BBAR is internationally recognized as one of the leading research groups in the study of the neuropsychological effects of built environments. We are an interdisciplinary group of researchers focused on understanding the foundational factors that shape cognitive processes and behavior through the brain, body, and environment. Our work is rooted in enactivism and primarily addresses the unconscious and automatic processes that arise in response to the built environment, with a special emphasis on selective and spatial attention, as well as working memory. Currently, we are investigating the rhythms between brain, body, and environment, as well as unconscious adaptations guided by the transthalamic hypothesis.

Vision

We aim to advance our understanding of how unconscious processes, such as perception, attention, and working memory, are influenced by movement through the built environment. We envision future cities and architecture that harmonize with the human brain and body, supporting mental health and everyday well-being. By exploring the interplay between neurophysiological responses and human experience, we seek to inform the design of sustainable urban spaces that are conducive to cognitive and emotional health.

Mission

Our mission is to uncover how unconscious perceptual and behavioral phenomena, rooted in the brain, body, environment interaction, contribute to human engagement with built environments. We apply a combination of qualitative approaches, grounded in movement phenomenology, such as Merleau-Ponty and Husserl, and neuroscientific frameworks such as Active Inference and Predictive Coding. Through this integrative approach, we aim to reveal how unconscious processes guide behavior and interaction with the environment, providing new knowledge for the design of cities and architectural spaces.