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COOOP
3 min read
Human Behaviour, Designing For Dining.
Human Behaviour" explores Design-for-Behaviour, a people-first design approach transforming spaces into successful, community-driven venues.
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Callie van der Merwe
7 min read
Design comes last: The key to unlocking highly successful hospitality venues.
Designing hospitality spaces with neuroscience and behaviour in mind creates emotionally engaging, profitable, and highly desired venues.

COOOP
3 min read
Human Behaviour, Designing For Dining.
Human Behaviour" explores Design-for-Behaviour, a people-first design approach transforming spaces into successful, community-driven venues.


Callie van der Merwe
3 min read
How Flowers Increase Social Connection.
Discover how flowers boost mood, reduce stress, foster connections, and even promote healing, transforming lives and spaces around us.

Callie van der Merwe
2 min read
Why Gardening Makes Us Happy.
Gardening boosts happiness by releasing serotonin and dopamine, improving mood, reducing stress, and fostering a deeper connection to nature


Callie van der Merwe
2 min read
How The Complexity of Spaces Impacts Our Behaviour.
Discover how the complexity of spaces influences behavior, reduces stress, and enhances well-being through thoughtful design.


Callie van der Merwe
5 min read
Form follows Feeling.
Design goes beyond function—it's about crafting spaces that evoke emotion, influence behaviour, and enhance well-being through neuroarchitec


Callie van der Merwe
3 min read
Bars with the Correct Ambient Room Light Achieve Higher Sales and Price Points.
Ambient lighting can influence mood, taste, and spending. Discover how colour hues in bars can elevate experiences and boost sales.

Callie van der Merwe
2 min read
How Music Volume Shapes Drinking Behaviour in Social Spaces.
Popular music at 88 dB in bars encourages faster drinking, boosting sales. Discover how volume impacts customer behaviour and bar profits.

Callie van der Merwe
6 min read
The 8 Best Seating Layouts For Successful Restaurants.
Understanding 8 seating principles can transform restaurant design by aligning with human behaviour, boosting comfort, connection,

Callie van der Merwe
3 min read
Why Is Almost Everyone Drawn to the Visual Settings of East Africa.
Our innate attraction to the East African savannah stems from the "Savannah Hypothesis," linking evolutionary survival to visual preferences


Callie van der Merwe
2 min read
How Our Environment Dictates Our Success.
Our environment greatly impacts success, mood, and well-being. Designers now have the power to create spaces that enhance human potential.

Callie van der Merwe
5 min read
Why anchoring is so important in restaurants.
Discover how anchoring bias influences customer decisions in restaurants, shaping perceptions of value, price, and quality for higher sales.

Callie van der Merwe
5 min read
Dunbar's number and why it is important for hospitality design.
Discover Dunbar's Number, the theory that humans can maintain 150 meaningful connections, and its impact on design, business, and society.

Callie van der Merwe
5 min read
How EnviroHacking Can Transform Problematic Spaces.
Poorly designed spaces can harm our well-being, while thoughtful design fosters connection, comfort, and purpose. Enter EnviroHacking

Callie van der Merwe
5 min read
Art versus Design. What is the difference between?
Explore the key differences between art and design—how intention, purpose, and creativity shape their roles and impact on society.

Callie van der Merwe
5 min read
How Proprioception and Interoception Shape Our Interior Experiences beyond the Five human senses
Discover how proprioception and interoception shape our experience of spaces, influencing movement, emotion, and design effectiveness.

Callie van der Merwe
8 min read
Experience Design in the Physical space. Our silent senses
Discover how our senses shape the way we experience spaces, from sight and smell to touch and taste, and their profound impact on behaviour.

Callie van der Merwe
6 min read
How our senses impact the way we experience spaces.
Discover how architecture and interior design impact our mood, behaviour, and well-being, blending science, psychology, and creativity.

Callie van der Merwe
4 min read
How Spaces Impact our Behaviour and Vice Versa.
Discover how the spaces we inhabit shape our behaviour, mood, and well-being, with insights from history, science, and design psychology.

Callie van der Merwe
10 min read
The 8 Moments of Truth in Hospitality & Restaurant Design.
Discover the 8 key Moments of Truth in restaurant design that shape unforgettable dining experiences and turn guests into loyal patrons

Callie van der Merwe
7 min read
Using NeuroScience in menus for better profitability.
Discover how neuroscience and strategic menu design can boost restaurant profitability without raising prices, one choice at a time.

Callie van der Merwe
10 min read
The Rules of Colour in Hospitality.
Uncover how colour impacts perception and behaviour in hospitality spaces, and why science and myths often collide in design applications.

Callie van der Merwe
4 min read
The secret to designing a happy home.
Discover the 3 fundamental rules of design—light, proportion, and colour, to create spaces that inspire joy and enhance your daily life.

Callie van der Merwe
3 min read
Menu Engineering 8 tricks most used to influence the food you order in restaurants.
Discover the 8 subtle tricks restaurants use to influence your food choices, from menu design to psychology-driven strategies.
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