presents

Mind - Body - Space

Global Symposium

NEUROSCIENCE + ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

applied to

Architecture

JOIN US

© Josh Krancer

presents

Mind Body Space

Global Symposium

NEUROSCIENCE+ ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

applied to

Architecture

JOIN US

© Josh Krancer

BARCELONA

JUNE 30 – JULY 04 | SUMMER 2025

We have experienced a transformative five-day event featuring exclusive lectures, immersive excursions, and unparalleled networking opportunities with global leaders in evidence-based and holistic design. We have rethought architecture together – where science meets creativity to design a better future.

Last summer, researchers, architects, and designers joined for an unforgettable journey exploring the intersections of neuroscience, psychology, and architecture. Together, we have:

  • Rethought the role of architecture in shaping well-being.
  • Bridged the gap between scientific insights and practical design principles.
  • Learned to reconnect with nature through innovative, biophilic practices.
  • And formulated a common mission to build spaces that inspire future generations.

We have experienced a unique mix of cutting-edge science, creative solutions, and community engagement in one of the world’s most inspiring architectural cities: Barcelona.

CO-ORGANIZERS

SPONSORS AND ALLIANCES

Programme

topics: neuro-physiology | neuro-aesthetics | environmental psychology | Biophilia | Salutogenesis | Holistic Design | Therapeutic Architecture | Responsive Design | Bio-based building

Starting date

Monday 30th of June

End date

Friday 4th of July

Location

Central Barcelona

Venue

Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site

early-bird ticket (Sold out)

€575

Regular ticket
(sold out)

€750

advance
ticket

€975

TICKETS

*Scholarship AND sPONSOR TICKETS options availablE FROM €375 (sold out)

organizer

Office for the New Earth

Non-Profit Design & Construct

A Harmonious Blend of Lectures, Discussions, and Excursions

The symposium offered a thoughtfully curated program focused on neuroscience and environmental psychology, exploring their transformative applications in architecture. Five visionary keynote speakers, joined by select guest experts, have shared interdisciplinary insights into the following topics:

  • Neurophysiology
  • Neuro-aesthetics
  • Environmental Psychology
  • Biophilia
  • Holistic Design
  • Therapeutic Architecture
  • Responsive Design
  • Bio-based Building

The program has translated these insights into practical, evidence-based design principles that architects can use to craft spaces that are visually inspiring, emotionally engaging, and holistically supportive of well-being. Additionally, we deepened our understanding of the aesthetics of healing environments – spaces designed to elevate neural responses and foster a profound sense of connection.

Daily Structure:

  • Mornings: Inspiring keynote presentations and academic discussions led by global leaders in evidence-based design.
  • Afternoons: Immersive excursions throughout Barcelona, offering hands-on exploration of iconic architecture and group activities tied to the day’s themes.
TICKETS

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Shaping the Future of Design

  • Monday, June 30: Neurophysiology in Space with Cleo Valentine
  • Tuesday, July 1: Environmental Psychology with Colin Ellard
  • Wednesday, July 2: Designing for Well-being with Tye Farrow
  • Thursday, July 3: Patterns of Biophilia with William Browning
  • Friday, July 4: Holistic Architecture with Ulrika Stigsdotter

This unique balance of lectures, discussions, and excursions ensures participants has left us equipped to redefine the future of evidence-based architecture. 

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Shaping the Future of Design

  • Monday, June 30: Neurophysiology in Space with Cleo Valentine
  • Tuesday, July 1: Environmental Psychology with Colin Ellard
  • Wednesday, July 2: Designing for Well-being with Tye Farrow
  • Thursday, July 3: Patterns of Biophilia with William Browning
  • Friday, July 4: Holistic Architecture with Ulrika Stigsdotter

This unique balance of lectures, discussions, and excursions ensures participants leave equipped to redefine the future of evidence-based architecture. 

