An Introduction to Architectural Psychopathology

Mental disorders affect 1 in 4 people around the world. Interior design features including lighting, colors, green spaces, socializing spaces, artwork, stairs, furniture, and signage can mitigate or stimulate the symptoms of mental disorders. An Introduction to Architectural Psychopathology is the very first comprehensive textbook that covers how each interior design feature can be executed to support people with mental disorders. The aims of this textbook are to define and establish Architectural Psychopathology as a unique and distinguished field of study. Architectural Psychopathology focuses mainly on interior designing for individuals suffering from mental disorders. The authors believe that Architectural Psychopathology is still in its infancy as research studies focus particularly on interior design for few mental disorders including autism, dementia, and depression while they do not provide a lot of information about interior design code for other mental disorders including schizophrenia, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, personality disorders, and anxiety disorders. To create functional and pleasing spaces, the interior design process becomes a collaborative effort between designers and their clients. This effort becomes particularly necessary when it comes to buildings that cater for people suffering from mental disorders. By actively involving users in the decision-making process, designers can develop a clear idea about their clients’ needs, lifestyle, and preferences. To effectively engage people suffering from mental disorders in the environmental design process, it is essential to understand their unique needs. Therefore, Architectural Psychopathology becomes an essential subject to educate architects and interior designers about various mental disorders, their symptoms, and how different aspects of environmental design can trigger or mitigate those symptoms. This understanding can make the designers more engaged and enable them to develop empathy, and consequently facilitating a more inclusive design.