We think of great design as art, not science, a mysterious gift from the gods, not something that results just from diligent and informed study. But if every designer understood more about the mathematics of attraction, the mechanics of affection, all design — from houses to cellphones to offices and cars — could both look good and be good for you (Lance Hosey, “Why We Love Beautiful Things“, The New York Times)

Lance Hosey is chief sustainability officer at the architecture firm RTKL, and the author of “The Shape of Things: Aesthetics, Ecology, and Design.”