Cleo Valentine
Researcher in Architectural Neuroimmunology
Cleo Valentine
Cleo Valentine is a doctoral candidate at the University of Cambridge, jointly supervised by the Department of Architecture and the Computational Neuroscience Group. She is the Senior Research and Innovation Lead at the new Research Institute of Sweden / UCL Centre for NeuroArchitecture and Design. Her research examines the impact of architectural form on neuroimmunology, focusing on the relationship between biomorphic design, architectural form, and neuroinflammation. Cleo collaborates with Heatherwick Studio, is an affiliated researcher at UCL Spatial Cognition Lab and MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning, and serves as a Visiting Researcher at the Cambridge Design Engineering Centre. She also lectures on neuroscience and architecture at Politecnico di Milano. She is currently undertaking a fellowship in public health at Harvard to further her work on environmental stimuli and human health.
Colin Ellard
Neuroscientist | Environmental Psychologist
Colin Ellard
Colin Ellard is a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Waterloo and director of its Urban Realities Laboratory, which conducts studies of the human relationship with spaces and places at all scales from room interiors to urban streetscapes. Ellard is a founder and world leader of the new discipline of Neuroarchitecture and one of the world’s leading experts on the psychology and neuroscience of urban design. As well as his academic work, Ellard consults with governments, museums, architects, and corporations to help find ways to build better places using what is known of the human brain. Ellard has published two successful books on these topics— You Are Here, which explores the human ability to find our way and Places of the Heart, a much-praised account of the human psychological and neurological relationship with place.
Tye Farrow
Holistic Architect
Tye Farrow
Working at the intersection of architecture and neuroscience, Tye is a world-recognized pioneer in tackling how our built environments either give or cause health. The first Canadian architect to earn a Master of Neuroscience Applied to Architecture, he is a much sought-after speaker, having presented to respected organizations in over forty-five cities on six continents. In his first, best-selling book, published by University of Toronto Press, titled Constructing Health: How the Built Environment Enhances Your Mind’s Health, Tye explores the relationship between placemaking, mind health, and human performance, at the intersection of neuroscience and architecture.
William Browning
Partner at Terrapin Bright Green
William Browning
William Browning, is the Managing Partner in Terrapin Bright Green, an environmental strategies research and consulting firm. Browning’s clients include Disney, New Songdo City, Lucasfilm, Google, Marriott, Bank of America, Salesforce, the Inn of the Anasazi, the White House, and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Village. Browning was a founding member of the USGBC Board of Directors. He began research in human productivity/wellbeing and green buildings in the 1990s at Rocky Mountain Institute and is co-author of Greening the Building and the Bottom Line (1994), The Economics of Biophilia (2012), 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design (2014), Human Spaces 2.0 Biophilic Design in Hospitality (2017) and Nature Inside, A Biophilic Design Guide (2020). His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Elle Popular Science, and in segments by NPR, Reuters, CNN, and PBS.
Ulrika Stigsdotter
Professor of Landscape Architecture
Ulrika Stigsdotter
Ulrika is a professor of landscape architecture, and head and founder of the interdisciplinary research group ‘Nature, Health & Design’ at the University of Copenhagen. For 25 years, she has conducted research on the relationship between design, human health and nature exposure. Much of her research has an applied perspective and has its foundation in Evidence-Based Health Design in Landscape architecture, for which she has developed and validated a process model – the EBHDL process model. She is responsible for, and head designer of, a full-scale outdoor laboratory called ‘Nature, Health & Design Lab’, consisting of three projects, Nacadia® therapy garden, Octovia® health forest and Move Green, a health promoting and accessible forest trail for all.

VENUE: Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site

An ambiance of lasting inspiration

Our symposium has taken place in the breathtaking Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site, a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture in the heart of Barcelona.

Originally built as a hospital, this venue embodies the principles of healing design through its abundant natural light, organic patterns, and thoughtful use of materials. It’s been the perfect setting to explore the transformative potential of evidence-based and biophilic architecture.

Schedule

Monday

Neurophysiology
in Space

Tuesday

Environmental Psychology

Wednesday

From Science to Architecture

Thursday

Design for Human Nature

Friday

Holistic Design & Integration

Cleo Valentine

Keynote Presentation on topic of the day.

Colin Ellard

Keynote Presentation on topic of the day.

Tye Farrow

Keynote Presentation on topic of the day.

Bill Browning

Keynote Presentation on topic of the day.

Ulrika Stigsdotter

Keynote Presentation on topic of the day.

Morning Program:
9:00 – 13:00
At Sant Pau

Sophie Schuller

Topic to be announced

Sally Augustin

Environmental psychology

Xander Cadisch

Lighting Design

Office for the New Earth

Universal Human Qualities

Carey van der Zalm

Healing Architecture

Maria Araya

Topic to be announced

Callie van der Merwe

Envirohacking

Parul Minhas

Topic to be announced

Gijs Bruggink

Topic to be announced

Chloe Piper

Trauma informed design

Komagal Anupama

Courthouses in India & Spain

Jonas Kjellander

Lighting Design

Andrea de Paiva

Neuroarchitecture applied 

Claudia Kappl-Joy

Topic to be announced

Rick Joy

Topic to be announced

panel discussion:

panel discussion:

panel discussion:

panel discussion:

panel discussion:

BREAK: 13:00 – 14:30

 

 

 

 

Afternoon Program:
14:30 – 18:30

Juan Luis Higuera-Trujillo

Building Bridges Between Science and Design

Excursion:

Sagrada Família

Excursion:

Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau

Alba Méndez

Sustainable Transformation

Round Table

Integration of science and architecture.
Panel members to be announced.

