Evaluating WELL-Based AI-Generated Biophilic Façade Designs for Automated Retail Environments: A Multimodal Eye-Tracking and Facial Expression Study

Global urbanization redirects attention toward the sensory quality of the built environment as a decisive factor in public health and psychological resilience. In automated retail, façades function as sensory interfaces to mitigate the psychological alienation and sensory deprivation inherent in automated nodes. This study offers an initial empirical investigation of AI-generated biophilic façade designs based on WELL Building Standard for automated retail environments using a multimodal evaluation framework. To evaluate the effectiveness of biophilic interventions in these settings, this study pursued three specific objectives: (1) to utilize a curated series of architectural façade variations with calibrated biophilic complexity derived from an environment-based AI generative framework, (2) to quantify subconscious responses represented by gaze patterns and behavioral indicators elicited by these configurations, and (3) to analyze the correlation and potential divergence between implicit physiological responses and explicit conscious aesthetic appraisals. The multimodal experiment involving 30 participants integrated eye-tracking, facial expression analysis, and Semantic Differential scales. AOI-based visual attention analysis indicated that biophilic complexity, particularly the integration of organic patterns and natural materials, significantly enhanced subconscious visual interest and sustained engagement within specific design zones. The findings unveiled a complexity-aesthetic paradox where subconscious physiological and behavioral indicators exhibited peak engagement with high-complexity patterns while conscious aesthetic preference favored material-driven structural clarity. Statistical verification via repeated measures correlation analysis revealed a lack of significant linear association between instinctive physiological engagement and explicit aesthetic appraisal, highlighting a notable divergence between implicit and explicit responses. Thus, while individuals are instinctively attracted to AI-generated complexity, psychological comfort remains rooted in material authenticity. This research provides a scientific foundation for health-conscious retail design by recommending a material-first strategy with pattern as an enhancement.