In a Good Place: How the Spaces Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive

by Leidy Klotz

So many books address how to live a good life. This one is about where.

 Weaving together lessons ranging from ancient monuments to modern office layouts, from the neighborhood streets where we learned to ride a bike to the college dorm where we forged lifelong bonds, Leidy Klotz illuminates how small shifts in our physical environment can transform our habits, our relationships, and even who we are.

Readers learn why we perform better on our "home turf" vs in neutral territory, why we thrive in some work environments but not others, why our love of home improvement is an impulse rooted in our evolutionary past, and more.  When we understand how our surroundings can either support or thwart our psychological needs, we can create spaces that foster genuine belonging, spark exploration and learning, and connect us – including to our past and to the legacy we leave behind.

​At a time when so much of our life is spent in the virtual world, In a Good Place is an invitation to reengage with the physical one. Whether you're picking a venue for your next birthday party, renovating your kitchen, or deciding which neighborhood to move to, Klotz provides the scientific grounding and practical wisdom for getting the most out of your spaces, and yourself. 
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Psychology

272 pages, Hardcover

Published April 28, 2026

About the author

Leidy Klotz is a Professor at the University of Virginia, with appointments in Engineering, Architecture, and Business. He studies the science of design: how we transform things from how they are to how we want them to be. He has secured over $10 million in competitive funding to support this new area of research. To share research insights with those who can use them, he has written more than 80 articles and two books. To apply these insights to address climate change and systemic inequality, Leidy also works directly with organizations including the World Bank, the World Design Organization, and ideas42.

Before becoming a professor, Leidy managed the design and construction of large engineering projects and before that he played professional soccer.

Reviews

[Sarah Cupitt]

3 stars?4? 4.

Our surroundings matter because we respond to them constantly, whether we realize it or not.

Visionary designer Buckminster Fuller approached problems by imagining the future he wanted to create rather than becoming trapped in endless analysis. He focused on direction first, then adjusted along the way. That same approach works in everyday life. Instead of asking how to create a flawless home or work routine, it helps to ask a simpler question: What kind of life should this space support right now?

