University of Glasgow Joins Global Call to Rethink Architecture That Neglects Human Emotion

University of Glasgow Joins Global Call to Rethink Architecture That Neglects Human Emotion

(IN BRIEF) The University of Glasgow joined forces with global leaders in neuroscience, arts, urban planning, and public health at the first Humanise Summit in London to declare that uninspired architecture is detrimental to human wellbeing. Led by Professor Rebecca Madgin, the University is championing the integration of emotional and cultural intelligence into urban design through the AHRC-funded Place Programme. Experts, including designer Thomas Heatherwick and architect George Clarke, called for public demand for better, emotionally resonant buildings, comparing dull facades to outdated practices like indoor smoking or ultra-processed foods. With new partners and growing momentum, the campaign aims to reshape how we build and live in cities.

(PRESS RELEASE) GLASGOW, 16-Apr-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Researchers from the University of Glasgow have joined a chorus of international experts to deliver a powerful message: uninspired architecture isn’t just dull—it can negatively affect our mental health. This urgent call was issued at the inaugural Humanise Summit in London, themed “Do No Harm: Making the Walls of Public Life Healthier for All of Us.”

The summit united experts from neuroscience, neuroarchitecture, psychology, arts and humanities, public health, and urban development to explore how the physical environments we inhabit affect our emotional and cognitive well-being. The University of Glasgow played a central role through its partnership with Heatherwick Studio and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded Place Programme, which the University hosts.

Throughout the summit, panellists presented compelling research that linked architectural design to everything from infant brain development to social cohesion and community belonging. Speakers made the case that the design of our buildings and urban spaces can be as vital to health as nutrition or air quality.

Professor Rebecca Madgin, Programme Director of the AHRC’s Place-Based Research Programme and Professor of Urban Studies at the University of Glasgow, chaired a panel examining how places evoke emotional responses that, over time, contribute to a sense of belonging.

“Buildings and places shape one of our most fundamental human needs—our sense of belonging—yet emotion is often overlooked in placemaking. Through the Humanise Summit and our partnership with Heatherwick Studio, we are making the case for emotion-informed design and more people-centred approaches,” said Professor Madgin.

Renowned designer Thomas Heatherwick echoed this sentiment: “For too long, we’ve tolerated lifeless architecture in the same way we once tolerated smoking indoors. The real challenge is shifting public perception so that soulless buildings become as unacceptable as ultra-processed food or polluting our air.”

Architect and presenter George Clarke added: “Good design changes lives. The Humanise campaign’s push to include public voices in architectural conversations is bold and necessary. We must stop accepting bad design—it’s time for meaningful change.”

The campaign is now further empowered by the addition of three key partners: the Allen Institute, Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design, and the University of Glasgow-hosted AHRC Place Programme.

The Place-Based Research Programme is a flagship six-year investment by the AHRC to embed cultural, emotional, and human factors into local policy and placemaking across the UK. Led by Professor Madgin, the programme promotes knowledge exchange, policy influence, and partnerships that prioritise human-centred urban development.

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SOURCE: University of Glasgow