Cities of Awe Lab
The Cities of Awe Lab studies how the places we build shape the moments of wonder people find in them.
Our cities should be our greatest source of community. Too often, they leave us feeling more alone instead. The Cities of Awe Lab sets out to change that by designing our shared spaces around one of the most powerful forces for well-being: awe.
AWE DOESN’T JUST CHANGE CITIES. IT CHANGES HOW PEOPLE EXPERIENCE BEING ALIVE.
Built on twenty years of research from Dacher Keltner, the Lab starts from a simple finding. Awe quiets the ego, eases anxiety and depression, and draws us closer to one another. It lives in nature, music, and art, pulling us out of ourselves and helping us feel part of something bigger.
In partnership with Gehl Urban Design, the Cities of Awe Lab reimagines cities as places that move beyond function to nurture wonder. When our environments are built for awe, they become spaces for connection, purpose, and meaning.
