Neuroarchitecture is an interdisciplinary field that integrates neuroscience and architecture to study how the physical environment influences the human brain and cognitive functions. Its purpose is to analyze how architectural elements such as spatial height, light, density, and scale affect emotions, patterns of thought, and behavior.
The Ingenium Study Cafe, “Into the Forest,” was designed based on this perspective. Taking poetic imagery such as “the experience of walking along a forest path” and “the act of lingering beneath a tree” as a point of departure, these ideas were translated into a spatial composition defined by verticality and horizontality. This spatial structure functions not merely as a formal device, but as a mechanism that shapes the user’s cognitive state and sensory experience.
According to a study conducted by Kyung Hee University, titled “Brain and Subjective Responses to Indoor Environments Related to Concentration and Creativity,” physical elements such as spatial form, furniture arrangement, color, and ceiling height have a direct impact on neural indicators such as concentration. Even within spaces of identical area, cognitive performance and modes of thinking can vary significantly depending on ceiling height. Relatively low and compressed environments tend to enhance concentration and task performance.
In contrast, higher ceilings function as environments that encourage more expansive and creative thinking. An anecdote about Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine, illustrates this well. During a period of stagnation in his research, he traveled to Italy and reportedly found new inspiration in the space of a classical cathedral. The high ceilings and monumental spatial atmosphere led to a shift in his thinking.
This experience later influenced the design of the Salk Institute, built in California, USA. In collaboration with architect Louis Kahn, Salk requested that the design reflect the idea that the scale and atmosphere of space can influence a researcher’s thinking. The completed institute later became an iconic research environment, producing numerous Nobel Prize winners.
Additionally, a 2008 study by Professor Joan Meyers-Levy at the University of Minnesota confirmed a correlation between ceiling height and thinking styles. High-ceilinged environments were found to promote more expansive and creative thinking, whereas low-ceilinged spaces resulted in higher performance in tasks requiring concentration and precision.
Based on these theories, “Into the Forest” aimed to construct distinct cognitive environments within a single space. Relatively low and compressed areas were designed to induce immersion in learning, while more open and spacious areas were planned to encourage the expansion of thought and sensory stimulation.
Ultimately, this project seeks to go beyond a simple learning space, proposing an environment in which concentration and contemplation, as well as tension and relaxation, coexist in balance.
