Creating sensory-sensitive spaces : Identifying key parameters for research environment design

Williams, A; Barrett, PS

Abstract

We draw upon the recipes given in this book for creating the contexts conducive to remarkable research, analysing them through a three-part model of design principles based on an interpretation of broad neuroscience structures (Rolls, 2007). The model is derived in principle in Barrett & Barrett
(2010). It has to date been successfully tested in primary schools (Barrett et al., 2013) and proposed as potentially informing the design of secondary schools, offices and care facilities for older people (Barrett et al., 2013).
In the first part of this paper we set out the three-part model, its derivation, and its related matrix of design principles/practical options (Barrett & Zhang, 2009; Barrett & Barrett, 2010); in the second part we analyse selected field book recipes using the design principles/ practical options matrix, and present our findings. Finally, we suggest what the learning might
be for the design of new research facilities, the improvement of existing ones, and how individual researchers and research teams might ‘hack’ suboptimal research spaces when no official improvements are forthcoming.

• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jun 16, 2015
• Pages: 75-84
• Book Title: BITE : Recipes for Remarkable Research
• ISBN: 9789462095830
• Publisher URL: https://www.sensepublishers.com/catalogs/bookseries/other-books/bite/