sensory

Light, Play and Possibility - in conversation with Frankie Boyle, experiential light artist

Light, Play and Possibility - in conversation with Frankie Boyle, experiential light artist

Light profoundly impacts our neurological and biological systems through its connection to our evolutionary history. Our brains are fundamentally programmed to respond to moving, dynamic light sources - which is why we're instinctively transfixed by a candle flame. Artificial light, by contrast, has only existed for 180 years, which is essentially nothing in evolutionary time. This means static white lights do little to support our relaxation or psychological connectivity. We speak with Frankie Boyle, light artist extraordinaire who fuses physics, psychology, neuroscience and art.

Frankie’s work is beautiful, a manifestation of the fusion of biophilia and creativity. I love the gorgeous fluidity, the colours, the dance of light and dark, for me experiencing her installations even through the screen feels like you are walking into a song.

As Frankie explains, humans have been interacting with light for 4 billion years, primarily through natural sources like sunlight and fire.

From a neurological perspective, light triggers specific responses in our nervous system that are deeply rooted in survival mechanisms. Our brains are programmed to detect movement because it signals potential hunting opportunities or threats. Different colours and light intensities activate different neurological responses - for instance, vibrant blues are energising and motivating, while sunset tones with yellows and oranges signal relaxation and the end of the day. These light interactions influence our brain's energy allocation. If we design lighting intentionally, we can help encourage the neural resources of anyone experiencing the space to focus on specific tasks, ultimately improving their cognitive performance and emotional well-being.

READ ON AND WATCH THE INTERVIEW…..

Sensory Reactivity

Sensory Reactivity

When we design spaces, we need to consider how beautiful a place looks, how useful it is, is it fit for function and so on. We should also consider how the sensory elements of the space also stack up. In other podcasts and also in the Journal itself, we look at how our senses are impacted by sound, light, smell, even the haptic elements (those things we touch), smell (is the air fresh and clear) and many other things. All of us are affected by the impact our environment has on our senses, some of us more than others.

In this episode, we speak with Dr Keren MacLennan, Assistant Professor in Neurodiversity in the Department of Psychology, Durham University. Her research focuses on understanding how autistic people’s sensory processing differences relate to their mental health and experiences of different environments. She is co-producing research to support mental wellbeing to make environments more enabling for autistic individuals

Creating Positive Spaces with Biophilic Design

Creating Positive Spaces with Biophilic Design

How do we reduce distraction at work? How do we entice our staff back into the office? Why do they need to come in? How can zoning help? What are non-rhythmic sensory stimuli? How can biomorphic shapes help us do our best work? What is the business case for Biophilic Design? These and many other questions are answered in this podcast with Oliver Heath and Tanja Künstler. Oliver is founder of Oliver Heath design, and co-author of a new seminal guide from Interface “Creating Positive Spaces”. Tanja is concept designer for Interface. Between them they share some essential insights from the guide and how, by employing a Biophilic Design and human-centred approach to refreshing our office, we can create a workplace where we we will do our best work.

We have an opportunity right now to rethink how we design the workplace as we bring people back to the office. How we cater for different sensory thresholds of our workforce is a key element in designing better.