Room to Think
Room to Think
Lyssia Katan
Designing Places That Feel Human
50 minutes Posted Jan 27, 2026 at 5:00 am.
How Places Shape Us Unconsciously
From Design Frustrations To Science
The Figural Primitive And Face Texture
Shrinking Cities And Planning For Decline
Sprawl, Endurance, And Ornament
Materials, Facades, And Biometrics
Home Versus City: The Primal Vista
0:00
50:48
Download MP3
Show notes
Your surroundings are shaping your mood before you take a single step. We sit down with Professor Justin Hollander to unpack the hidden psychology of places—why our brains hunt for faces in facades, how ornament and craft earn long-term care, and what happens when cities are designed for cars instead of people. From the figural primitive to the power of light materials and human-scale detail, this conversation connects neuroscience with everyday design choices you can make at home and across ...