The Architecture of Being

The Nielsen Lab for Human-Centered Design (NLHD) is an independent research center dedicated to understanding how human biology shapes the world we build — and how the systems we’ve created, in turn, shape our biology.

Our work begins with a simple premise: Biology drives behavior, behavior builds systems, and systems determine whether humans thrive or break down.

We study these loops directly — not as theory, but as measurable patterns in inflammation, cognition, stress, development, decision-making, and societal function. We treat biology as the foundation for understanding architecture, technology, education, economics, and the broader structures that define modern life.

Our goal is to redesign these systems so they work with human physiology instead of against it.

NLHD brings together architecture, neuroscience, genetics, sociology, and systems design to map the connections between the human body and the environments and institutions we create.

We analyze how factors like IL-6, allostatic load, light, sound, airflow, policy, language, and technology influence human outcomes — individually and collectively.

We use this knowledge to create new design models for buildings, communities, workplaces, schools, and social systems that support regulation, resilience, learning, connection, and long-term well-being.

At its core, the Nielsen Lab is building a new blueprint for human thriving — one where our biology informs our design choices, and our design choices uplift human life.

About Us

Reimagining design as a living system for human well-being.

Leading the paradigm shift from building for utility to building for humanity, NLHD develops applied research on design principles and practices that advance human wellbeing. In service to the architectural, design and related fields, we conduct research and experimentation at the intersections of design, biology, anthropology, sociology, energy, and technology to understand how the built environment shapes the expression of physical, mental, cognitive and social health.

In addition to our own interdisciplinary research, we provide tools and resources to help field practitioners design and build spaces that perform in harmony with human biology. The Lab leverages a deep understanding of the biological and neurological responses to the built environment to help create healthier, happier, and more productive places to live, work and play.

Defining the principles
that shape our work and our world.

Mission

By measuring hidden biological and social signals of resilience, testing interventions in real-world environments, and translating discovery into actionable frameworks, we study and create design systems that unlock human potential at scale.

Vision

Building a future where human biology is at the center of the systems we create — enabling societies to be healthier, more resilient, and more humane.

People

Meet Our Director

Nielsen Lab for Human-Centered Design is led by Director Erin McDannald. McDannald is also CEO of lighting, environmental control and design companies: Lighting Environments, Elevated, Environments, and Furne.

An expert in lighting, data, and environmental controls, Erin McDannald’s work has evolved to operate at the intersection of biology, technology, and design. Her work explores how the built environment can support symbiotic systems that nurture both human health and the planet.

As the CEO of Elevated, Erin pioneered a smart building platform that enables buildings to perform as adaptive systems, integrating lighting, and analytics to create environments that are as responsive as they are sustainable. Her work challenges conventional notions of design and functionality, advocating for spaces that not only serve human needs but also work in concert with the Earth’s ecological rhythms.
Erin’s upcoming book explores the biological roots of behavior and emotion, highlighting how inflammatory markers reveal how the built environment can nurture or injure our physical and mental health. Grounded in personal experience as a mother navigating complex medical challenges, Erin’s insights reveal how our environments—both internal and external—can either inflame or empower us. She champions a future where design serves as a bridge between human resilience and planetary sustainability, offering a blueprint for living in alignment with the systems that sustain us.