What is Designfulness (Design x Neuroscience)?

Hello, this is Yano from Greenwich Daikanyama.

Today, I would like to introduce a book called " Designfulness ," which has just arrived at our Daikanyama store . This book is developed from the perspective of "design x neuroscience."

Having plants in the office reduces stress

-Round furniture makes people more sociable

・Factors such as background music, scent, affection level, and width of sidewalks increase the lifespan

・Patients recover faster in hospitals with beautiful views from their windows

Designing environments that encourage access to nature can strengthen immune function and reduce the risk of mental illness

Etc. Did you know that these things have been scientifically proven?

Author Isabel Schoevall recognizes that the environment has a profound influence on people's feelings and behavior, as well as their physical and mental health, and is passionate about spreading knowledge about "design and architecture that promotes health and happiness."

In the book, she argues that "we can promote physical and mental health by constructing, architecting and designing the spaces we live in based on scientifically proven data."

Today I would like to introduce some of them.

-Hygge makes you happy (from Chapter 2)-

The word "hygge," which is often used in Denmark, originated in Norway. I'm sure many people in Japan have heard of it at least once.

"Hygge" refers to a "warm, cozy, relaxing, homely atmosphere," as illustrated in this book.

The following research results have been obtained by introducing a hygge environment into the medical field.

・Increases the mother's sense of happiness, leading to a calmer birth

-Reduces recovery time for patients

- The patient's family members also feel more comfortable and tend to stay longer when they come to visit, which has a positive effect on the patient.

The change in the interior design of the hospital accelerated the healing process and increased recovery. Oxytocin, also known as the "happiness hormone," was involved in this.

When humans are in a warm environment, oxytocin is released, which makes them feel relaxed. Oxytocin is said to reduce stress, have anti-inflammatory effects, and strengthen the immune system.

It would be great to create a hygge atmosphere in your home, too. So how do you go about doing so?

One is to choose lighting that emits soft and warm light. Another is to choose items made of light-colored wood that evoke nature. Another is to choose calm colors for the walls that are not reflective.

(These are just some examples, and what constitutes a "warm, comfortable, and relaxing" space will vary from person to person. Use the ideas that seem most comfortable to you as a reference.)

In addition, placing a round table in a place where the family gathers together promotes communication. Also, arranging the furniture slightly diagonally, rather than lining it up in a straight line along the wall, encourages conversation.

If we can use the research results presented in this book to turn our homes into "places that heal the body and mind and increase our ability to recover," it could lead to improved health and happiness.

Although we only introduced a small snippet from the book on our blog, it might be fun to look for ideas in the book that you can use in your daily life and try to put them into practice (experiment) in your life.

The "Designfulness" we introduced is also on sale at the Daikanyama store. If you are interested, please come and pick it up.

Finally, I would like to make an announcement. Greenwich is running a "Life Place Campaign" to support the creation of a space where you can be yourself and where your heart is filled .

The offer will run until Monday, July 31st, so if you're looking to organize your life, are interested in Scandinavian furniture, or are interested in coordination suggestions, please take advantage of this opportunity.

All our staff are looking forward to seeing you.

Greenwich Daikanyama Yano