adaptive reuse of existing spaces, broadens the scope of individual well-being, and strengthens the human-habitat relationship in meaningful, measurable ways. Enriching the design culture with such knowledge offers powerful opportunities. It enables the creative reimagining and adaptive reuse of abandoned architectures and neglected interiors, transforming them into immersive, engaging environments that resonate with the natural associations our brains make between sensory modalities. This process not only enhances aesthetic, emotional, and cognitive perceptions but also deepens people’s sense of connection to place. It encourages designers to treat sensory interplay not as an incidental by-product but as a deliberate, shaped quality of space. Ultimately, this approach: • Encourages the design culture to intentionally engage with the brain’s natural cross-modal associations between different sensory inputs. • Provides a robust methodological and conceptual toolkit for transforming underused or abandoned spaces into multi-layered, immersive, and emotionally compelling experiences. • Expands our understanding of the environment, fostering deeper interaction with places, and cultivating enduring feelings of balance, belonging, and well-being