A new global initiative is redefining how we design for human health and wellbeing. Field tools, commissioned by Thermengruppe Josef Wund and led by the International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics (IAM Lab) at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in collaboration with innovation consultancy White Mirror, the project, Intentional Spaces: The Power of Place, offer new knowledge on how sensory design can measurably enhance emotional, cognitive, and physical wellbeing.
Rooted in neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, architecture, and the arts, the initiative is contributing to a new field of applied research and practice: neuroarchitecture, the study of how the environments we design actively shape how we feel, function, and flourish.
The initial launch of this multi-year effort structured across three main publications — Roadmap, Foundations, and A Day in the Life. The Roadmap provides a comprehensive strategic plan to build the field. Foundations and A Day in the Life translate research into real-world applications for design, policy, and community planning. The visual storytelling and design language of the report were developed in collaboration with The Future Laboratory, one of the world’s leading foresight and strategic consultancy studios. Known for translating cultural insight into compelling narratives and visual systems, The Future Laboratory brought the research to life through editorial design, strategic framing, and visual direction, ensuring the findings are as engaging as they are impactful.
The Roadmap will be released later this year. It includes strategic recommendations, pilot frameworks, and implementation pathways to help architects, policymakers, and developers apply evidence-based design principles that reduce stress, improve cognition, and enhance human potential.
Foundations and A Day in the Life , commissioned by Thermengruppe Josef Wund, are available now. This work was developed by the IAM Lab’s research team who conducted a qualitative study interviewing leading global experts in light, sound, haptics, architecture, and spatial design.
“At Thermengruppe Josef Wund, we’ve always believed that our spaces can do more than relax — they can heal, inspire and connect,” says Franz Hofstetter, Chief Information Officer at Thermengruppe Josef Wund.“ Through this partnership with Johns Hopkins and White Mirror, we’re moving from intuition to evidence. Together, we’re exploring how sensory design can become a powerful, measurable tool for wellbeing.”
Toward a sensory design playbook
The initiative builds on the momentum of the Intentional Spaces Summit, held at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C., which convened over 300 global leaders in architecture, neuroscience, and design to shape a shared roadmap for the field.
“Everything is an aesthetic experience — the cities we traverse, the rooms in which we live and work, and the sounds, sights, and smells we encounter throughout our day all impact how we feel.” says Susan Magsamen, Founder and Executive Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics. “Through collaborations like this one with Thermengruppe Josef Wund and White Mirror, we’re moving from theory to transformation.”
Findings from the multi-year study will inform the development of a Sensory Design Playbook. A practical framework for designers, architects, and policymakers to integrate neuroaesthetic evidence into future environments. The Playbook aims to establish measurable design principles linking sensory input with emotional regulation, cognitive clarity, and physiological wellbeing. It will also serve as a toolkit for evaluating impact, helping to translate neuroscience into actionable standards for the built environment.
“We are the products of our environments. The world we design is actively designing us back,” adds Ramy Elnagar, Co-Founder of White Mirror. “This partnership represents a pivotal step toward creating spaces that don’t just look beautiful, but that regulate the nervous system and foster human connection. It’s the beginning of a new design paradigm, one where architecture functions as medicine.”
