Architectural Design and Human Behavior: Narrative Review on the Psychological Influence on Built Space

Objective: To study architectural design to improve the mental, emotional and behavioral health of people, creating spaces that promote well-being, social interaction, productivity and stress reduction through factors such as lighting, distribution, colors, accessibility and connection with nature.Methodology: Narrative review of recent scientific literature (April 2022 - August 2023), consulting databases such as Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar. Ten relevant articles were selected after eliminating duplicates and non-relevant papers.Results: It is highlighted that well-designed spaces can promote physical activity, social engagement and reduce stress. Architectural elements that affect brain responses and behavioral patterns were identified, highlighting the importance of taking into account the emotional and cognitive needs of the user.Conclusions: It is essential to design environments that enhance quality of life and emotional well-being. Understanding spatial perception and environmental cognition allows architects to create functional spaces that meet the psychological and physiological demands of people, although more empirical research is needed to strengthen this evidence.