Available Online at www.e-iph.co.uk Indexed in Clarivate Analytics WoS, and ScienceOPEN Lisbon – Malacca Port Cities Twin Conferences 2019 / 2020 AicQoL2020Malacca ASLI (Annual Serial Landmark International) Conferences on QoL2020 https://www.amerabra.org; https://fspu.uitm.edu.my/cebs; https://www.emasemasresources.com/ 8th AMER International Conference on Quality of Life Mahkota Hotel Melaka, Malacca, Malaysia, 18-19 Mar 2020 (Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, paper virtually presented on 25 Mar 2020) eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v5i13.2103 Single-case Experimental Research: Designing emotions by designing spaces - A pilot study Ammar Ayman Zaino, Mohamed Yusoff Abbas Centre of Studies, Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam, Malaysia ammar_zaino@hotmail.com, myusoff801@uitm.edu.my Tel.: +601164445148 Abstract The belief that the environment shapes human emotions followed by behaviour is not new, as acknowledged by many researchers. Recent studies show that the most significant illness by 2030 is depression, as most of our time spent inside the buildings. Hence, the importance of "re-connecting architecture with emotions" is an essential solution to improve the quality of life. A single-case experimental design (SCED) aimed to investigate the relationship between neural underpinnings of the brain, for a single participant and various environments. Data collected was based on the Electroencephalography tests. Findings showed a significant contrast between different water elements and environmental settings, each with its unique effect on participant emotions as well as the electrical activity of the brain. Keywords: Depression; Neural underpinnings; Water-bodies environment; Quality of Life. eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v5i13.2103 1.0 Introduction With modern science gaining momentum, people began to believe less about the human spiritual dimension. It influenced many engineers, architects, and developers to adopt a new paradigm in the way they view life and most importantly, designing buildings. The aesthetic awareness culture began to lose its value, oppositely, believing in, tangibles and materialism increased. Engineers always argue architects saying" there is no scientific evidence for the need of having a big window". It became all about money (Bica, 2016). With the evolution of science, scientists and researchers started to understand the effect of design on human wellbeing, depression, and spiritual dimension. Recent studies by the World Federation for Mental Health (2016) reveals the most significant illness in 2030 is going to be the mental disorder of "depression" according to statistics, most of our time spent inside buildings and Architects design buildings. Hence, the importance of "re-connecting architecture with emotions and brain" is an essential solution to improve the quality of life for future generations; However, contemporary architecture has started to receive more accusations of emotional coldness, restrictive aesthetics, distanced from human and life (Pallasmaa, 2015). "Architecting" human's emotions of positivity mean designing environments of happiness, excitement, creativity, empathy, and performance-boosting, to improve human's ultimate performance and behaviour for a better quality of life. The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people (Chavez, 1990, p.17).