notes:
- The problem is that we rarely notice these effects while they’re happening. Modern life trains us to treat our surroundings as background scenery. We work in noisy offices while pretending headphones can block out Karen’s sales calls.
- Our homes fill with chargers, laundry piles, unopened parcels, and the chair that’s become a second wardrobe. GPS tells us where to walk. Streaming platforms autoplay the next episode before we’ve decided whether we even like the show. No wonder so many of us feel distracted, overstimulated, and strangely disconnected
- Some spaces help us focus, relax, and connect with other people; others drain us through a hundred tiny frustrations.
- Once you start looking for it, the pattern appears everywhere. There are libraries that settle the mind almost instantly – and others that really don’t. A well-designed café that’s lively loosens conversation; a competitor that isn't, just feels loud.
- The encouraging part is that small changes can have surprisingly large effects. Rearranging furniture can change how often a family talks and a chair near a window can help you finally read for pleasure again.
- Ants build intricate colonies with guards and tunnels and termites construct towering mounds that stay cool whatever the outside temperature. These structures are essential to their inhabitants’ survival. Evolution has refined these building instincts because the best shelters improved the odds of staying alive. Humans followed a similar path, but with one major difference: we can adapt quickly and intentionally. A bird builds roughly the same nest its ancestors built thousands of years ago.
- Even choosing a different route home can sharpen attention and break habits that make daily life feel flat and repetitive. Modern technology often removes these moments of discovery. GPS gives directions so precisely that many people never develop a mental map of their own city and food delivery apps replace wandering into unfamiliar streets and stumbling across a tiny café or family-run restaurant. Convenience saves time, but it also weakens the connection between people and place. The deeper issue is control.
- One family may need more space for shared meals; another, a quiet corner for prayer. Small choices restore dignity and help people feel rooted
- Workers who personalize their offices tend to feel more satisfied and motivated. Nursing home residents who choose how to arrange their rooms often become more active and emotionally engaged. Simple acts like gardening, repainting a wall, or reorganizing a crowded closet can improve mental health because they create a sense of movement and possibility.
- When one part of life feels fixed, another part can still be shaped. Adding better lighting or creating a quiet reading corner may seem minor, but these acts send an important signal: you can still influence the world around you.
- Too many options can drain energy, increase doubt, and leave us less satisfied with what we finally choose.
- We need enough freedom to feel engaged, while avoiding so many choices that every decision feels heavy. One useful way through this tension is experimentation. Instead of searching endlessly for the perfect setup, you can test small changes and pay attention to how they feel.
- The answer will change over time. A young parent may need a living room that handles noise and mess. Later, the same room may become a quiet place for conversation or reading. Flexible spaces adapt alongside changing needs
- Good environments rarely arrive fully formed. They evolve through attention, adjustment, and curiosity. Spaces become more supportive when we stay responsive to our changing lives rather than chasing one final perfect solution.
- Some of the clearest examples appear in what are called “blue zones,” places where people routinely live longer than average. On the Greek island of Ikaria, evenings unfold in shared public spaces. Children run between café tables while older residents gather for games and conversation. People drift in and out of discussions as naturally as breathing. The layout of the streets and squares encourages interaction without forcing it. Social connection becomes part of ordinary life rather than another task squeezed into a calendar.
- similar patterns appear in multigenerational households in Japan and Costa Rica, where older family members remain woven into community life instead of being pushed to the edges.
- Even in a world filled with social media and video calls, physical presence still shapes the strongest relationships.
- Research shows that people who feel attached to their neighborhoods and communities often report greater life satisfaction. A meaningful place can steady people during periods of stress or uncertainty because it reminds them where they belong. Yet connection depends on balance.
- Event planners have discovered that large crowds connect more easily when vast open halls are broken into smaller gathering areas.
- New places challenge your brain to notice patterns, make decisions, and adapt.

[Tracy Brower]

Just okay. Not a lot new here.

[Glen Peski]

Being a fan of Klotz’s previous book Subtract, I was excited to learn that he was bringing his inquisitive mind, serious research and compelling personal anecdotes to another subject. In A Good Place did not disappoint.

I like books that are enjoyable to read because of their engaging prose and stories, where I learn some things I didn’t know before, and where I am challenged to explore further based on an idea or source referenced in the book. In A Good Place accomplished all of these for me.

Our pastor’s most compelling illustrations are ones where he uses his rambunctious youngest son in an illustration to make it memorable, and make it applicable to our lives. Klotz used his son Ezra to kick off his book Subtract, and his daughter Josie is a thread running (at full speed) through In A Good Place. Sharing himself, his family (and friends and neighbors), his house and his yard with us makes Klotz more approachable, like someone you would actually like to meet someday. The personal sharing isn’t gratuitous, but is used to good effect, to help convey the messages and concepts.

I liked the sections at the end of each chapter. In this day and age of on-demand AI summaries, it was nice to have a reminder of the chapter’s contents in a way that invited interaction and adoption into our own lives.

One of the new things I learned was about the existence of World Wide Wander. I had an engineering supervisor 30 years ago that was ahead of his time. We would frequently have to drive down to the County building to submit or pick up plans (way before digital drafting and submittals). Steve made it a point of pride, every trip he took, to find a different way down, instead of just hopping on the freeway and taking the most direct route. Since this was the day of Thomas Brothers map books, pre-GPS, I’m sure he ended up at some dead ends. But he for sure knew more about some of the nooks and crannies in San Diego County than most people.

The deeper dive into the “broken windows theory” was also something new for me. But it makes sense that the reduction in crime is due to “collective efficacy”, people deciding they care and banding together to fix up their surroundings, not just the government coming in and fixing a bunch of broken windows. The community engaging for their spaces is what makes the difference.

