Use case: Majid Al Futtaim — Living Space Emotions

Background

Majid Al Futtaim, an Emirati company based in Dubai, operates shopping malls, retail, and leisure establishments across the Middle East and North Africa. Recognizing that self-reported measures often fail to capture true emotional responses, the company sought to understand deeper psychological reactions to architectural spaces. While neuromarketing had been widely used for consumer behavior studies, its application to architectural experiences represented an innovative approach in the field. The company partnered with Cognii to probe the subconscious mind using neuroscience, aiming to better understand how they could create more appealing spaces for their customers to live, work, and reside.

Research Objective

The primary goal of this research was to understand how people respond emotionally and cognitively to different types of living spaces. The study focused on measuring attention patterns, emotional responses, and cognitive engagement with various architectural elements and concepts. Particular emphasis was placed on identifying the specific features that drive positive emotional connections to living environments and community spaces.

Methodology

The research team conducted a comprehensive study with 31 participants from the United Arab Emirates, ranging in age from 25 to 43 years, with a mixed gender representation. Participants were exposed to various imagery and concepts representing different living spaces. The study employed neuroscientific methods to measure attention patterns and emotional responses, while also assessing participants' associations with different types of living environments. This multi-modal approach allowed researchers to capture both unconscious responses and conscious associations with architectural elements.

Key Findings

Emotional Engagement Drivers

The study identified several key elements that consistently triggered positive emotional responses. Human activity and social interaction emerged as primary drivers of positive engagement, along with the presence of natural elements and greenery. Artistic features and bright colors also contributed significantly to positive emotional responses. Conversely, the research revealed that certain elements consistently produced negative emotional responses, including the absence of human interaction, lack of natural landscapes, and visible signs of deterioration or poor maintenance.

Subconscious Processing

The research confirmed that traditional methods often fail to capture true emotional responses to architectural spaces. The neuroscience approach revealed deeper insights into how people process and respond to potential living environments, demonstrating that many crucial reactions occur at a subconscious level. This finding highlighted the importance of using advanced measurement techniques to understand genuine responses to architectural elements.

Business Impact and Implementation

The research provided Majid Al Futtaim with crucial insights that directly influenced their approach to community development. As Hawazen Esber, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Communities, noted, "The study helps us identify crucial elements that make for happy, healthy communities and become the foundation for how we bring our integrated retail, leisure and entertainment offering to design mixed-use destinations that drive holistic value for residents and surrounding communities." These findings impacted their approach to community planning, integration of green spaces, design of social interaction areas, and overall architectural strategy.

Future Implications

The study points to an evolving future in architectural design and evaluation where neuroscience plays an increasingly important role. As technology continues to advance, particularly in virtual and augmented reality applications, the ability to measure and understand subconscious responses to architecture becomes more crucial. The research suggests that understanding these deeper psychological responses can significantly improve community development and resident satisfaction.

The findings indicate that traditional approaches to architectural design, which often rely heavily on conscious feedback, may miss crucial elements that drive emotional connection and community satisfaction. Instead, the integration of neuroscientific methods offers a more comprehensive understanding of how people truly respond to living spaces. As architectural visualization technology evolves, particularly in VR and AR applications, this understanding becomes increasingly valuable for creating spaces that genuinely enhance human experience and well-being.s