2003 - Issue 4

This issue continues to highlight the connection between design and human behavior across diverse settings.

A recent survey of new and used home buyers sponsored by Builder and the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard revealed reasons why new-home purchasers bought new or used homes.

One of the often-touted goals of neotraditional neighborhood design is to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment—one where residents walk and bike to local attractions, rather than drive. Several recent studies look at how people’s actions may support or hinder those aims.

The physical features of the indoor work environment are closely linked to human behaviors such as creativity, teamwork, and leadership. 

A recent article reviews a number of ways that architects designing school buildings are improving the acoustics in classrooms which are applicable to office and hospital conference rooms and any other environments where proper acoustics can improve experience.

Increasingly, retailers are using the same firms to design their physical and virtual environments, to ensure a consistent approach to the consumer for each marketing channel. The articles cited on consumer behavior are all interesting and valuable resources for designers or consultants involved with e-commerce web sites.

Although several interesting products were shown at this year’s NeoCon show, in general the contract furniture industry seemed to be biding its time, and conserving its resources until sales for this economically depressed industry rebound.

What influence does urban design have on human health at the scale of individual buildings and surroundings, neighborhoods, and towns and regions? Laura Jackson (National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, EPA) surveyed the literature.

The popular press is devoting a lot of attention to the possible dangers of mold, which is keeping the issue top-of-mind with individuals and firms.

In today’s urban environments, sound reduction often can make outdoor spaces more comfortable for people. One method is to block sound through dense vegetation to reduce sound spillover.