Curiosity & Awe: The New Mental Wellbeing Essentials

Published 28 March 2024

Author
Nienke Creemers
2 min read

Globally, 78% of people say awe-inspiring experiences make them feel connected to the world – a topic we previously covered on The Brief (Wunderman Thompson, 2023). Research also suggests curiosity has significant health benefits, including improved memory and higher levels of life satisfaction. Consequently, designers and brands are exploring how wonder-full environments can stimulate awe to promote health.

Thomas Heatherwick
Architect, Heatherwick Studio

What we realised as we started to speak to neuroscientists is that [awe] is something that's neurological and psychological in how we experience the world around us […] There is actually [such a thing as] harmful boring.

What we realised as we started to speak to neuroscientists is that [awe] is something that's neurological and psychological in how we experience the world around us […] There is actually [such a thing as] harmful boring.

Thomas Heatherwick

Architect, Heatherwick Studio

Heatherwick argued that human brains need fascination, which can be generated through engaging with one’s surroundings. New buildings (he believes) don’t evoke wonder in the same way that “humanised buildings” (those designed to fascinate, such as the buildings by Spanish architect Gaudí) can. For more on urban environments, see 4 Trends Transforming Cities.

  • Wonderful, Therapeutic Digital Worlds: Hoping to stimulate awe digitally, London start-up Awen constructs digital worlds to alleviate anxiety and stress. Its virtual reality (VR) experiences aim to place users in a positive headspace by immersing them in inspiring environments. The start-up partners with therapy clinics and is running a trial in a rehabilitation clinic to prove the therapeutic benefits of awe. Meanwhile, Stanford University has found that VR can improve the emotional wellbeing of seniors.

  • Reaching Meditative States: According to experts, meditation can also help cultivate curiosity. US wellness company Somadome offers a meditation pod that immerses users in a “magical space” using colour and light therapy as well as sound. The device is designed to destress, create focus, boost creativity, and encourage physical recovery.

For more on mental wellbeing, see Alleviating the Mental Health Crisis.

Heatherwick argued that human brains need fascination, which can be generated through engaging with one’s surroundings. New buildings (he believes) don’t evoke wonder in the same way that “humanised buildings” (those designed to fascinate, such as the buildings by Spanish architect Gaudí) can. For more on urban environments, see 4 Trends Transforming Cities.

  • Wonderful, Therapeutic Digital Worlds: Hoping to stimulate awe digitally, London start-up Awen constructs digital worlds to alleviate anxiety and stress. Its virtual reality (VR) experiences aim to place users in a positive headspace by immersing them in inspiring environments. The start-up partners with therapy clinics and is running a trial in a rehabilitation clinic to prove the therapeutic benefits of awe. Meanwhile, Stanford University has found that VR can improve the emotional wellbeing of seniors.

  • Reaching Meditative States: According to experts, meditation can also help cultivate curiosity. US wellness company Somadome offers a meditation pod that immerses users in a “magical space” using colour and light therapy as well as sound. The device is designed to destress, create focus, boost creativity, and encourage physical recovery.

For more on mental wellbeing, see Alleviating the Mental Health Crisis.