Human-Centered Design

Examines what architecture 'does' - how it makes people and shapes, sustains, and unravels social relations.

Considers how our built environment affects our happiness and well-being

Examines how the built forms of architecture and urban design act as mediators of social practices of power.

Explores the profound, and sometimes unexpected, ways that buildings shape our lives.

Explores the idea of the “third place”, after home and work, where people gather, hang out, and build community

Examines ideas about personal space and how the use of space influences human behavior

Explores the wide variety of vernacular housing around the world and how culture has shaped these environments

Discusses the factors that affect how a house feels, beyond how it looks

Relates the author’s experience building “a place of his own” and what he discovered about the connections between architecture and people

Examines the ways in which physical environments affect human behavior and well-being

Looks at the ways people use and value public space, and how those factors should influence the design of public spaces

Explores environmental psychology and how to incorporate it into the design process for commercial and residential projects

Explores the interaction between environments and human behavior, highlighting how differences in age, gender and cultural background influence that interaction. Available through Fairchild Books ID Library (login required).

Examines the relationship between human well-being and nature, and explores design solutions to restore and enhance those connections. Available through ProQuest Ebook Central (login required).

A collection of articles by and interviews with renowned design academics and professionals exploring how people make meaning using design today, and how "designed space" both shapes and is shaped by technology, business, ethics, culture, sustainability, and society. Available through Fairchild Books ID Library (login required).

Explores the effects of the built environment on people and their behavior. Available through ProQuest Ebook Central (login required).

Architecture has long been understood as a cultural discipline able to articulate the human condition and lift the human spirit, yet the spirituality of architecture is rarely directly addressed in academic scholarship. The seventeen chapters provide a diverse range of perspectives, grouped according to topical themes: Being in the World; Sacred, Secular, and the Contemporary Condition; Symbolic Engagements; Sacred Landscapes; and Spirituality and the Designed Environment. Available through ProQuest Ebook Central (login required).

This study examines the influence of perspective on architecture, highlighting how critical historical changes in the representation and perception of space continue to inform the way architects design. Full text available for free from the publisher (open access).

Explores definitions, theories, and case studies of contemplative spaces, and investigates the links between contemplative spaces and spaces designed for health and wellbeing. Full text available for free from the publisher (open access).