Design
Making the Case for Symmetrical Cities
The architect Ann Sussman argues urban design should pay more attention to cognitive science.
Next time I’m feeling stressed out, now I know what I should do: head down to Charles Street in Beacon Hill in Boston. No, not for a pint of Guinness at The Sevens. Just to look at the architecture.
The symmetry of red brick, perfectly positioned front doors and 12-pane windows has a soothing effect. It tells us all is well in the world, that there is order, and indeed that we’re connected to that equilibrium. In evolutionary terms, we sense a friendly environment; we’re going to have food, and we’re not going to be eaten. Survival of the tidiest.