Neuroscience and Design

Course

Nowadays, the design of artificial spaces and industrial artifacts requires the integration of technical expertise with knowledge from social sciences, physiology, psychology, and neuroscience. The Executive Course in Neuroscience and Design is built upon this interdisciplinary dialogue. The program explores methodologies for analyzing human activities, considering them as a starting point for design. The key objectives of the course include:

• Integrating the technical skills of the designer with the foundations of neuroscience, physiology, and psychology
• Deepening the understanding of perceptual mechanisms
• Learning to apply insights into human behavior in the design process of space and objects
• Acquiring multidisciplinary knowledge for enhancing the spatial experience in order to develop crucial skills for working in cutting-edge design firms

The Executive Course is 60 hours long and exclusively held in English and remotely, except for the opening day, scheduled in Milan (February 21st), and the final lesson in Venice at the Biennale Architettura opening day (May 10). The educational proposal comprises theoretical lectures, seminars, and practical exercises exploring the following themes:

• Introduction to the physiology of perception in relation to spaces
• Design and mental health
• Designing environments and objects in harmony with the human being

Didactics

Didactic Modules

The 60-hour course unfolds over three months, featuring a five-hour lesson each week held remotely on Friday afternoons. The language of instruction is English. The three training modules provide knowledge concerning the physiology of the human body and the intricacies of perceptual mechanisms. Moreover, they facilitate the application of this knowledge in the design process.

Module 1 | Hours: 20
Physiology of Perception

An introduction to the relationship between the body and neuronal activity, studying how spatial characteristics influence human behavior, focusing on memory and emotions. An in-person seminar in Milan (at POLI.design) starts the educational journey with faculty and other special guests.

Focus: the link between neuroscience and design (a class at the Venice Biennale); the body and brain dualism; how spatial features affect behavior; the relation between memory and emotions.

Module 2 | Hours: 20
Design and Mental Health

Focus on perception in architecture and urban space, the integration of the theory of emotion with the theory of mind models, and the impact of these processes on human health.

Focus: the “4E” (Embodied, Extended, Enacted, Embedded) approach to perceptions; the cycle of perception; integrating scales of perception;
affordances and atmospheres

Module 3 | Hours: 20
Designing the Attunement

Knowledge from previous modules is applied in the industrial and interior design phase. Case studies on well-being, workplaces, and learning environments are evaluated.
The Course will conclude its path with an in-person seminar at the Venice Biennale opening day, explicitly focusing on some works from the Master in Neuroscience Applied to Architecture and Design, and through a conclusive debate.

Focus: neuroscience as starting point for Industrial Design and Interior Design projects; case studies on healthcare, workplace, learning environment projects; final seminar.

Title Released

Upon completion of the training program, participants will receive the open badge for the Executive Course in Neuroscience and Design from POLI.design.

Admission

Requirements

Who is it for?

• Graduates in Architecture, Engineering, and Design.
• Interior Designers, Industrial Designers, Architects.
• Professionals and managers from major design firms venturing into private and public real estate development.
• Designers seeking to integrate sensitive social factors into the production process to comply with ESG criteria.

Admission to the course is subject to a preliminary selection (a good knowledge of the English language is essential). Candidates must submit the following selection documents via this LINK:

• Copy of the Tax Code (Codice Fiscale) and identification document
• CV briefly describing their professional profile

Deadlines

To participate in the selections, please complete the online application form by the following deadline: January 21, 2025.

Price

The total cost of the course is € 3.000 + 22% VAT per student. This sum must be paid in a single installment upon signing the private agreement.

PROMO

EARLY BIRD -10%
The promotion for those who have clear ideas, know which educational path can enrich their future, and can’t wait to get back to the classroom.

Application deadline: November 17, 2024.
Deadline for sending the signed contract and the payment of the participation fee: no later than November 30, 2024.

FAMILY SUPPORT: -50%
A chance to gift your siblings the encouragement they need to invest in their future.

POLI.NETWORK: -50%
A promotion designed to strengthen the bond and identity among members of the Politecnico di Milano community.

BACK TO SCHOOL: -30% on Executive Courses
The discount for those who have already trusted POLI.design and Polimi, and wish to return to study and build their future

MORE THAN ONE: -15%
A discount for those who want to perfect their skills, for those who continually invest in education, not just once but multiple times.

BUSINESS BOOST
The discount designed for companies that recognize training as a crucial factor for growth.

The “Business Boost” discount provides a variable reduction on the participation fee for two or more employees in catalog courses. Specifically, the discount amounts to:

• 15% on the participation fee for the second employee’s enrollment
• 20% on the participation fee for the third employee’s enrollment
• 25% on the participation fee from the fourth employee’s enrollment onwards

Furthermore, companies that purchase more than one Course for two or more employees in the same calendar year can access an additional 10% discount on the total.

Faculty

V. Gallese
U. Morelli
S. Robinson
S. Rozzi
O. Vartanian
T. Proietti
I. Pasqualini
M. G. Portera
P. Gregory
M. Hewitt
H. Spiers
A. Jelic
S. Reddy
T. Farrow
R. Mantooth
T. Heatherwick