Designing Spaces for Human Experience

Welcome to the NeuroArchitecture Lab (NAL)

We shape our spaces, and they, in turn, shape human experience. 

Our research investigates how spatial design influences human cognition, emotion, and behavior, focusing on the complex interactions between individuals and their built environments. We recognize that well-designed spaces can enhance human experience, social dynamics, and overall quality of life.

We take a holistic approach to integrating human needs, ecosystems, and sustainability into the design process. Through conceptualization, prototyping, and evaluation, we explore diverse dimensions of spatial design to create environments that go beyond functional requirements, enriching emotional, cognitive, and behavioral experiences. By adopting a human-centered design approach and incorporating sustainable practices, and advanced technologies, we strive to enhance human potential, inspire creativity, and promote harmony with the environment.

Our work emphasizes evidence-based design, leveraging advanced digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR),  Internet of Things (IoT)–based sensing technologies, alongside multimodal psychophysiological measurements, including eye-tracking, electroencephalography (EEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), galvanic skin response (GSR), and electrocardiography (ECG). These approaches enable us to generate biometric data and derive empirical insights into human–environment interactions across diverse spatial contexts.

Through collaboration with multidisciplinary researchers, industry partners, and international institutions, we conduct funded research that addresses real-world challenges. By integrating theoretical frameworks with practical applications, we aim to develop innovative and inclusive spatial design solutions.

We welcome students, researchers, and professionals interested in designing spaces that support neurocognition, behavior, and well-being to join us in advancing a more sustainable and human-centered future.

Join Our Lab | 연구원 및 대학원생 상시 모집 

Lab Members

본 연구실에서는 인간과 공간 환경의 상호작용을 중심으로 디자인 융복합 연구를 함께 수행할 성실하고 열정적인 연구자를 모집합니다.

한국연구재단(NRF)의 지원을 받아 2025년부터 2028년까지 신경건축학  연구과제를 수행중이며, 건축 및 공간 환경이 인간의 인지, 정서, 행동, 정신건강, 웰빙 및 수행능력에 미치는 영향을 연구합니다.

연구 분야 : 신경건축학, 정신건강, 웰빙, 창의성, VR/AR, AI·IoT 기반 지능형 공간디자인, 시선추적(Eye-Tracking), fNIRS·EEG·GSR·HRV 기반 생체신호 분석

모집 대상:  박사·석사과정 진학 희망자, 학부연구생 및 연구 인턴, NRF 연구과제 참여 희망자

전공에 관계없이 지원할 수 있으며, 디자인 비전공자와 외국인 지원자도 환영합니다. 지원 희망자는 CV와 간단한 자기소개서를 ny.kim@catholic.ac.kr로 보내주시기 바랍니다.

*연구실 참여 조건 및 구체적인 연구 주제는 사전 면담(온라인/오프라인)을 통해 맞춤형으로 협의 가능하니 부담 없이 문의해주시기 바랍니다.

Publications

May 2026 | New Publication

The recent study, “Attention Restoration and Mental Imagery in Direct and Indirect Biophilic VR Retail Environments: An Eye-Tracking Study,” was published in the International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction. This study examines how biophilic design cues in VR retail environments influence visual attention, restorative experience, and mental imagery. [View Publication ]

News & Announcements

Oct 2026 | International Conference of fNIRS 2026, Macau, China

Our study, “Neurocognition and Creativity in a Spatial Augmented Reality Biophilic Room,” will be presented at fNIRS 2026. [fNIRS2026 website]

July 2026 | International Conference on Design Computing and Cognition (DCC'26), Paris, France

Our research group presented two studies on creativity, biophilic environments, and AI-generated hospital design at DCC’26:  (i) Measuring Creativity Across Natural, Biophilic Built, and Spatially Augmented Environments and (ii) AI-Generated Hospital Room Design within an Environment-Based Design Framework. [DCC'26 website]

# Spatial Design, #Human Centered Design,  # Life Centered Design, # Evidence-Based Design, #Spatial UX #Design Methdology, # Design Process,  # Interior Architecture, # Environmental  Analysis, #Bio-Inspired Design, # WELL Building Standard,  # Sustainability, # Mental Health,  # Creativity, # Well-being,  #Environmental Psychology,  # Design Neurocognition,  # NeuroArchitecture,  #NeuroDesign, # NeuroMarketing,  # Human Behavior,  # Biometrics,  # Eyetracking, # EEG, # fNIRS, #Brain-Computer Interction, # Virtual Reality (VR), #Augmented Reality (AR),  # Artificial Intelligence (AI)