Design Driven by Sensory Perceptive Variability

Fear, anxiety, and stress of perceived or real threats of ailment, unemployment, lack of physical contacts and isolation, and movement restrictions leading to remote work and education are some of the new realities arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. New and exacerbated existing mental and physical health concerns are crucial when rethinking living spaces. This paper presents the design concept for an architectural “intelligent” system that will adapt to the user. It will generate, in real time, variable “affective environments” by manipulating space perceptual parameters in order to accommodate a user’s wants, needs, and desires. Machine Learning (ML) provides the data that drives perceptual variability. The concept can be applied in healthcare (e.g., recovery rooms, care units) where sensory stimulation is key to treatment.