Optional
Excursions

Optional
Excursions

Integration workshops by:

– Nuria Muñoz Arce
– Natali Ghawi
– Lena Maria Janssen
– Valentina Fesenko
– Robert de Paauw

Round Table

Conclusions and Future Challenges with
Keynote speakers

EVENING: 18:30 – 22:00

Welcoming drinks and buffet

At SIMON

Closing drinks and networking

At SIMON

TICKETS (SOLD OUT)

live in Barcelona

Monday 30th of June - Friday 4th of July

Name(Required)
Country of residence(Required)
Ticket

Discount ticket for students and employees from sponsoring companies. Company email address required.

Discount for people in the Habitarmonia and NeuroAU ecosystem. Proof of membership is required.

Full program access, including lectures, excursions, dinner, and materials.

Support our mission and VIP benefits: incl. half a page in our brochure & front-row seating.

Available for approved guest speakers and registered neuroscience students.

*If payment doesn’t work or you require a manual bank transfer, please email symposium@new-earth.one.
Consent(Required)

Name(Required)
Country of residence(Required)
Ticket
* Every ticket gives access to the full program including all lectures, excursions, welcome dinner and course material. Habitarmonia | NeuroAU ticket is a special ticket for people connected to both ecosystems. After purchase a proof of membership is required. With a sponsorship ticket a company email address is required.
** Support our cause with an extra contribution to our non-profit. Enjoy a special place at the table and front-row seats.
*** Available for approved guest speakers and registered neuroscience students.
*If payment doesn’t work or you require a manual bank transfer, please email symposium@new-earth.one.
Consent(Required)

SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE

APPLY TO BECOME A GUEST SPEAKER

*We highly recommend buying a ticket before applying to secure a spot at the symposium

We have invited guest experts to present alongside our keynote speakers. This was tyheir chance to share your ideas with a global audience of architects and researchers.

Application Requirements:

  • Submit a 250-word abstract (topics must align with the symposium’s focus).
  • Include 5 keywords and supporting visuals (images or graphs).

Topics of Interest: Neurophysiology, Neuro-aesthetics, Environmental Psychology, Biophilia, Holistic Design, Therapeutic Architecture, Responsive Design, Bio-based Building

Deadline: February 28, 2025
Submit to: symposium@new-earth.one

Let your voice shape the future of architecture and well-being!

Follow us

Stay inspired with our latest posts leading to the event

Facebook Linkedin Instagram

about the organiser

Creating Spaces That Heal

Office for the New Earth (ONE) is a non-profit design and construction practice based in the Netherlands. Over the last three years, ONE has pioneered therapeutic spaces for children in refugee camps across Europe.

By applying principles from environmental psychology and neuro-aesthetics, ONE transforms trauma-driven environments into nurturing spaces where children can play, learn, and heal.

When you attend the Mind-Body-Space Symposium, you directly support ONE’s mission to create healing architecture for children in the world’s most vulnerable communities.

ONE's homepage

Meet Dr. Sally Augustin

Our science advisor for the symposium

Dr. Sally Augustin is a prominent environmental psychologist and the Director of Research at IA Interior Architects. With expertise in applying neuroscience to design, she creates strategies to improve cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes in spaces, objects, and services. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and co-editor of The Science of People and Office Design (2025). 


Dr. Augustin has been featured in major publications like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and has leadership roles in organizations such as the Transdisciplinary Workplace Research Network and the Environmental Design Research Association. A sought-after speaker, she has appeared on national television and radio in various countries. She is the author of Designology (2019), Place Advantage (2009), and co-author of The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research (2012).

Organising committee

Michaël Vrijhof

Architectural Engineer | Executive Director

Office for the New Earth

Michaël Vrijhof is a humanitarian architect and artist, specializing in the psychological and physiological impact of architecture on our well-being. With his NGO – Office for the New Earth (ONE), he designs and builds architectural interventions in refugee camps, specifically addressing the emotional and developmental needs of displaced children. Throughout his work and studies, he has been developing various evidence-based design tools and principles from the field of Neuro-aesthetics & Environmental psychology. Today he is applying these in creating therapeutic healing spaces, so that children feel more relaxed, nurtured in their curiosity, and feel room to expand their imagination. 

