[Kyoto Seika University] Moving Boundaries × Kyoto Seika University to Hold International Symposium and Intensive Course "The Future of Human Sciences and Architecture"

Kyoto Seika University (Sakyo-ku, Kyoto; President: Kang Jun) will hold the International Symposium and Intensive Course "The Future of Human Sciences and Architecture" in collaboration with Moving Boundaries, an international educational and research platform.

This program explores how insights from human sciences such as neuroscience, cognitive science, sociology, and environmental psychology can be applied to architecture and design. It is the first international program hosted by Moving Boundaries in Japan. The aim is to rethink architecture and design not merely as issues of function or form, but from the perspective of human experience, embodiment, and relationship with the environment, in order to create richer and healthier living environments.

During the program, 12 international lecturers active at the forefront of fields such as architecture, neuroscience, psychology, human sciences, philosophy, urban planning, and interior design will be invited. Lectures, master classes, panel discussions, workshops, and architectural tours will be conducted. Over 70 participants from more than 25 countries are expected to attend, gathering in Kyoto with diverse backgrounds including architects, researchers, educators, designers, scientists, and graduate students.

The symposium will feature speakers such as architectural theorist Alberto Pérez-Gómez, leading mirror neuron researcher Vittorio Gallese, and environmental psychologist Colin Ellard, along with researchers leading their respective fields. This will be a valuable opportunity for advanced research and practices to be presented and discussed in Japan.

Fieldwork visiting temples, gardens, and historical architecture in Kyoto is also planned. Through cultural and spatial experiences unique to Kyoto, participants will gain a multifaceted understanding of the relationship between humans and their environment.

Through this program, we aim to promote new interdisciplinary collaboration between architecture/design and human sciences, and to further develop international educational and research exchange at Kyoto Seika University.

Moving Boundaries × Kyoto Seika University "The Future of Human Sciences and Architecture"

Content: Lectures, panel discussions, workshops, architectural tours, cultural experiences, etc.

Dates: August 3 (Mon) - August 7 (Fri), 2026

*Symposium held at Kyoto Seika University: 4 days from August 3 (Mon) to August 6 (Thu)

Venue: Kyoto Seika University, Meisokan Grand Hall (137 Iwakura Kino-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8588)

Participation Fee: Registration for Moving Boundaries 2026 is required (fee applies)

*Kyoto Seika University students and faculty/staff: Free (advance registration required)

Organizers: Kyoto Seika University, Moving Boundaries

Website: https://www.kyoto-seika.ac.jp/news/2026/0707_1.html

Symposium Program

Date: August 3 (Mon)

Time: 11:00 - 18:45

Neurophenomenology and Embodiment

Lectures by Alberto Pérez-Gómez and Vittorio Gallese will advocate for human-centered architecture where space and subject are co-generated. Japanese spatial thought will be discussed as an example of this embodied reciprocity, along with neurophenomenology, embodiment, and multisensory harmony. Katsuhiko Muramoto will lecture on the essence of Japanese design.

<Speakers>

Alberto Pérez-Gómez

Professor Emeritus, McGill University / Architectural Theorist and Historian

*Lecture Time: 11:00 - 12:00

Vittorio Gallese

Professor, University of Parma / Neuroscientist

*Lecture Time: 14:00 - 16:30

Katsuhiko Muramoto

Professor Emeritus, Pennsylvania State University / Architect

*Lecture Time: 17:00 - 18:45

Date: August 4 (Tue)

Time: 15:00 - 17:00

Restorative Design and Place Attachment

Lectures and a panel discussion by Yoko Kawai and Colin Ellard will discuss the importance of restorative design and place attachment. Attention will be paid to the contrast between static space and dynamic experience, particularly the tension between sensory elements and those based on culture, memory, and history.

<Speakers>

Yoko Kawai

Professor, Yale School of Architecture / Architect and Researcher

Colin Ellard

Professor, University of Waterloo / Neuroscientist and Environmental Psychologist

Date: August 5 (Wed)

Time: 14:00 - 16:30

Brain, Body, Environment: Designing for Health

Hugo Spiers' lecture will explore the brain regions involved in the perception and response to architectural spaces. It will also discuss the impact of the environment on brain regions related to well-being and mental health. Galen Cranz's lecture will focus on embodied design in Japan, posing the question, "How embodied is Japanese design from historical and contemporary perspectives?" and detailing the value, principles, and effects of embodied design through examples from her research, teaching, and design practice.

<Speakers>

Hugo Spiers

Professor, University College London / Cognitive Neuroscientist

Galen Cranz

Professor, University of California, Berkeley / Designer and Sociologist

Date: August 6 (Thu)

Time: 14:00 - 16:00

Beyond Permanence: Memory, Presence, and the Mediated Monument

Andrea Pinotti's exploration of digital "tele-memorials" and Louise Pelletier's research on embodiment and ephemeral architecture will be brought together through lectures and a panel discussion. They will reveal a common interest in how memory and presence are mediated through evolving forms of spatial experience, exploring these themes at the intersection of human sciences and design, and discussing practical applications for design.

<Speakers>

Louise Pelletier

Professor, Université du Québec à Montréal / Architect

Andrea Pinotti

Professor, University of Milan / Philosopher

*Program content and speakers are subject to change. Please check the official website for details.

https://www.movingboundaries.org/injapanese

About Moving Boundaries:

Moving Boundaries is an international, interdisciplinary educational and research community dedicated to creating spaces that support human life. Scientists, architects, healthcare professionals, and designers collaborate across disciplines to advance research, education, and practice on the impact of the built environment on human perception, behavior, health, and collective spatial experience. Currently, the community has over 450 alumni worldwide, 75 expert faculty members, and over 12,000 followers, and is committed to developing designs that contribute to human and environmental health. It advocates for a shift towards ethical, life-centered, and salutogenic design, pursuing new possibilities in architecture and design.

Kyoto Seika University

Kyoto Seika University cultivates individuals who change the world through expression. It comprises five distinctive faculties: Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Media Expression, Faculty of Art, Faculty of Design, and Faculty of Manga, along with graduate schools, fostering individuals who contribute to society through expression.

[Name] Kyoto Seika University [President] Kang Jun [Location] 137 Iwakura Kino-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto [Nearest Station] (1) Approx. 10 minutes by school bus from Kokusai Kaikan Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway (2) Immediately walkable from Kyoto Seika-mae Station on the Eizan Railway [URL] https://www.kyoto-seika.ac.jp/ [X] https://x.com/seika_sekai [Faculties] Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Media Expression, Faculty of Art, Faculty of Design, Faculty of Manga [Graduate Schools] Graduate School of Art, Graduate School of Design, Graduate School of Manga, Graduate School of Humanities