“The brain is not concrete… it is always changing.” Mohamed Hesham Khalil

We investigate the work of Cambridge scholarship student, Mohamed Hesham Khalil, which we believe should be integrated into planning and architecture around the world.

Mohamed also brings other top global experts to your ears during this short series of podcasts.

Neurosustainability and the built environment

In this opening episode, architect and Cambridge PhD candidate Mohammed Hesham Khalil introduces neurosustainability—a way of thinking about buildings and cities that asks how everyday environments shape mental health, cognition, stress levels, and long-term brain resilience.

“Sustainability… has to be inclusive and include the brain as well.” Mohammed Hesham Khalil

Jackie and Mohammed explore how the built environment influences us in ways we often overlook: the presence (or absence) of nature, whether our days include movement, how much variety and “spatial complexity” we experience, and how factors like air pollution can undermine health—even in places that look green on the surface.

This episode sets the foundation for the series: a practical, research-informed conversation about designing places that support the brain—not just the building.

Neurosustainability and the built environment

This episode is for anyone who makes decisions that shape how people live inside places—and anyone who’s felt, personally, that certain environments lift you up or drag you down.

“It’s not only about architecture… it’s about the way we live.” Mohamed Hesham Khalil

• Architects & designers (especially if you care about wellbeing beyond “light and air” checklists)

• Urban planners & transport planners working on walkability, density, public realm, and mobility

• Developers & project managers making trade-offs between cost, space, green features,...