Architects have long wrestled with a timeless question: what makes a space beautiful? 

While beauty has traditionally been regarded as subjective—dependent on culture, context, and personal experience—a growing field of interdisciplinary research is challenging that notion. 

Neuroaesthetics, the study of how the brain perceives beauty, is offering measurable insights into how people experience built environments. 

By leveraging neuroscience tools such as fMRI and EEG, researchers are beginning to uncover the neural correlates of architectural experience—suggesting that beauty, in fact, may be quantifiable.

Beauty in the Brain: The Neuroscience of Aesthetic Experience

Recent studies in neuroaesthetics have revealed that certain architectural features consistently activate specific regions of the brain associated with emotion, memory, and cognition. 

In their foundational paper, Chatterjee and colleagues found that exposure to architectural images triggers activity in the prefrontal cortex and parahippocampal areas—regions associated with emotional evaluation and spatial memory.

These findings suggest that our aesthetic judgments are not purely cultural constructs but are also deeply rooted in neural mechanisms. 

When participants judged buildings as beautiful, their brain responses were not arbitrary; rather, they followed consistent patterns tied to emotional and cognitive processing.

Designing for the Brain: Spatial Features and Their Psychological Impact

Aesthetics in architecture is more than just surface-level ornamentation—it’s about how space feels. 

Research published in “Architectural Design and the Brain” explored how ceiling height and perceived enclosure impact beauty judgments and behavioral responses. 

The study found that higher ceilings were generally associated with feelings of freedom and approachability, while enclosed spaces often evoked avoidance responses.

These reactions, tied to visual perception and motor planning, provide actionable insights for architects. 

Understanding that certain spatial proportions trigger consistent emotional and cognitive responses means designers can intentionally craft environments that evoke calm, focus, or creativity—depending on the function of the space.

Fractals, Biophilia, and the Urban Brain

In the context of urban design, the impact of architectural aesthetics extends to our experience of entire cityscapes. 

In fact, architectural proportions, fractal patterns, and biophilic design—incorporating natural elements—can significantly affect mental well-being.

Fractal geometry, which mimics natural forms such as trees and coastlines, activates brain regions linked to stress reduction and visual pleasure. 

This aligns with the biophilia hypothesis, which posits that humans are hardwired to respond positively to nature-like environments. By integrating such patterns into urban architecture, designers can foster spaces that are not only visually pleasing but also cognitively restorative.

Measuring Beauty: Is It Possible?

While beauty may remain partially subjective, neuroaesthetic research indicates that certain architectural features elicit universally positive brain responses. 

The paper “The Neuroaesthetics of Architectural Spaces” proposes a tripartite model for understanding these interactions: the sensory-motor system, the knowledge-meaning system, and the emotion-valuation system Source. 

These systems work in tandem to shape our experience of space—suggesting that beauty can indeed be evaluated through repeatable neural responses.

Still, the field remains nascent. While the science has made significant strides, methodological challenges persist, including translating lab findings into real-world design contexts.

Toward Evidence-Based Design

For architects, engineers, and planners, neuroaesthetics opens the door to evidence-based design—where form isn’t just a matter of taste, but a matter of how the brain functions. 

As neuroscience tools become more accessible, they may become integral to the architectural design process, allowing for environments that are not just efficient and functional, but neurologically optimized for human well-being.