32 REFLEXION | 2021-22 | AIA Utah space, the negative consequences to our cognitive functions cannot be stressed enough. Dr. Groh goes further, remarking that “such studies suggest that mental representations for space are not merely co-opted from the sensory and motor domains, but that those domains may, in turn, shape thinking in the abstract domain.” She adds: “The implication of this is that perhaps many aspects of our ability to think and reason may be shaped by the nature of the neural “wetware” (pathways) that originally evolved in the context of sensory and motor processing.”12 Visual stimulus also engages the spatial maps in the visual cortex. Photo by Joshua Parle, Unsplash. Therefore, if our brain acquired its neural complexity in direct response to the natural environment that enveloped our earlier psycho-physiological experience on Earth, it’s no wonder that our sense of time has a direct correspondence to the space we occupy. Restoring the deep floor plate Given the long life of our commercial building stock, multisensory illusions represent an economically viable and research-verified approach to mitigate the deleterious impact of enclosed interiors. Multisensory illusions make it possible to simulate a perceived zenith and horizon line within limited structural space. These two fundamental biophilic spatial relationships can extend the interior zenith from the ceiling plane to a much more distant perceived zenith beyond the building’s roof while, at the same time, extend the interior horizon line from interior walls to a much more distant perceived horizon line beyond the building’s urban footprint. Perhaps, using perceived spatial components inherent in optical illusions, we can capitalize on the cognitive malleability of our body schema to restore the wideopen, natural space that our psycho-physiology requires for optimal performance and health, despite the general spatial compression that our urban centers forecast in the next few decades. Published research on Open Sky Compositions found evidence of multisensory neural engagement. The multidisciplinary realm of illusions of nature represents a new cognitive Biophilia. An architectural design framework based at the root of human perception would represent an advanced, research-based approach that gives weight to the restorative impact of perceived open space to mitigate the deleterious impact of buildings that will be in operation in the mid-21st century. The first signs of a rising awareness are emerging. Among design creatives, informed clients, and commercial real estate managers, cognitive Biophilia is being used to redress the single biggest harm that deep-plan buildings affect captive populations: an absence of nature and self. In an era where staff burnout is rampant, particularly in healthcare, the urgent call to enhance occupant wellness in highly artificial and isolated interiors requires researchverified, biophilic design solutions. b David A Navarrete is the director of research initiatives and accredited education at Sky Factory. He’s a member of The Center for Education (ACE) at the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA) and a fellow at The Centre for Conscious Design. He and Bill have coauthored articles on Cognitive Biophilia to diverse publications, including Conscious Cities Journal and Conscious Cities Anthology (2018, 2020), Radiology Today, Salus Global Journal, and Work/Design magazine. Bill Witherspoon is the founder and Chief Designer at Sky Factory, Inc. Sky Factory’s published, peer-reviewed research has earned multiple awards, including the International Academy of Design & Health, Planetree International, and the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA). References (Continued From Part 1) 9Mallgrave, Henry F (2015). What designers can learn from the contemporary biological sciences. In Robinson, S and Pallasmaa, J (eds.), Mind in Architecture. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ch. 1, p.21. 10 Groh, J (2014). Making Space, How the Brain Knows Where Things Are. Cambridge, Massachusetts, The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Ch. 9, p189. 11 Groh, J (2014). Making Space, How the Brain Knows Where Things Are. Cambridge, Massachusetts, The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Ch. 9, p207. 12 Groh, J (2014). Making Space, How the Brain Knows Where Things Are. Cambridge, Massachusetts, The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Ch. 9, p210. — continued from page 31 Unique activation of the cerebellum Left: Peer-reviewed research on Sky Factory’s Open Sky Compositions™ earned the Best International Research Project of 2014 at the Design & Health International Academy Awards held in Toronto. Image courtesy of Texas Tech Neuroimaging Institute.
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