The Rooms We Build To Survive In, And The Ones We Build To Live In

The purpose of a home is not merely its physical structure, but the space within that provides sanctuary from the challenges of the outside world. Recently, a new study from MIT has shed light on this concept by mapping the relationship between the design of a habitat and the emotional well-being of its inhabitants. The Human Environment Connection and Interaction Atlas, or HECIA, is an interactive tool that was developed by engineers at MIT for astronauts, taking into account the psychological well-being of crew members on long-duration space missions.

Originally intended for use in Mars Dune Alpha, a 3D-printed habitat being constructed for NASA's CHAPEA missions, the insights from this research have broader implications for the design of spaces intended for human survival and thriving.

MIT researchers led by Mich Lin began with a simple observation that existing survival-focused designs, such as submarines, Antarctic stations, and spacecraft, have not previously addressed the need for thriving environments. To address this gap, Lin's team utilized a risk mapping method employed by NASA for physical health and adapted it to focus on emotional health.

They drew from Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart, a catalog of human emotions, and narrowed it down to fourteen feelings that are most relevant to individuals living in extreme, isolated environments.

The team then examined scientific literature to connect each emotional state with specific physical design elements. For instance, lighting affects sleep patterns, staircases and shared entrances influence social interactions, and reconfigurable rooms can reduce feelings of homesickness by making spaces feel less foreign. The HECIA tool allows users to explore this relationship in both directions – by starting with a design constraint, such as distance from Earth, and identifying the risks it poses, or by selecting an emotional outcome they wish to protect and uncovering the corresponding design choices that can achieve it.

While the atlas does not serve as a definitive rulebook, it makes visible the critical link between a space's physical design and the emotional health of its occupants. This visibility bridges the gap between the room where one survives and the space where one can truly live. As Lin emphasizes, each habitat will have unique characteristics based on its location and inhabitants, but the atlas provides a valuable framework for designing spaces that nurture both physical and emotional well-being.