In this age of anxiety and loneliness, our places can be a powerful tool to help create community. Klotz points out that designing an inviting space is important, but not sufficient by itself. It’s great to have an inviting space, but it’s wasted if you never actually make an invitation. We are lucky to live in a neighborhood with alleys, and the alleys are always teeming with people walking their dogs, kids walking to school or playing after school. When we built our house, we deliberately designed it so that there’s no fence between the alley and the sliding door to our living room/kitchen. And we often have neighbors wave as they walk by, or just wander down our driveway to knock on our door.

But even with a space that removes barriers to interaction, some positive energy is still required. Similar to the Stoop Coffee article on Substack, we have ‘Growler Thursdays’ during the summer, where anyone can wander down the alley between 4 and 6 with a beer (or juice box) and hang out in the shade to catch up. Sometimes it’s just one or two people, some weeks it might be 8-10. It starts with an inviting space.

Another concept that I might have heard of but not defined was the study that showed that people who always see the best possible option are not as happy as those who choose what’s good enough, even when the ‘maximizers’ objectively get better outcomes. Something to think about, living with a paralyzing number of choices.

If you enjoy learning new things, about how people ‘work’, and our interactions with our built and natural environments (and more importantly, how to improve those interactions), then you will enjoy this book and get something out of it.

[Ron Porter]

As the book description says, this is a close look at how we relate to various spaces and environments, large and small, natural and man-made, physical and metaphorical. It is a well-written look at the science and is well worth reading.

The writing is transparent and even some of the more complex concepts are examined clearly and concisely. The use of stories to explain science is a powerful technique and he used it very effectively.

He provides sources to support his claims. Based on the number and variety of sources, it's obvious that he is distilling a lot of research, but he does so without leaving me with the sense that anything was left out or oversimplified. Like all the best science writing for a lay audience, the work stands just fine on its own, but can be also used as an entry point to a more detailed examination of the topic.

He starts with a very brief look at our evolutionary history, our relationship to the natural world, how we altered our environment, and how we created artificial environments in the form of housing and settlements.

From there, he examines how we are shaped by these spaces and, more importantly, how we can shape those spaces to take charge of our environment. Most chapters include a "cheat sheet" at the end to guide us in making our places work for us instead of the other way around.

The final chapter, where he discusses the loss of his daughter, is moving and powerful. Not just for the emotions he shares and invokes, but as a demonstration that we cannot separate ourselves from our environments. This chapter, even more than the ones in which he describes a kind of adversarial approach to changing the meaning of a space, shows us that we can take charge and make our spaces over in the ways that have the most meaning to us.

In a book like this, it is natural to find points of disagreement. What is important is that everything is argued in ways that give readers the opportunity to change their minds. He does this extremely effectively. There are still a couple of sticking points for me, but he has successfully given me another way of looking at the world. And he has done so not by tearing down, but by building up. In much the same way that learning how it is that a redwood can exist only adds to their majesty, seeing the places we inhabit with new insight only makes us more connected to and gives us more control over the places we live, work, and play.

[Kathleen]

I was quite intrigued to read this book as it accords well with my own interests in design, place, and biological anthropology. Klotz draws from a variety of disciplines—evolutionary biology, behavioral science, anthropology, architecture, engineering, and design—to illustrate how to create Good Places.

Klotz presents each of his points in an engaging manner with just enough detail to make his point clear without drowning the reader in verbiage. It appears that he took his own advice to subtract excess and focus on the core nugget of information. The result is a brief book that is engaging, enlightening, and also, ultimately, poignant.

I particularly resonated with his focus on the importance of adaptability. My own mantra is "Display Some Adaptability," which I took from the Shaftoes, characters in the novel Cryptonomicon. Adaptability is the key to being able to thrive. Adaptation to complex environments is possible when we have Klotz's big three: agency, competence, and connection. These allow us to create places that help us thrive.

Klotz seamlessly pulls together the many threads of what it means to be human—in a natural environment or a built one, in familiar surroundings or foreign, in a chosen place or one that is dictated. He does this to direct the reader to think more deeply about what type of place would allow them to truly thrive and then to take the steps necessary to create that place.

