Buildings affect our brains. We spend lots of time inside buildings, and scientists are learning that these buildings can affect how we feel and think. People are studying this more and more, and architects are teaming up with experts to make buildings that make us feel good.
Understanding How Places Change Us
Architects and scientists are figuring out how the places we’re in can change how well we do things. Even though they’re still studying it, they’re finding out that certain places might be really good for our brains. Some studies with animals like us show that being in a special place can help our brains work better.
What Makes a Good Place for Our Brain?
A good place for our brains has four important things: it helps our bodies move, it challenges our minds, it uses our senses, and it lets us be with other people. These things have always been important for humans. But if we’re in a place that doesn’t have these things, it can make our brains not work as well. This might make it hard to do things when we get older.
Why It’s Important to Know This
Understanding how buildings and our brains connect is super important. For example, think about a special building in Italy. It made Jonas Salk think of something important, and he found something to help people who were sick. This tells us that buildings can really change how we act and feel.
Making Places that Help Us
So, how can buildings help us feel better and think of new things? Well, thinking of new things is called being creative, and it’s linked to a few things:
Thinking Skills: When we have just enough to think about, it helps us be creative. But if we have too much or too little to think about, it doesn’t work well.
Having Fun and Being with Others: Being creative is easier when we can choose who we want to be with and where we want to go.
Seeing Both Sides: Picking between different ideas helps us see things that others might not.
New Things: Being around new stuff helps us think of new ideas and talk to others more.
Creating Spaces for Buildings Affect Our Brains
To be creative, the places we’re in should let us look at what’s around us and also think about our own ideas. These places should have lots of things to do, see, think about, and do with other people. They should also be places that help our bodies move and make our minds work harder.
When we’re in places that make us move and think, it helps our brains be better at learning and coming up with new ideas. So, architects are trying to make more buildings that are good for our brains. That way, we can feel happy, learn more, and think of cool new things!
