How Design Stimulates the Mind in Different Ways, by Ananya Subramonian

As part of our GenZ initiative, we ask students to contribute articles to foster a thoughtful discussion about design and its impact on the world. This piece, penned by Ananya from St. Paul's Girls' School, focuses on how design influences the mind in interior spaces and architecture. Ananya explores the effects of colour, lighting, materials, and object placement on mood and functionality. The article underscores the significant role of design in crafting both functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces, ultimately concluding that thoughtful design is essential for effectively optimizing a space's purpose.

When you walk into a space, your brain immediately takes in several factors, such as its colour, its shape, whether it is tidy or cluttered, bare, or generously furnished. All these factors have a tangible effect on one’s mood and concentration. Design can often be used to cleverly manipulate one’s mood to fulfil the purpose of the space. For example, a dark room can be used to create mystery, and spotlights can change the focus of the room, curved shapes can create a sense of harmony, etc. In this article, I am going to explore how interior design and architecture can stimulate the mind in different ways.

Interior design involves creating a functional and aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. This includes meeting our psychological needs. The aspects of interior design that affect our mood most significantly are colour, lighting, materials, and the placement of objects within a space.

• Colours are very important in manipulating one’s mood, as it is often the first thing we see in a space and the most distinctive aspect of a space. They also have strong symbolic meanings. Colours which represent relaxation can be useful in scenarios promoting meditation, while the colours representing productivity are often used in spaces such as offices. More powerful colours can be used for creativity, while happier colours can be used in most spaces to improve one’s mood. The colour red can even increase one’s appetite! More neutral colours such as white and cream do not have as strong symbolic meaning as the other colours, but they can be added to compliment other colours and create a sense of completeness, as well as brighten up the mood.
• Lighting has a significant impact on the mood and concentration. Just as bright colours can make a space more optimistic, bright lighting can make a space more energetic and happier. A room flooded with light creates an optimistic feeling and can be used in most situations. Darkness is also useful, as it can shift the focus of the space, reducing distractions and making sure all eyes are fixed on the centre of attention, for example, in a theatre. Dim lights can induce relaxation, as well as create a sense of mystery in game-like scenarios such as escape rooms.
• The materials in a room are more subtle but are still important in manipulating the mood. For example, wood can give a warm and homely feel, while harder materials like glass and ceramic can seem more modern and minimalistic. The type of materials one chooses for a space is less specific and depends on the general purpose of the space. Ceramic and glass are harder, so can be used in more professional spaces, or rooms like studies, while fabric creates a very warm and comfortable feel and can be used in more informal settings. Wood, on its own, can create a homely feel, but is quite versatile and can complement most other materials.
• The placement of objects in the room is also subtle, but important, as it affects the amount of space in the room, and it is impractical to have a crowded room in many situations. For example, a space used for exercising should be spacious and quite bare. Spacious rooms are often very tidy and hence pleasing to the eye, and there are fewer distractions, improving concentration. These can be used in most cases; however, if the room or space looks very plain, a more generously furnished room will be far more interesting and can be used in spaces such as playrooms.

Architecture and exterior design are also important in meeting our psychological needs. It involves complex and carefully designed structures and creates an impression on our brains before we even enter the space. Once inside, it continues to manipulate our minds to fit the purpose of the room more efficiently. The aspects of architecture that affect our mood most significantly are shape and lighting.

The shape of a space is one of the most striking things about it and affects all the interior design that would come later to further mould the space into a functional area that fits our needs.

The conventional cube or cuboid, go-to options for the shape of a space due to their sturdiness, can create a sense of stability and security, while spherical spaces can create a sense of unity due to the wholeness of the circle and the softness of its curves, inducing relaxation and thoughtfulness. Wedge shapes, or spaces with subtly angled walls, are a more interesting alternative to the traditional cube, creating comfortable reading nooks, ideal for relaxation. Finally, unusually shaped, or exceptionally tall buildings often have rooms inside which do not reflect their exterior. However, the radical exteriors of these buildings can be used to make a political statement or attract tourists, and often dominate a city’s skyline.

To conclude, design is essential in fulfilling the purpose of any space and can stimulate our mind in different ways to fulfil this purpose most effectively.