Maria Lorena Lehman featured in ESQUISSES Magazine

Maria Lorena Lehman is featured in ESQUISSES magazine, where the article entitled “Une Conception du Bonheur” by Marie-Claude Morin, explores how receptive architects are to findings in the environmental psychology and cognitive science fields. This article is originally written in French, as this is the official magazine for the Quebec Architect’s Association of Canada. The following is a brief excerpt translated from the original French version:

Some individuals also make efforts to disseminate information and educate their fellow architects to the latest discoveries in psychology and cognitive science as they apply to architectural practice. This is the case of Maria Lorena Lehman, American architect, a Harvard graduate [...] —

“I was fascinated when I came across research showing that the construction of a hospital room could have a significant impact on drug consumption, sleep, mood and even the propensity to take a shower [and engage in Activities of Daily Living]. I decided to dedicate my work to better understand this interaction between the individual and the building.”

— Quote by Maria Lorena Lehman

To read this ESQUISSES Magazine article in full, click here. (The article is from pages 15-17.)

© 2008-2011 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Sensory Design Research Paper by Maria Lorena Lehman Published in Intelligent Buildings International

Today, I am eager to announce that my latest research paper has just been published in the peer-review research journal, Intelligent Buildings International.

The paper, entitled How Sensory Design Brings Value to Buildings and their Occupants by Maria Lorena Lehman, delves into why sensory design has such potential to make a positive difference in the way we live within architectural spaces. Furthermore, the research paper discusses specific ways that value can be obtained from a sensory design approach, particularly as emerging technologies continue to develop.

To learn more about how you can get access to this sensory design research paper, please click on the following link.

Click here for the Sensory Design Paper by Maria Lorena Lehman

Please Tell Me What You Think

I would really like to get your feedback on my post today, so please leave me a comment in the form below. And if you enjoyed it, make sure you share it with your Twitter and Facebook followers by clicking on the “re-tweet” and “like” button at the beginning of this page.

© 2008-2011 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

I do hope that you had a great holiday season — and an even greater start to our first month in 2011. I know that 2010 was a good year for Sensing Architecture and that will hopefully mean even more good things for our year ahead in 2011.

Because of a lot of the work that I was able to do both on the Sensing Architecture website as well as multiple other projects I was working on behind the scenes last year, I do expect that within this upcoming year you will be using some great improvements here on Sensing Architecture. Thus, I have compiled a list of some of the key additional features which you should expect to see on this site during 2011. In fact, some of them are already live and running in an effort to make your Sensing Architecture experience even better:

So without further ado, here are ten exciting new features that will go live on Sensing Architecture during this upcoming year…

