Speed up. Slow down.

Environmental design suggests the ideal speed limit. Take nature, for instance. When walking through a park, along a beach, or through a forest, do the flowers, the sand, or the trees imply a sense of urgency? Do they tell you to hurry up? In contrast, when you’re grabbing a burger at McDonald’s or driving down an exit ramp do the hard benches or merging lanes suggest slowing down to relax? It is our human nature to respond to our environment’s instructions. We’re surrounded by prompts that guide our actions and reactions.

Good design understands human nature. It knows how our heart and brain work seamlessly to draw us to that which is pleasant, beautiful, and functional. If the heart leads, the brain knows what speed to drive the body. Design for the heart first,