Research for the spaces people use

NEURODESIGN is a spatial research practice run by Kesi Shankar. It brings research on attention, rest and sensory experience into decisions about buildings and interiors. A project may begin with a set of drawings, an existing space or a question that needs investigation.

The work connects the brief to relevant studies and to the practical conditions of the project. It develops options, priorities and design recommendations, with the reasoning available for discussion.

Discuss a project

Services

  • Neuroarchitecture

    A review of a space or set of drawings through research on how environments affect people. The work examines the conditions relevant to the brief, such as light, sound, enclosure and circulation, and produces priorities and design recommendations with their supporting sources.

  • Spatial research

    A focused review of a question before a design decision is made. This might concern concentration in an office, rest in a guest room or the experience of a material. The written review brings together relevant findings, explains their applicability and identifies options worth investigating.

  • Interior design

    Development of an interior around the activities it needs to accommodate. Layout, lighting, acoustics and materials are considered together, with attention to the surfaces people touch and the routes they use. The scope and documentation are agreed for the particular project.

  • Creative direction

    A shared design direction for the people developing a project. The work connects the brief to decisions about space, material and presentation, helping collaborators assess proposals against the same intentions.

  • Strategy

    Research and direction for decisions made before detailed design. A written brief can establish occupant needs, compare approaches and identify the evidence relevant to a proposed spatial or wellbeing claim. It gives the next stage a clear question to resolve.

Settings

Residential, hospitality, workplace, retail, cultural and urban environments. The scope is shaped around the question and the people affected by the decision.

When to work together

  • You want to understand how a proposed layout, lighting scheme or material choice relates to the people who will use it.
  • You need a research review or an annotated design brief before committing to an approach.
  • You are investigating a recurring experience in an existing space, such as distraction, poor privacy or difficulty finding the way.
  • You already have a design team and would like a focused research contribution at an early stage.

NEURODESIGN is a small practice. Construction administration, structural engineering, building-services coordination and certification consulting are outside its scope. A project begins by agreeing the question, the required output and how the work fits with the wider team.

Describe your project

Explore the essays or research library to see the subjects and sources informing the practice.