Abstract

Understanding that human interaction with space involves an integrative process shaped by perceptual, emotional, and biological responses cannot be limited just to visual perception. It needs spatial experience and multisensory work. This article, therefore, introduces Esperencia, a conceptual and methodological framework for exploring spatial experience through multisensory stimulation in neuroarchitecture. The increased sensory sensitivities in the post-pandemic context underscore the urgency of designing environments that engage the whole human sensorium. To inform the development of Esperencia, this study employed a systematic literature review following PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) 2020 guidelines. An initial pool of 375 articles was screened using keyword-based filters, resulting in a final selection of nine full-text articles based on methodological rigor, relevance to neuroarchitecture, and focus on multisensory experience. Data was analyzed using thematic coding in Excel and co-occurrence mapping via VOSviewer, revealing key gaps such as the fragmentation of methods, the isolation of sensory modalities, and the absence of integrated epistemological frameworks. In response, Esperencia was developed as a layered, abductive, mixed-methods approach, drawing on Saunders’ research onion framework. It blends interpretivist and post-positivist paradigms, employing qualitative tools (e.g., interviews, narrative inquiry, observation) and quantitative measures (e.g., electroencephalograph [EEG], HRV, virtual reality [VR] simulation). The method accommodates diverse strategies, including case studies, experimental designs, and participatory ethnographies, supported by wearable sensing technologies and environmental simulations. The analysis combines statistical inference with phenomenological interpretation. Esperencia advances neuroarchitecture as a human-centered, empirically grounded, multidisciplinary knowledge. It bridges design, neuroscience, and wellness sense by unifying subjective perception with physiological measurement in a coherent research structure.