Sophie Schuller

The built environment is not a neutral backdrop—it is an active force shaping human experience, social structures, and economic systems. My work interrogates the intersection of real estate, capital markets, and human health and well-being, critically examining how the financialization of the built environment influences both building and social value. At the core of this inquiry is a fundamental question: how can real estate be socially responsible?

Spanning urban justice, social inclusion, and public health, I work with policymakers, investors, and designers to explore how design can embed human experience at the center of architectural and urban decision-making.

In parallel, my neuroscientific research examines the biological basis of human interaction with space. The workplace, for instance, has traditionally been designed around efficiency metrics, with little regard for the neurophysiological realities of cognition, sensory perception, and stress. My PhD investigates how the built environment modulates human biological systems at work, offering a new lens through which to understand productivity, well-being, and the future of work.

Bridging neuroscience, urban strategy, and real estate, I explore the value of buildings not just as assets, but as infrastructures of human potential. The question is not only how we build, but what kind of humanity our built environments enable.

Blog Posts
Articles
Videos
Publications Edited
Events Organised
Event Participation