Imagine yourself in a windowless white room with hard plastic seats aligned in rigid rows – and try not to yawn. The sterile surroundings and lack of natural light are known to decrease motivation, engagement, and creativity, and the fixed seating blunts opportunities for interaction and collaboration.

Now picture yourself in a comfortable chair that’s part of an adaptable seating arrangement, a small potted plant rests on the table near you, and sunlight floods in through a window – you’re probably feeling more energized! The natural elements and comfortable furnishings lead to improved concentration, creativity, and cognitive performance; the flexible seating encourages movement and interaction.

The contrast between these two settings, and the implications for how our brains learn and process information in different environments, is one of the key areas of focus in an emerging field called neuroaesthetics. Combining a variety of disciplines — including neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, medicine, design, architecture, and the arts — neuroaesthetics studies perception, emotion, semantics, attention, and decision-making.

Going beyond the traditional five senses, neuroaesthetics researchers employ brain imaging and mapping to provide scientific evidence that designing spaces in thoughtful, diverse ways can be a critical lever in enhancing our brain activity — and, by extension, improve learning outcomes.

In 2019, The Google School for Leaders, Google’s center of excellence for manager and leadership development, set out to better understand the field of neuroaesthetics and how it could help us define an intentional, research-backed approach to learning space design.

Our first exploration came at the international design fair Salon del Mobile in Milan. In collaboration with leading neuroaesthetic researchers, the Google Hardware Design Group mounted a public exhibition of three rooms, each featuring a distinct look, feel, scent, and sound, as well as unique textures, colors, and design elements.

Attendees opted-in to wear specially-made wristbands that measured their biological responses as they moved through the spaces. At the end, participants could view scientific data about which room made them feel most at ease. This “Space for Being” project revealed the extent to which environments have a profound psychological effect on all of us.

Extending this work, The Google School for Leaders partnered with the International Arts + Mind Lab (IAM) at Johns Hopkins University and Rapt Studio to design The Schoolhouse, a dedicated learning space on Google’s campus in Mountain View, California. The Schoolhouse prominently features core neuroaesthetics principles that enable learning designers to activate physical space, including:

Adaptable event spaces with areas for independent, small-group, and large-group learning. For example, mechanical raised curtains divide The Schoolhouse’s central room into three parts, while sofas, chairs, shelves, and plants on wheels provide maximum flexibility for different types of sessions.

Curated furniture and objects that combine form and function, and vary in color, texture, curvature, and contrast. To stimulate curiosity, The Schoolhouse displays more than 100 thoughtfully selected objects.

Music, in the form of diverse, curated playlists to accompany different learning modes. Playlists originally created for events at The Schoolhouse are now used by facilitators at leadership development programs around the globe.

Signage and entry experiences to support meaning-making and navigation. Upon arrival at one event at The Schoolhouse, program participants safely stashed their cell phones in a wall of miniature hand-knit sweaters, emphasizing comfort and security.

Natural elements that maximize daylight, afford expansive views, incorporate plants, and emphasize natural materials. The space invites participants to use outside spaces as well, to take advantage of the cognitive and emotional states evoked in outdoor environments.

At Google, we've learned that how and where we learn can be as important as what we’re taught and by whom.

Through exploring the field of neuroaesthetics and designing The Schoolhouse, The Google School for Leaders identified a set of design principles that support key learning objectives for our leaders. Those principles now act as a compass when designing in-person learning experiences at The Schoolhouse and smaller-scale learning sites around the world.

Organizations of all sizes can create purposeful learning environments by activating spaces in ways both big and small. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Flexible furniture like stools and tables on wheels allow facilitators and participants to organize a space to support the activity at hand.
• Clear directional signage (upon arrival, during breaks, etc.) reduces the cognitive load for participants.
• Intentionally-selected music playlists for arrival, breaks, and transitions help set the emotional tone for a program and support memory formation.
• Windows and natural light can reduce stress and improve mood, fostering a positive learning environment.

Interested to explore further? Check out these links:

• The Schoolhouse, Google
• Beauty and the Brain, Johns Hopkins University
• Your Brain on Art
• A Place to Learn: Lessons from Research on Learning Environments, UNESCO