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Emotional Architecture

Psychological aspects of designing


a manual to emotional architecture

Sietze Meijer
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“Only the foolish learn from experience — the wise learn from the experience of others.”
— Romanian folk wisdom

AR 0530 Smart- and Bioclimatic Design

Sietze Meijer
b1039180

sietzeameijer@gmail.com
sietzeameijer.nl
? Emotional
Contents

1 Introduction

2 Psychology and Architecture

! 3 Case studies

4 Conclusion

i 5 Epilogue
Architecture
Preface 9

Manuals and Information absorbtion 11


Directions for readers

Designing experience 14
Notions on how architects commonly design space
Architecture and Emotion 16
Psychological effects and reactions on experience of designed space
Architecture and Representation 18
Architecture and urbanism as symbols for society
Perception and Emotion 20
Psychological approach of perception and human emotion
Sound and Perception 24
Psychological approach of the perception of sound
Colour and Perception 26
Emotional response and perception of depth through colour

Richard Neutra, Perkins House 32


MVRDV, Villa VPRO 34

Conclusion 39

A small tip of the iceberg 43

Biblography 47


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1
Introduction


? Emotional

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Architecture
Preface
This manual therefore has not
become the ultimate guide to
During my study at the faculty
manipulate the unwary users,
of architecture so far, I have
but it does try to clarify the way
encountered many presentations
architects can influence the users
in which effects caused by the
of their to-be-built designs.
design were claimed. These
certain design-decisions would
Although society has proven itself
evoke certain behaviour or
not be make-able, designers can
feeling to the future users of the
still pursue their designs to have
designed building.
deeper meaning. In this manual
they will find introductions to
I often wondered where the
cognitive psychology, common
presenter learned about those
misconceptions and case studies,
effects, which usually promised
followed by my conclusions and
wonderful experiences in
recommendations.
the building, evoking exactly
As experiencing a building
the right emotion, feeling or
is totally personal, so is the
behaviour to use the building
interpretation of information
as the designer had intended.
provided in this manual.
However marvellous that may
have sounded, my curiosity was
Therefore: regard this manual
awoken as to how exactly design
only as a means to enrich your
influences building-users.
experience in designing the
Looking to psychology to learn
perception of your designs.
about how human psyche works,
I found out that the way people
Sietze Meijer, 2006
react most certainly is not only
determined by the design of the
architect. It deals with precedents,
patterns in thinking, culture,
physical state, etcetera of the
beholder.


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? Manuals and information
Directions for

! fig.1 cross-information absorbtion of the human brain (van den Brandhof)

The human brain is capable of receiving massive amounts of information.


This manual is laid out in such a way, that it ensures the ideal way of
absorbing its information. A number of guides in this matter have been

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applied to the layout of the manual. For fast reading, leaf through the manual
from back to front, focusing on the left side.

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absorption
readers illustrate all information provided
in each section with images as
When scanning a book, this
usually occurs from back to front.
comprehensively as possible. This is another reason why a
summary of the information in
This manual deals with the
Text is best readable when read in any section is given on the left
perception of our surroundings
columns of 6 to 8 words wide. The side of every double-page.
by the mind and the behaviour
text can also be legible by using
of humans regarding the built
type with serif. Spacing text, so These measures should ensure
environment. Therefore the layout
that lines fill out a column, is not pleasant reading and an optimal
of this manual has been given
easily readable. absorption of information, while
specific attention and requires
reading or leafing through this
explanation.
The FOG-index provides manual.
a number, with which the
There are a few simple guides
readability of a text is measurable.
for composing a layout, which is
Time Magazine has a FOG-index
easily readable. They ensure that
of 11, Reader’s Digest about 8. A
information is absorbed in the
text with a FOG-index of over 13
most efficient way possible.
is hardly readable. This manual
has an average FOG-index of 10.
Our brain absorbs information
best when as much senses
The human brain is divided in a
as possible are triggered
right and left hemisphere. Each
simultaneously. Knowing this,
hemisphere controls the side
the tangible and visual division
of the body opposite of itself.
in sections is made by tabs,
The right hemisphere of the
illustrated by symbols and
brain excels in taking in visual
marked by colouring.
information in one glance, the
left one specializes in analysis.
‘One image says more than a
Therefore an overview, including
thousand words’ is a phrase
images and summary is placed on
commonly heard. This is most
the left half of the manual. The full
certainly the case, since the
text is placed on the right side of
human brain is far better in
the manual.
comprehending images than
it is in text. Therefore I tried to

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2
Psychology and Architecture

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? Notions on how architects commonly
Designing

! There are six fallacies recognisable, according to Clovis Heinsath: the


designer-fallacy, the genius-fallacy, the common man-fallacy, the open
society-fallacy, the manipulation-fallacy and the know-nothing-fallacy.
Each of these fallacies describes a common misperception of designing by
designers. Because of this the issue of desiging, the creation of the built

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environment according to needs and perception by users, becomes obscured.
There is need to brake through these fallacies and to take a sociological
approach to design problems.

