Neuroaesthetics: A Sense of Belonging

Explore how Muuto is using neuroaesthetics to understand how design influences comfort, safety, and belonging, and what makes some spaces feel more connected.

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A Deeper Look at Neuroaesthetics

A Sense of Belonging

Some spaces feel naturally welcoming. We settle in, feel at ease, and connect with our surroundings. Others may function well but never create that same sense of comfort. Neuroaesthetics helps us understand why by exploring how our brains and bodies respond to the spaces around us.

Muuto’s latest exploration takes a closer look at hominess, not as a particular style or an imitation of home, but as an embodied feeling shaped by our sensory and physiological responses. It’s the sense of ease that allows us to feel present, grounded, and connected to a space, and offers a deeper understanding of how thoughtful design can support a greater sense of belonging.

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Why Belonging Matters

The environments we move through every day are increasingly shaped by efficiency. Workplaces need flexibility, healthcare environments prioritize function, public spaces require durability, and our lives move between places and experiences faster than ever.

Those needs matter, but they can sometimes overshadow the quieter sensory qualities that influence how we actually feel. Gentle light, natural forms, moments of calm, and intuitive movement can help functional spaces also feel grounding and supportive.

The Science of Hominess

Neuroaesthetics gives us a framework for understanding why some environments feel more comfortable than others. While hominess is highly personal, shaped by who we are and what feels familiar, research also points to shared cues that influence how we experience a space across three dimensions:

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Coherence

Does the space make sense and feel easy to navigate?

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Fascination

Does it provide enough sensory interest to engage us without overwhelming us?

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Hominess

Does it create the ease and safety that allows us to settle into the space?

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Designing for Belonging

Belonging often comes from subtle design choices rather than grand gestures. Thoughtful decisions around light, materials, movement, and atmosphere can create spaces that feel coherent without being rigid and engaging without overwhelming the senses.

In workplaces and learning environments, that can mean balancing focus with rest, openness with intimacy, and giving people more choice in how they experience a space. In healthcare environments, warmth, natural cues, and clear spatial rhythms can help create a greater sense of ease.

Across environments, these thoughtful details can help spaces do more than function well. They can become places where people feel comfortable, connected, and supported.

Explore A Sense of Belonging

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