Dubai-based residential development Eywa has brought in two specialists, a cognitive neuroscientist and an architect, to contribute to its ongoing work around wellness-led design and the science of how physical spaces affect human health.
Dr. Samira Cutts, a clinician-scientist with more than two decades of experience who practices at King’s College Hospital and is pursuing a PhD at Maastricht University, joins alongside Mariska Stoffel, Director of Design and Development at R.Evolution, the developer behind the Eywa project. Stoffel has previously worked on projects including the Museum of the Future and Marsa Al Arab.
The announcement positions their involvement as exploratory rather than promotional. The aim, according to the developer, is to bridge what research increasingly shows about environmental health and how residential spaces are actually designed.
“We have become incredibly conscious of what we put into our bodies, but we’re only beginning to understand the impact of the environments around us,” said Alex Zagrebelny, Founder and CEO of R.Evolution. “The future of wellness isn’t confined to clinics, spas or biohacking devices. It starts with the places where we spend our everyday lives.”
Dr. Cutts, whose research focuses on how the brain responds to stress, recovery, and environmental factors, said the field is maturing beyond vague wellness claims into measurable territory. “How does natural light affect sleep quality? How do green spaces influence stress levels? What role do air quality, acoustics, and environmental design play in cognitive performance and recovery? These are areas where science is becoming increasingly compelling,” she said.
Stoffel, for her part, frames the project as a shift in what residential luxury means. “People still want beauty and craftsmanship, but increasingly they also want meaning. They want spaces that help them disconnect from noise, reconnect with themselves, and improve their quality of life,” she said.
Eywa describes its approach as grounded in biophilic design principles, environmental quality standards, and sustainability. The project is marketed under the name Eywa Tree of Life.
