Landmarks and Environmental Geometry in Spatial Navigation: Insights for Architecture in the Context of Human Aging

The cognitive neuroscience of spatial memory studies how individuals learn and recall the surrounding environment and is inherently related to the architectural concept of ‘experience of space’. However, applying neuroscientific concepts to architectural design has proved challenging. This review highlights the distinction between landmarks and environmental geometry as a key intersection, especially in the context of human aging. The review begins with a brief history of experimental studies testing the use of landmarks and geometry during spatial navigation, along with an overview of brain areas involved in processing these two types of visual information in the mammalian brain. It then presents a detailed analysis of human studies suggesting that the relative contribution of these visual cues to navigation performance changes in aging. These findings underscore the potential of neuroscience-informed architecture to create age-friendly environments that facilitate navigation, improving accessibility and quality of life for the aging population.