June Jordaan

PhD | Senior Lecturer in Architecture

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

June is an Architect and Senior Lecturer from Cape Town. She practiced architecture in Amsterdam, Mauritius, and Cape town before joining academia in 2010. Her PhD focused on the contemporary  application of phenomenology to architecture. Her subsequent research has focused on placemaking, architecture and the everyday, and spaces of witchcraft. She has presented research in Japan, Hongkong, Chandigarh, Prague, Oxford and Cape Town and has been a visiting scholar at the University of Tokyo and Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Her research and work on numerous conference steering committees has led her on the path of becoming increasingly interested in the intersections of architecture and neuroscience.  

Rachel Duggan

Programme Coordinator

MSc Psychology, BSc Neuroscience

Rachel is a neuropsychology specialist and environmental design advocate, blending her expertise in neuroscience (BSc) and psychology (MSc) with a passion for creating therapeutic spaces. As a key contributor to Office for the New Earth (ONE), she co-authored its pioneering Research Framework, which explores the integration of neuroaesthetic principles and environmental psychology in healing architecture. Rachel presented at EDRA55 on Temple of the Golden Trees, a case study exemplifying ONE’s approach to designing spaces that nurture community and wellbeing. Her work underscores the transformative power of design in fostering human connection, emotional healing, and resilience through intentional architectural practices.

Niels Hofstee

Structural Engineer | Co-founder

Office for the New Earth

Niels Hofstee is a visionary structural engineer and Co-founder of Office for the New Earth. While working for pioneering engineering firms (such as Summum Engineering), he embodied a mission is transform his industry developing tools for parametric and responsive design that liberate the design process for the sake of elevating Well-being. Through apps such as Grasshopper and Karamba, he is able to engineer organic and novel structures, making him a leader in the creation of novel aesthetics in Biophilic, Biomorphic and Bio-based design. Driven by his heart, he now designs and builds fantastic structures for children that trigger playfulness and expand the imagination.

Nuria Muñoz Arce

Design Consultant | Founder

Habitarmonia Ecosystem and Academy

Nuria Muñoz Arce is an award-winning biophilic design and well-being consultant, founder of the Habitarmonia Ecosystem and Academy, and a visionary educator transforming the built environment. Specializing in integrating sustainability and well-being into architecture, her innovative interior design projects have earned her prestigious recognition. Through initiatives like her 12-week Biophilic Design course and Collective Harmonia Masterminds, she empowers architects and designers to create nature-connected, health-focused spaces. Passionate about opening minds to new perspectives, Nuria combines theory and practical strategies to help professionals craft meaningful, impactful designs that enhance both human and environmental well-being.

Alba Méndez García

Architect | MBA graduate

Founder of Qualia Estudio

Alba Méndez García (Santiago de Compostela, 1983) is an architect specialized in Neuroarchitecture and an MBA graduate, founder and CEO of Qualia Estudio. She trained at UPC-ETSAB (2008) and worked at the studio of Lluís Clotet and Ignacio Paricio. In 2012, she founded her own studio, which evolved into Qualia Estudio in 2022, focusing on applied research in neuroarchitecture. With an MBA from ESADE and a Master’s in Applied Neurosciences (IUAV, 2020), she combines human-centered design with scientific advancements. She co-directs academic programs like the official Master’s in Neuroarchitecture in Alicante, striving to transform architecture into a tool for societal and human well-being.

Voluntary assistance

Dominique Gentillon Molina

Graphic Designer | Interior Designer

Founder Studio Nalca

Dominique Gentillon is a driven multitalent designer crafting sensory, nurturing spaces across South-America and Europe. With 15 years experience, she reconnects people to their essence, promoting healing and thriving through holistic, nature-inspired, and sustainable design. As a Habitarmonia BD trainer, she empowers and helps professionals to create their own harmonious havens.

ONE fundation Office for the New Earth
  • Stichting Office for the New Earth
  • Oudewand 57
  • 7201LK Zutphen
  • The Netherlands
  • Kvk nr | 85377929
    BTW | NL863603403B01
  • RSIN | 863603403
  • symposium@new-earth.one
Facebook Linkedin Instagram

Privacy policy         Cookie policy

© Stichting Office for the New Earth – Nederland | 2022