The article explores the concept of flow of consciousness as an optimal experience capable of integrating cognitive, affective, and sensory processes, placing it at the center of reflection on individual and collective well-being. Starting from clinical cases, such as the one described by Sacks (The man who mistook his wife for a hat and other clinical tales. Summit Books, New York, 1985), it shows how multisensory fragmentation can compromise everyday experience, while perceptual coherence and cross-modal congruence promote states of balance and integration. The evolutionary origin of flow, linked to hunting and gathering practices, is then recalled, and Csikszentmihalyi’s (Flow: the psychology of optimal experience. Harper and Row, New York, 1990; Applications of flow in human development and education: the collected works of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Springer, New York, 2014) theory is developed, which identifies flow as a positive psychological state based on cognitive activation, intrinsic motivation, control, and balance between external demands and internal capacities. The discussion extends to the neurophysiological basis of the phenomenon and the measurement tools used today, highlighting their applicability in architecture and urban planning. Integrating the reflections of Norman (Emotional design: why we love (or hate) everyday things. Basic Books, Cambridge, MA, 2004) on emotional design and Kaës (Un singolare plurale. Borla, Rome, 2007) on psychic and social guarantors, the text proposes the concept of human architecture: a domestic and urban space designed to foster optimal experiences, stimulate belonging and psychological citizenship, and promote well-being. The article thus highlights the crucial role of architects and urban planners as co-creators of contexts capable of activating basic psychological functions and supporting mental and social health through multisensory, flexible, and culturally inclusive environments.

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Towards a Human Architecture: Flow of Consciousness and Wellbeing

  • Paolo Inghilleri

摘要

The article explores the concept of flow of consciousness as an optimal experience capable of integrating cognitive, affective, and sensory processes, placing it at the center of reflection on individual and collective well-being. Starting from clinical cases, such as the one described by Sacks (The man who mistook his wife for a hat and other clinical tales. Summit Books, New York, 1985), it shows how multisensory fragmentation can compromise everyday experience, while perceptual coherence and cross-modal congruence promote states of balance and integration. The evolutionary origin of flow, linked to hunting and gathering practices, is then recalled, and Csikszentmihalyi’s (Flow: the psychology of optimal experience. Harper and Row, New York, 1990; Applications of flow in human development and education: the collected works of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Springer, New York, 2014) theory is developed, which identifies flow as a positive psychological state based on cognitive activation, intrinsic motivation, control, and balance between external demands and internal capacities. The discussion extends to the neurophysiological basis of the phenomenon and the measurement tools used today, highlighting their applicability in architecture and urban planning. Integrating the reflections of Norman (Emotional design: why we love (or hate) everyday things. Basic Books, Cambridge, MA, 2004) on emotional design and Kaës (Un singolare plurale. Borla, Rome, 2007) on psychic and social guarantors, the text proposes the concept of human architecture: a domestic and urban space designed to foster optimal experiences, stimulate belonging and psychological citizenship, and promote well-being. The article thus highlights the crucial role of architects and urban planners as co-creators of contexts capable of activating basic psychological functions and supporting mental and social health through multisensory, flexible, and culturally inclusive environments.