A continuing leitmotif in the narrative are the vignettes about his young daughter Josie and her attempts to create her own spaces, to demonstrate her agency, competency, and connection. I thought about my own son when he was a preschooler and how he explored his environment and created his sense of place. These personal examples effectively illustrate how the book's principles apply across different stages of life and different contexts. In fact, the entire book can be seen as a tribute to the human spirit which wants to thrive and find meaning in a complex world.

[Emily Erickson]

When I tell people I double majored in psychology and geography, they usually raise their eyebrows and joke that the two have nothing in common. While I’ve come to anticipate this reaction, at first, it threw me off. I’ve never seen in that way. To me, it’s always felt natural that the space inside your head and the space outside your head intersect and influence each other.

Leidy Klotz, PhD, professor of engineering at the University of Virginia, gets it too. His book In A Good Place: How the Spaces Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive explores the premise the our physical spaces are constantly shaping how we think, feel, and interact with others.

Our inner and outer worlds are inseparable, a case Klotz makes through science and story, framing the book around eight themes (like engage, decide, grow, and belong), with each chapter capped with practices to put the ideas to work. Even as someone who has thought a lot about this intersection, I still learned things. One example that stuck with me: To help kids grow and internalize important lessons, have those conversations somewhere new. Klotz has a talent for picking the just-right anecdote, and backs everything with 70 pages of endnotes. He’s also a dad, and this book is partly an homage to his daughter, who passed away at four-and-a-half-years old, infusing the book with a profound sweetness that gutted me as a parent of a four-and-a-half year old.

I’ve read psychology books, geography books, and design books, but never one quite like this. Out now.

*Thank you to Press Shop PR and Little, Brown for the advance review copy

[Anil Saxena]

In a Good Place by Leidy Klotz is a thoughtful and practical exploration of how the spaces we move through every day quietly shape how we think, learn, and engage with the world.

The book looks at rooms, buildings, and environments—both familiar and unfamiliar—and asks a simple but powerful question: what are these spaces doing to us, and what could they be doing if we were more intentional? Klotz shows how space influences learning, connection, efficiency, and even joy, without drifting into theory for its own sake.

Reading this book also brought up a personal reflection. My father was a civil engineer, and he used to say that the spaces we build—and what we choose to do with them—say a lot about who we are collectively. I didn’t fully understand that at the time. This book helped connect those dots, giving language and structure to an idea I’d carried for years.

One of the book’s strengths is how grounded it is. The concepts are explained clearly and immediately tied to practical examples. There’s no push toward idealized environments—just thoughtful guidance on how to work better with the space you already have.

This isn’t a book about architecture or design. It’s a book about paying attention—and about using space more intentionally to be more effective and more connected. Highly recommended.

[Alicia Bayer]

I was excited to read this book because I thought it would be about how to design your home and work to make you happy, productive, inspired, whatever. I didn’t realize it was written by a college professor. Being the child of a former college professor and having grown up in that world, I am very familiar with the professor style of book –– academic, intellectual, well researched, involving a lot of interviews and anecdotes involving other college professors and respected writers, and (very sorry) rather dull.

This is a very well written and researched book. It’s just not particularly helpful or fun. I actually had to create a new category to shelve it because I didn’t think it really counted towards any of my categories for nonfiction like art, history (a little?), homemaking, self help, nature, mindfulness, science (somewhat, in an anthropology sense), etc. I guess I’m adding it to psychology too, since it’s sort of fitting there. It will be an excellent fit if you are a college professor or enjoy deep dives into intellectual topics. It’s a good book, just not a great fit for me.

I read a digital ARC of this book via netgalley.

[Lamont Neal]

Early on in this book, I struggled to understand why the author chose to focus so heavily on space. He was simultaneously sharing so much about the underlying drivers of how our environments shape us that it felt like the ideas could apply to almost every aspect of life. As I got deeper into the book, Klotz eventually convinced me that I was looking at the problem upside down. Space gathers up so many of those factors, and our choices and influence over it are things we can actually act upon.

