This paper explores several ways in which artistic and scientific approaches can be combined in order to assist in developing intelligent environments of the future. People use art to express themselves and to communicate their ideas and information, as well as understand the world around. For these purposes, people also use science and technology. Interactive media, virtual environments, computer games are there to facilitate human interaction with the space, its inhabitants, and artifacts, for people to eventually understand themselves better. The same process happens in the theatre – the term that is used in this paper to symbolize any form of interactive art. By applying scientific approaches to theatrical practices, we can study how people interact with and within their surrounding space. This knowledge can help us to design better intelligent environments, being them a classroom, home or working space. Among other functionality the art-science symbiosis can provide, this paper explores the potential of applying the concept of scientific theatre to advance design of (i) learning, (ii) research and development, and (iii) healthcare environments. In addition to discussing applications of the theatre in each of the three areas and outlining the latest achievements in a number of related disciplines, the paper also details the multidisciplinary research in progress that is used here as an example of methodological approach to studying human interactions with and within an environment. More specifically, exploiting the idea that the body and mind interact, the research studies how performing, imagining, and observing movement (all being involved in the theatre) can assist in supporting health and treating both mental and physical disorders. It is based on a number of methods and techniques from neuroscience, biomechanics, movement therapy, artificial intelligence, and several other areas of research as discussed in the paper.