The interview
Anjan Chatterjee and the authors of What Design Can Do
In this conversation Anjan Chatterjee explores how our brains respond to aesthetics - not just in art, but in places and objects, and how aesthetic choices shape our daily lives.
In their studies of architectural environments, Chatterjee and his team identified three key dimensions that shape our experience of space: coherence, fascination, and hominess. He emphasizes the importance of multisensory experiences (sound, smell, touch) and biophilic design (connecting nature to built environments). According to Anjan Chatterjee, design is not just functional or visual: it profoundly shapes how we feel, learn, heal, and connect as humans.
Anjan Chatterjee is Professor of Neurology, Psychology, and Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and the founding director of the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics.
The past Chair of Neurology at Pennsylvania Hospital, Dr. Chatterjee’s clinical practice focuses on patients with cognitive disorders. His research addresses neuroaesthetics, spatial cognition, language, and neuroethics. He is the author of The Aesthetic Brain and co-editor of several books on Neuroscience and Neuroaesthetics.