1. Audio & Video Podcasts: I will soon be launching a Sensing Architecture YouTube channel that will broadcast more new and unique Sensing Architecture content using an exciting new video format. In addition, later in the year I plan to integrate audio podcasts as well, not only to extend Sensing Architecture’s reach and accessibility, but also to convey architectural design ideas in different mediums to accommodate your different learning styles and to expand upon much of what Sensing Architecture does best.
2. Sensory Design Research Paper Publication: Within the earlier part of 2011, a peer-review research paper of mine will be published which delves into how and why sensory design is so critical for architectural designers to get right, particularly in this day and age. I cannot mention more than this now, but once the paper is published I will let you.
3. Rapidly Growing Daily Readership: Sensing Architecture’s readership has been steadily growing since it was first launched at the end of 2008. Since then, it has been rapidly growing as evidenced by its 82% growth during 2010. And with the many exciting directions in which Sensing Architecture is developing, I do eagerly anticipate even more steady and rapid growth during the year 2011. This is great, because the more readers there are…the more resources I will be able to create and make available to you. For the growth thusfar, I thank all of you, my loyal readers who have read both diligently and who have passed along word about Sensing Architecture to many of your colleagues, friends and other associates. Again, thanks for that! If you are a first time visitor…Welcome! I hope you enjoy what you find here.
4. Design Insight Subscriber Growth: not only do many of you visit the Sensing Architecture website on a daily basis, but very many of you have also signed up to receive my Design Insight newsletter which also includes free immediate access to my book, Bringing Architecture to the Next Level. In fact, we now have over 2,200 subscribers and that number is growing every day. Additionally, there are many exciting things going on behind the scenes which you would have access to as a Design Insight subscriber. So, if you haven’t done so already, you can sign up by simply entering your first name and e-mail address once you click on the following link —
   • Design Insight Newsletter Sign Up - Including Free Book Bringing Architecture to the Next Level
5. Sensing Architecture Sponsors: Sensing Architecture is also now proud to have Archi-Expo and VistaPrint as its sponsors. If you would like to set up an advertising campaign on Sensing Architecture for you or your business, then simply visit – Sensing Architecture Sponsorship Opportunities. Or you can contact me, Maria Lorena Lehman, directly at mll(AT)sensingarchitecture.com.
6. Major Site Speed and Performance Boost: due to the rapidly growing Sensing Architecture community of readers that I mentioned earlier, I am happy to say that the Sensing Architecture site is now operating on a much more powerful server that is prepared to handle the growing volume of readers that visit the Sensing Architecture. Additionally, I have also finished integrating some major site speed updates which are now live — this is exciting because it enables you to browse around Sensing Architecture’s pages at much quicker speeds so you can get to the content you like most even faster. Really, both of these upgrades make for a much better visitor experience… I do hope you enjoy this!
7. More Architectural Design Book Reviews: Within 2011, you can also expect to read more of my book reviews concentrating on the subjects of architecture and design, and even more specifically targeting books that cater to the many current topics, issues and discussions that are ongoing on Sensing Architecture.
8. Facebook & Twitter Integration: since Sensing Architecture is a dynamic site, which changes almost daily, I will be further integrating both Twitter and Facebook for the Sensing Architecture community – it’s a great way to access newly published articles as well as participate in discussions that may take place on Facebook or Twitter Sensing Architecture communities. So, if you would like to stay connected using Facebook or Twitter, you can sign up and follow along with other Sensing Architecture members who are already there. To gain access to follow the discussions simply click on either or both of the following links – Sensing Architecture on Facebook and/or Sensing Architecture on Twitter.
9. Guest Posting Opportunities: If you would like to be considered for publication on Sensing Architecture then simply send me your written article (about 700-1,000 words or so). I won’t be able to publish all of the articles that are submitted, but I will publish the best ones. So, if you are interested, please send in your article that relates to Sensing Architecture’s content and readership by emailing it to me, Maria Lorena Lehman, at mll(AT)sensingarchitecture.com.
10. And So Much More… there are also various other Sensing Architecture projects on my “drawing board” that I hope to release in 2011 and early in 2012. Some are quite large and involved projects which I am very eager to release to you; however… I will have to let you know more about these closer to when they go live and are launched.

Stay tuned to Sensing Architecture and here’s to a healthy, happy and exciting 2011 year ahead!

Please Tell Me What You Think

If you have any additional suggestions for what new things you would like to see on Sensing Architecture, or if you have any comments about what you would like to see more or less of — simply enter your feedback within the form at the very bottom of this page. Also, if you enjoyed this post make sure you share it with your Twitter and Facebook followers by clicking on the “re-tweet” and “like” button at the beginning of this page.

© 2008-2011 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman

Sensing Architecture is Featured in ARCHITECT Magazine, Nov. 2009

You can access the Feature Article here.

Image Credit: Tracy Powell

Here is an introductory excerpt written by Braulio Agnese, Sr. Editor:

SensingArchitecture.com, at the Nexus of Building Technology and Neuroscience

“How does memory play a role in the way we experience buildings? Or sound? Or optical illusions? What do advances in computing, power generation, lighting, materials, etc., mean for building design? How can “smart” environments affect our behavior or our mood for the better? And what about biomimicry? These are the kinds of issues Maria Lorena Lehman blogs about at Sensing Architecture…”

— ARCHITECT Magazine

[Click here to read the rest of this article.]

About Sensing Architecture

If you are new to Sensing Architecture, I invite you to visit (click here to visit), particularly if you are interested in architectural design, science and new technologies.

At Sensing Architecture you will find:

• A repository of useful articles for architecture professionals and scholars. These articles aim to give you forward-looking ideas to drive architectural progress.
• Fresh content is added regularly to help you learn about innovative design concepts and solutions.
• Unique perspectives expand the way you think about architecture and design.
• By exploring the science of how occupants perceive space, Sensing Architecture will teach you how to bridge the gap between new technology and architectural design — helping you to design more effective and humane state-of the-art environments.

© 2008-2011 Sensing Architecture by Maria Lorena Lehman