Natural sciences as basic research for urban planning and architecture, this idea is not new, but still not widespread. The goal is to find out how people perceive and navigate their urban environment. The conclusion: fractal design, that is, structured differently and similar to nature, promotes physical and mental well-being in a measurable way. The researchers therefore call for this knowledge to be incorporated into urban planning decisions in a targeted way.
Millions of tourists come to Barcelona every year, not least to stroll along the “Las Ramblas” promenade, often praised as the most beautiful street in the world. What makes this street so special, what makes it so desirable to walk along it and let your gaze wander from the facades and trees to the cafes and shops?
Aenne Brielmann of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen and her interdisciplinary research team also asked this question and found comprehensive answers. “Up to now, urban planning and architecture have largely operated independently of scientific knowledge. But now we know a lot about how people perceive their environment and we could also use this knowledge in a targeted way, “she explains, explaining the rationale for her study of her.
Neuroscience and mathematics for urban planning
The researchers deliberately avoided using questionnaires in their surveys, as respondents might rate the buildings as pleasant and beautiful due to their characteristics, because their understanding of art or their familiarity with today’s cities could influence the responses. Brielmann and his colleagues are much more interested in which preferences are innate and biologically determined. They use mathematical and neuroscientific methods to do this. “Eye-tracking, for example, is a wonderful tool for making architectural and urban planning decisions based on solid information,” says Brielmann. “We measure where people look the most. The direction of the gaze is usually a key indicator of what we are focusing our attention on. If we ask ourselves, for example, if people can orient themselves well at Frankfurt airport, then we first need to know if they are also looking in the direction of the signals, “says the scientist.
The direction of the gaze also indicates preferences and sympathy: “Even with very young children, we can see that they direct their gaze towards pleasant objects and even align their bodies with these objects,” explains Brielmann. This also guides the steps on a beautiful street like “Las Ramblas”: the subsequent visual cues encourage movement because the walker is always presented with new attractive destinations. At the same time, tension and stress are reduced.
Fractal patterns copied from nature
The team also has insights into what makes a building or street attractive in detail – what looks like nature is perceived as pleasant by people. This doesn’t just mean that integrating natural elements like sunlight, water and plants has a positive effect on the urban experience. More abstract principles can also be copied from nature: “Take a tree, for example: the structure of a branch resembles that of the whole tree, and this pattern repeats itself in the tree in smaller and smaller forms. In other words, the ‘tree is fractal and that makes it visually stimulating, ”says Brielmann. Humans also enjoyed fractal designs in architecture. “The more fractal, ie small-scale, patterns a facade offers, the more likely our eyes are drawn to it. Most traditional architectural styles incorporate fractal elements, but a concrete or glass facade has nothing to offer our eyes, it’s kind of invisible to us, “she explains.
The researchers therefore call for a prudent use of the principles of modernist design. According to Brielmann, architecture is not only subject to artistic criteria: “Whoever goes to a museum decides to look at art, but when it comes to architecture we have no choice. Architects must realize that they also build for the vast majority of people who are not architects. And we care about their well-being, “the researcher emphasizes.