| colspan="3" |<big>'''Keynote Address - [[:en:Research_and_Innovation_Symposium_2024_Speakers#Dr._Colin_Ellard|Dr. Colin Ellard]], Professor, University of Waterloo'''</big>
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| colspan="3" |<big>'''Keynote Address - [[:en:Research_and_Innovation_Symposium_2024_Speakers#Dr._Colin_Ellard|Dr. Colin Ellard]], Professor, University of Waterloo - The cognitive neuroscience of residential design'''</big>
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In a time of seismic societal change, the meaning of home is undergoing transformation. But though traditional residential designs are becoming increasingly unattainable for many, our core psychological requirements from home remain unchanged and are written deeply into our biology. Our thoughts feelings and behaviour are so strongly conditioned by psychological reference to home that true homelessness is almost impossible. But the nature of home and its impact on wellbeing can vary enormously. In my presentation, I will describe some of the neural underpinnings of home and place attachment and the way the design of the places where we dwell can influence attachment and thereby promote wellbeing. I will describe the development of recent methods in cognitive neuroscience and environmental psychology that allow measurement of the impact of design variables, including sensory properties like size, shape and texture and functional properties that promote our feeling of agency. I will conclude my presentation with some recommendations for key principles from neuroscience and that could guide the development of housing policy for these challenging times.