February 20-21, 2026, MILANO (IT)

BRAIN PRINCIPLE AND URBAN DESIGN

Promoted by POLI.design and ANFA Italy, the conference “Neuroscience and Architecture” is taking place on February 20 and 21 at the Politecnico di Milano – Bovisa Durando Campus.


The event invites you to consider how built spaces influence your sensory experience, bodily reactions, and emotional responses: an opportunity to delve into the relationship between neuroscience, architecture, design, and the human sciences awaits you.


Throughout the two days, the program will explore five core principles that guide human-centered design: Embodiment, Emotion, Atmosphere, Attunement, and Memory.

The opening session includes a short introductory address by Sergei Gepshtein, President of ANFA, connecting remotely from San Diego.




Organizers

ANFA Italy Chapter
POLI.design

Opening and Closing Chair

Davide Ruzzon - (Scientific Director - Executive Course in Neuroscience and Design POLI and President of ANFA Italy)

Moderators

Miriam D'Ignazio- (Architect – ANFA Italy)
Maria Chiara Monacelli - (Architect – ANFA Italy)

Ludovica Gregori- (Architect – ANFA Italy)

Redon Softa - (Architect – ANFA Italy)

Speakers

Katia Accossato - (Architetto e Professoressa – Politecnico di Milano)

Renato Bocchi - (Architetto – IUAV Venezia)

Elisabetta Canepa - (Architetto, PhD – Università di Genova)

Cinzia Di Dio - (Neuropsicologa – Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore di Milano)

Sergei Gepshtein - (President – ANFA, San Diego)

Vittorio Gallese - (Neuroscienziato – Università di Parma)

Isabella Pasqualini - (Architetto – ETH Zurich)

Andrea Pinotti - (Filosofo – Università Statale di Milano)

Tiziana Proietti - (Architetto e Professoressa – Oklahoma University)

Chiara Rizzi - (Architetta e Professoressa – Università della Basilicata)

Sarah Robinson - (Architetta e Filosofa – Pavia)

Pierluigi Sacco - (Biobehavioral Economics – Università Chieti-Pescara)

Antonio Sorrentino - (Architetto e PhD – Università La Sapienza di Roma)

Riccardo Viale - (Sociologo, Economia Comportamentale – LUISS, Roma)