You are kindly invited to a seminar organized by the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design.
Speaker: Dr. Noor Fajrina Farah Istiani
Title: “Designing for the Senses: Interior Architecture and the Flavour of Experience”
Date: September 30, 2025, Tuesday
Time: 12.30-13.30
Place: FF Building, FB22
Abstract
Can interior design enhance the way food is perceived? This seminar presents how multisensory, taste- and texture-congruent environments influence the perception of flavour and mouthfeel. By modulating sensory elements such as soundscapes, lighting, and visual atmosphere, these environments were shown to measurably affect perceived taste and mouthfeel attributes. The study draws on interdisciplinary methods from sensory science, environmental psychology, and interior architecture to propose a sensory-aware approach to spatial design, one that supports healthier eating and more engaging food experiences through atmospheric, perception-driven environments. Through both lab-based and immersive experimental settings, the research reveals how subtle design interventions can shape behavioural and perceptual outcomes in everyday food interactions. The seminar invites reflection on the active role of interior architecture in sensory wellbeing and offers practical insights for designing spaces that enrich not only how we eat, but how we experience the world through our senses.
Short Bio
Noor Fajrina Farah Istiani is an interior architectural researcher and designer specializing in multisensory design, cross-modal perception, and health-oriented environments. She has a PhD in Architecture and Industrial Design at the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Italy, where she investigates how multisensory settings influence taste and mouthfeel perception in food contexts. Noor has conducted international research at the University of Turku in Aistikattila® sensory labs in Finland and is affiliated with the SENS i-Lab in Italy. Her interdisciplinary work bridges interior architecture, environmental psychology, and sensory science, and has been featured in journals such as Applied Acoustics, Food Quality and Preference and International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science.