Held in Sydney, this year Saturday Indesign offered a diverse array of activities such as design discussions, interactive installations and product launches that celebrated top design.

Our leading ladies, Jane Roulston and Christine Powley put on their walking shoes and viewed many showrooms showcasing the vibrant design landscape.

Highlights included CULT Australia launching Wendelbo as a new addition to their range, which is now a recognised new favourite brand for Unison. Living Edge followed our event in Feb launching MillerKnoll to the Australia design community, and they also celebrated Muuto's extension to their outdoor collection showcasing the 70/70 outdoor table,  Linear steel and the new Fiber outdoor range. 




This was complimented by Jae Hah from Muuto’s  talk on Neuroaesthetics which detailed how our body reacts to different interior spaces, and detailed the five key design factors we should consider when designing fitouts, an event which we hope to bring to NZ at some stage.

There was also a  Panel Discussion: Exploring Wellbeing, Connection, And Change hosted by MillerKnoll and Living Edge and we were lucky to have some time with Ryan Anderson, Vice President of Global Research and Planning at MillerKnoll (USA), who shared insights from 11 years of extensive research on Relationship-Based Work, along with best practices in space design ergonomics, sustainability, wellbeing, and connection. Get in contact with our team for further information on our event we will be hosting in October.

It is always special to catch up with the teams from our brand partners including MillerKnoll, Muuto, Wendelbo and Walter Knoll, and now more than ever keeping up to date with how the world of work and home is merging has to be at the forefront of everything we do.














Neuroaesthetics; how design elements like light, colour, and texture can immediately influence our emotions and mental state. It highlights that design affects more than just our visual perception—it impacts how we feel, think, and behave by triggering reactions in our brain.

Intuitively, we all know the feeling of entering a room and immediately feeling at ease, or stimulated. That interacting with elements of design—be it light, colour or texture—can trigger emotions and spark a dynamic interplay of neurotransmitters in our brains. This process can shape our feelings, thinking, and behaviour. There is more to design than meets the eye.

So what happens when we replace the saying 'form follows function' with 'form follows feeling'? Understanding how the brain responds to art allows us to make informed decisions about our interiors, creating spaces attuned to a deeper level. Here, we will dive deeper into the field of neuroaesthetics and the five ways we can lean on it to design spaces that matter - based on insights from our collaboration with Susan Magsamen, Founder and Executive Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab (IAM Lab), Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 




FIVE PRINCIPLES THAT MAKE AN IMPACT 

The field of neuroaesthetics is about mind-body connection: it gives a deeper understanding of the way art, design, and architecture activate our senses and stimulate our sense of well-being. 

There are many lessons to be learned from neuroaesthetic research and principles when it comes to designing spaces for many. While places for healthcare, hospitality, education and office each come with a set of practical requirements, it should not all be about functionality and utility.  Creating intentional spaces means fashioning a place where we can feel at ease, energised or an innate sense of belonging. While there are a myriad of aesthetic impressions that affect how we feel in a room, research has shown that colour, form, light, nature and tactility are particularly effective - especially when combined throughout a space. 

LIGHT AS A TOOL

Our circadian rhythm is greatly impacted by both natural and artificial light. For example, sunrises and sunsets affect us profoundly, while up-light can make us feel awe. Cooler light makes us more alert, ideal for work and reading, while warmer light temperatures inspire a sense of calm, helping us wind down and relax. 

“The amount of light, the light temperature, and when we are exposed to light, are all among aspects of light that play into how we experience a space and how it makes us feel. It can enable us to enhance performance in offices as well as schools, or induce a sense of serenity at our favourite hotel or café. “

Bringing our natural landscapes inside helps us stay on a circadian rhythm, to follow our physiological day and ultimately, stay in sync. For instance, if you want to promote a stimulating learning environment, you might consider ways to introduce more exposure to daylight, as it improves focus. 

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From hand-spun aluminum over a playful silicone rubber to sandblasted glass, our muuto pendant lamps bring our ideas of modern, Scandinavian design to any room.

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SECTOR  |  Corporate 

LOCATION  
|  Wellington, New Zealand

DESIGNED BY
 |  Custance Associates and Athfield Architects

PHOTOGRAPHER  
|  Jason Mann Photography

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