A theoretical framework for contemplative neuroaesthetics is proposed, grounded in sensorimotor dynamics. The authors argue that the capacity of arts and architecture to induce contemplative phenomenological states has been largely overlooked. They operationalize how attunement to architecture can lead to such states, contrasting externally-induced methods with internally-induced ones. Architecture may spontaneously elicit contemplative states as built features naturally resonate with the sensorimotor system. Becoming sensible of this resonance creates an occasion for an externally-induced contemplative state. Neuroscientific studies of architecture are reviewed, brain regions involved in aesthetic contemplative responses are elaborated, and contributions to evidence-based design are pointed at.
Perceptual experience of architecture arises from interactions between the body's sensory and motor systems and the built environment. Actions change perceived surroundings based on expectations shaped by bodily capabilities and architectural features. Affordances—the fit between body structure and movement possibilities in a space—underlie continuous sensory information gathering. This paper takes a first step toward understanding architectural design's role in perceptual experience at a neuronal level, proposing a framework that synthesizes computational neuroscience with architectural phenomenology into a computational neurophenomenology. The framework aims to guide future studies linking architecture and cognitive neuroscience.