Whiter shade of pale: why the colour of the year is slightly off
Pantone’s choice of Cloud Dancer as its colour of 2026 is fine for those who just want to chill while our world collapses. Could a different shade make a difference? A neuroscientist explains
Why having a sense of control over your environment matters
New research linking worker control over temperature to better mental health is the latest in a line of studies that show the benefits of giving employees more agency in the workplace
Gilt complex: decoding the new interior design of the Oval Office
An audience with the President and his inner circle in the remodelled White House is designed to make visitors feel disoriented, mute and acquiescent. A neuroscientist explains
Close to colleagues: the benefits of sitting next to team members
Sitting directly alongside teammates at work can make a real difference to performance according to new research – and having an assigned seat matters too
Why moderate visual complexity lets our brains work better
New research from a Dutch research team has reopened a familiar design debate about how cluttered and visually complex a workplace interior should be. The answer: not so much
Why a lot of familiarity and a little novelty might make sense
Designing a new workplace full of novelty and innovation? Be careful what you wish for. New research suggests that people respond well to familiarity when it comes to our surroundings
The sound of sustainability: combining music and nature
A new pilot study by a joint research team from Colombia and Portugal has paired instrumental music with natural elements to communicate what sustainability sounds like in the workplace
Power of the pattern: a stressful view or a feelgood factor?
New research from the University of Cambridge suggests that repetitive patterns on building façades are raising our stress levels. But some patterns and shapes achieve the opposite effect