One of the best parts of this book is that you don’t have to wait until the end to start applying it. I don’t think I ever made it through five pages without finding something practical I could use immediately. The end of chapter takeaways felt like toolboxes, compact, clear, and easy to return to whenever you need them.

There were moments that felt a bit slower, but as I kept going, I realized that had more to do with the sheer span of material and how directly applicable each section felt to my own situation. Ten pages later, I was back at full speed.

This is a great book, useful, accessible, and immediately actionable.

[Francisco]

Klotz inspires clarity and agency to shape our spaces through contemplation and action. "In a Good Place" offers profound reflection, vivid examples, and applied practices that help leaders, designers, and individuals recognize how environments shape our lives psychologically and socially—and how we can respond with more purposeful design improvements. Klotz invites us to engage with the spaces around us as a key influence on our frame of mind and performance, empowering thoughtful decisions about personal spaces, homes, and workplaces. An informative and original work.

"In a Good Place" offers engaging applied insights for leaders to improve how organizations function similar to "The Friction Project" by Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao, as well as fresh philosophical and aesthetic inspiration for designers in the tradition of "The Shape of a Pocket" by John Berger, and "The Architecture of Happiness" by Alain de Button.

[Wisegirl Wiser]

In A Good Place by Leidy Klotz, the author explores the connection between our physical and mental worlds through three core psychological needs: agency, competence, and connections.

Klotz uses examples from nature, such as a beaver's adaptations to its environment, alongside relatable experiences, like his daughter Josie's DIY attempts to create her perfect space. In a time marked by disconnection, he offers intentional strategies for fostering community through thoughtful design in our shared spaces.

Klotz's insights highlight how intentional environmental changes can enhance our search for meaning and connection in a complex world.

This ARC was provided by NetGalley and Little, Brown Spark and will be published on April 28, 2026.

[Brigid]

The author not only makes the science clear and simple but interweaves it with the personal in a beautiful way. I learned a lot. At the end of each chapter, he leaves the major takeaways for us to chew over. He is such a gifted communicator that he has made this immense, complex topic understandable and approachable. My thanks to him for sharing the joys and sorrows of his personal life.

I look forward to getting a hard copy of this book to highlight and return to. It gave me a lot to think about, how to have my space reflect my internal world (interests, values!) and visa versa.

My only negative comment is the cover art, which feels very drab. It doesn't communicate "thriving" to me.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kathy]

Review of "In a Good Place: How the Spaces Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us to Thrive" by Leidy Klotz. 4 Stars

Blending behavioral science with design, a UVA professor of engineering and architecture explores how the design of the spaces where we live, work, and move fundamentally impacts how we think, feel, relate to others, and even our capacity to thrive.

Despite the overlapping of multiple sciences in this book, Klotz manages to make the information understandable, relatable, and actionable.

A very intriguing book. Well done!

My thanks to Little, Brown and Company for permitting me to access a DRC via NetGalley. Publication is 4/28/26. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

[Shannon]

In his author’s note, Klotz writes that his goal is to write what’s new, true (based in research), and important. He succeeded tremendously with this book. One of his most outstanding skills is his ability to turn science-driven writing into compelling prose, with humor and vulnerability that complements the information.

This book changes the way I see the world, and that’s the highest compliment I can give a book.

[Synthia Salomon]

Environments that support agency, curiosity, and connection help us feel healthier, calmer, and more engaged with life. Small changes, from rearranging a room to exploring unfamiliar places, can change your habits and relationships in lasting ways. Good spaces rarely emerge through rigid planning – they grow through experimentation, shared experience, and openness to change.

[Ryan Fehr]

This book was as entertaining as it was insightful. A real joy to read cover to cover! I particularly appreciated Chapter 6, which focuses on how spaces can help us support and connect with other people. A great balance of interesting stories and practical guidance. Highly recommended!