The document discusses the principles of neuroergonomics and placemaking in urban design, emphasizing the importance of social interaction and personal comfort in public spaces. It highlights the influence of the physical environment on user behavior, the necessity for context-aware design, and the role of policy in shaping spaces. Additionally, it explores how individual experiences and cultural factors contribute to the meaning and usage of public areas.

1. ISB SUMMER SCHOOL 2013: NEUROERGONOMICS
AND PLACEMAKING
URBAN DESIGN AND
MAKING A SPACE A
PLACE
Menno Cramer and Katie Donaghyg y

2. SPACE TO PLACE
Social Interaction
Social Comfortability
PersonalisationPersonalisation

3. THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
DELIVERS STIMULI WHICH INFLUENCES
USERSUSERS.
Knowledge of this allows for appropriate
design decisionsdesign decisions

4. PLACES SHOULD EVOLVE
NATURALLY AND ORGANICALLY
“sound appreciation of the context of a projectsound appreciation of the context of a project
site or area. This includes its history, its
existing townscape and appearance itsexisting townscape and appearance, its
planning status and its social and economic
role both current and potential The contextrole – both current and potential. The context
should also include the client’s objectives for
the site or area” (Tibbalds 2001 p 20)the site or area” (Tibbalds, 2001, p.20).

5. SYSTEMS THINKING

6. Minton A 2009 Ground Control:Minton, A., 2009. Ground Control:
Fear and Happiness in the twenty-pp y
first-century city.
Today spaces are governed by those who own
the spacesthe spaces
Spaces are constructed for economical profit
d t f thand not for the user

7. Lefebvre, H., 1961. The Social Text.
D i l t bi d ith lt d thDesign elements combined with culture and the
experience of the individual create spaces
(Lefebvre, 1961).

8. De Certeau M 1974 Walking in theDe Certeau, M., 1974. Walking in the
City.
The design of a public space should enhance
social comfortability whereby individuals willsocial comfortability, whereby individuals will
feel more comfortable and will be more likely
t i t t i ll (D C t 1974)to interact socially (De Certeau, 1974).

9. Foucault, M., 1969. Archaeology of
Knowledge.
Governance of Space
Example:
Th P tiThe Panopticon
Natural Surveillance
CCTVCCTV
Perceived Safety

10. Thwaites, K. and Simkins, I., 2007., , ,
Experimental Landscape: an
approach to people place andapproach to people, place and
space.
Assigning labels to places according to whoAssigning labels to places according to who
frequents it and what happens there creates
places hich become their rep tation ratherplaces which become their reputation rather
than existing as a separate entity (Thwaites
d Si ki 2007)and Simkins, 2007).

11. Gehl, J., 2011. Life between
buildings: using public space.buildings: using public space.
It is important to ha e spaces in cities that areIt is important to have spaces in cities that are
on a small scale that people can relate to,
th th thi b i t l f thrather than everything being too large for the
individual to handle and to become a part of
(Jan Gehl, 2011).

12. Policy as a Restriction?
or policy as an opportunity?
o cy as a est ct o
p y pp y

13. POLICY FRAMEWORK
Policy predefines the necessity for certain characteristics to
be present and others not to be, it predefines a margin of
what the built environment will look like subject to
development objectives and funding opportunitiesdevelopment objectives and funding opportunities.
P li d i h d i d d hPolicy drives the way spaces are designed, and the
outcome of that design affects the way people behave
and the subsequent amount of social cohesion whichand the subsequent amount of social cohesion which
can occur.

14. THE USER
The user should be at the center of the design,
it is through the user and their use of spaceg p
that one may create places.
The human is the designers tool - Jan Gehl

15. MAGNETS
Magnets are more than simply landmarks,
because they embody meaning and elicit anbecause they embody meaning and elicit an
emotional response and an action (Carmona
d Ti d ll 2007)and Tiesdell, 2007).

16. MAGNETS

17. SEMIOTICS
Individuals - a part of the production of space
Signs - elements we attach meaning to
Symbols - elements which have meaning
As individuals we rely on familiar signs or symbols to
transfer meaning into a space (Barthes, 1968).
As users of a space we also become subjects and objectsAs users of a space we also become subjects and objects
whereby we may observe the doing of others and others
may observe us, and this creates the social production of
space (Lefebvre, 1961).

18. PSYCHOLOGY
Places are crucially significant in the satisfaction of
biological, social, psychological and cultural needs they
are therefore considered meaningful to the processes ofare therefore considered meaningful to the processes of
self-identity (Aronson, Wilson, and Akert, 2010; Minton,
2009).2009).
As users we seek the confirmation from others that whatAs users we seek the confirmation from others that what
we are doing is socially acceptable (Aronson et al.
2010). Users will therefore seek places to sit or hang on2010). Users will therefore seek places to sit or hang on
the edges of spaces or at other appropriate locations
where they may have a decent view of the space
(Bentley et al., 1985; Gehl, 2001).

19. THE RELATIONSHIP
It is the sum of the physical design of a public space, the
users, their activities, the social and cultural
circumstances which together form a space withcircumstances which together form a space with
meaning (Thwaites and Simkins, 2007).
The experience of a place being influenced by culture will
guide the choices user’s make in spaces through whichguide the choices user s make in spaces, through which
elements of the built environment should reflect diversity
in culture in order to bring people together (Israel, 2003).in culture in order to bring people together (Israel, 2003).

20. Place
Space
Place
Design
SemioticsSemiotics
Sociology PerceptionSociology Perception
Social
Individual
Psychology

21. PSYCHOLOGY
Meyers-Levy, 2007

22. PHYSIOLOGY

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27. CaveCad

28. Neuromarketing

29. Perfection
PhD, ultimate space
task vs environment
user vs nature

30. Study
How the built environment can contribute to the
attenuation of a stress response?
stress:stress:
stimulus content
stimulus valencestimulus valence

34. Sensory stimuli
- Sight/ Perception
- Hearing/ AuditoryHearing/ Auditory
- Smell/ Olfactory
T t / G t t- Taste/ Gustatory
- Feel/ Somatosensory
memory culture nature nurturememory, culture, nature - nurture
psychology, physiology, physically, social,
i tifineuroscientific

35. Brain...
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it
deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the
olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be atolny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at
the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can
sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamnsitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn
mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as
a wlohe.
Urban/architectural samples.Urban/architectural samples.

36. Valence
a - b
You - MeYou Me

37. SOME EXAMPLESSO S

38. HALLE ESQUILLAN
http://www.spp
ef.fr/wp-
content/uloads
2012/11/Fontai
nebleau-
halle8.jpg

39. CHILDREN IN THE BUILT
ENVIRONMENT

40. CHILDREN IN THE BUILT
ENVIRONMENT

41. SHEFFIELD VS MIDDELBURG

42. ARTENA

43. Artena
Familiar place
positive or negative
Reflect on how this feeling emerges.
How to alter this?

44. WORKSHOP
Elements in spaces you are familiar with which
make you feel good?y g
(mood, state, physical, physiological)

45. WORKSHOP
Elements in spaces you are familiar with which
make you feel good?y g
(mood, state, physical, physiological)
What?
Why?

46. WORKSHOP
Decision making - what tools can you use?Decision making what tools can you use?
(conscious, unconscious)

47. WORKSHOP