Around the world, cities are becoming faster, denser, and more complex. Yet many of these environments still overlook one essential truth: human minds experience the world in many different ways. Noise, lighting, movement patterns, and visual clutter affect people differently, shaping how easily they can learn, work, travel, or connect with others.
This whitepaper, Rethinking Urban Spaces: Designing Cities for Every Mind, an initiative by Neuropower World and the Institute of Neurodiversity (ION), brings together science, design, and community insight to show how environments can better support the full spectrum of human cognitive experiences.
The whitepaper presents the Seven Pillars of Neurodesign, a practical framework for shaping places that strengthen well-being and belonging. These ideas transform how we think about sensory balance, attention and restoration, social and psychological safety, and systemic inclusion.
Designing for cognitive diversity benefits everyone—by recognising the wide range of ways people process information and engage with the world, we create healthier, more intuitive, and more humane environments.
As Kay Sargent (HOK) writes: “By addressing the sensory and cognitive needs of those most at risk of exclusion, we create environments that are healthier and more resilient for everyone.”
Take a moment to read the White Paper and the Press Release