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Experience
design space apparent lack of creativity, it also
may lead to misinterpretation of
These fallacies, regardless to
which extent each or some of
the concept. If wrongly copied them occur, obscures the focus
and applied, the concept may lose on human perception of the built
it function or even fail. environment and consequently
Clovis Heinsath is an American
their behaviour towards that built
architect-planner, who discussed
Common man fallacy. This fallacy environment. More than anything,
behavioral architecture in his
denies that architecture has any these fallacies disregard the
book ‘Behavioral Architecture’ in
effect at all on human behavior. needs of people in architecture, or
1977. He describes six fallacies
It disconnects building programs the facilitating role of architecture
about architecture and behavior.
from social programs. and urbanism.
these fallacies represent the
common misconceptions
Fallacy four: the open society This situation calls for a more
about design and its impact on
fallacy. It states that the physical theoretical basis of designing. The
behavior.
location of people does not behaviour of people towards the
influence social status and urban setting and architecture
The first fallacy is called the
development possibilities. It should be taken into account,
Designer fallacy. It describes
supports the preservation of the independent from designers
the fallacy of architectural
status quo: in this context, in the preferences in design styles etc.
determinism which operates
urban structures of cities.
as though architecture directly
The architect needs to take a
determines behaviour through
The manipulation fallacy states sociological approach towards
design. Social organisation,
that over-planning may lead to design problems, in order to
individual will etcetera is not
a too sterile urban environment understand the problem from a
considered. The designer assumes
and eventually to a totalitarian perceiver’s point of view and deal
that, by designing in such a way
state. Manipulation of the built with it adequately.
as to stimulate certain behaviour,
environment is said to lead to
his design will assure the
control of behaviour and society.
occurrence of this behavior.
The last fallacy, Heinsath calls the
The second fallacy: Genius fallacy.
know-nothing fallacy. Designing
When an extraordinary concept
with vision is overruled by
is devised by a designer, the so-
practicalities and the visions and
called genius, it may be copied by
ideals are abandoned.
others. In as far as this proves an

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? Psychological effects and reactions to experience of
Architecture and

Rational design rationalist philosophers and can


Chris Abel describes a ‘rational therefore be named the product
design’. this differs from the of rational argument.
rationalist philosophy, as The meaning of ‘rational’,
prevailed in the Modern as meant by Abel, is critical
Movement. As he points out awareness.
by way of analyzing texts by Le
Corbusier, the architects of the The basis for this critical
modern movement do not aim awareness is found in Mead’s
for a rational way of designing pragmatist philosophy. Mead
and producing buildings, but states that all social activity,
for a new style. Furthermore whether human or not, has
Le Corbusier claims that '... its origin in the processes
all men have the same needs, of communication. This
the social contract which has communication characterizes a
evolved through the ages given species of organisms. For
fixes standardized classes, humans this communication
functions and needs producing is language. This differentiates
standardized products' This kind them from all other organisms,
of rationality is born from a style but the principle is the same.

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of reasoning resembling the

Rational design is based on common meaning. Common meaning is shared


by individuals as a result of communication based on gestures and responses.
when gestures and responses are consciously anticipated, they become lan-

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guage. this is what Mead calls reflexive rationality. Chris Abel uses meads
theory to construct rational design, as a way of building which is able to
communicate with the users, arousing the response that is expected by the

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Emotion
designed space anticipating the particular
response expected.
design is based upon that, which
arouses common response, both
of the designer and the future
Mead continues, stating that users.
This principle is based on what
the process of thinking is The designer, through taking the
Mead calls the basic unit of
inconceivable without the power attitudes of others involved in the
communication: ‘gesture’. He
of language. In an individual, building process, adjusts his or
illustrates this by describing a
language evokes the meaning her own behaviour as a designer
dogfight. When the first dog
of the individual’s own gestures. in the light of critical awareness
makes an aggressive move, the
By that an individual is able to of the meaning a design may
second dog may either return
bring his own behaviour under have for other persons. the
the aggressiveness or run. In turn,
observation and control. products of rational design will
the first dog will either chase
Therefore an individual is able be significant symbols in built
or re-return the hostility. In this
to anticipate the response, form.
situation a response from a dog
behaviour and meaning that
to the other’s gesture, becomes
will be assigned by the recipient. In this way, architecture can
the gesture itself for the one dog.
Common meaning is the result, become a language. Individuals
The possibility of the response
being the set of gestures and can communicate with each other
gives the ‘meaning’ to that
responses commonly accepted. through the built environment.
gesture. The meaning of a gesture
This is what Mead calls reflexive
is confirmed by the response to
rationality.
that gesture.
In architecture, rational design
Applying this to human
should therefore be based upon
communication, it is clear that,
common meaning. In that way,
allowing for commonly accepted
the meaning that a built form
conviction, dogs respond purely
arouses in the designer, will
instinctively, on an unconscious
arouse the same response in the
level. The ability of humans
users. If common meaning is not
is to react consciously, to
the basis, then the designer has
anticipate the response of the
no control over the effect his built
recipient. This is what Mead calls
design will have over users. That
‘language’. A gesture becomes
control can thus only become
a ‘significant symbol’ when a
possible if, at least in part, the
gesture is consciously expressed,

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? Architecture and
Architecture and urbanism as symbols

fig.11 urban symbols: Arc de Triomph , Paris (v.d. Hurk) and Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, Rome (Musgrave)

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As the built environment is a representation of society, it expresses both

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positive as negative symbols and structures. when this is reversed, the addition
of positive elements in the built environment, may improve the perception of
society and have a positive influence.

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Representation
for society this environment. Just as symbolic
buildings, such as the arc de Today’s built environment can
Triomph and the Statue of Liberty, be read in the same way. Its
represent spiritual messages, inhumanity and negativity can be
"like the Almighty, we also
so does negativism have its interpreted as a sign of society’s
make everything in our own
manifestations and symbols in loss of freedom and individuality.
image, because we lack a more
the built environment. Clear- In the built environment a
reliable model; the objects we
felled forests, open mining pits, submission to uniformity is
make reveal more about us than
slums are the representations of visible, but simultaneously a
confessions of faith", says Joseph
the same mind. mania for originality.
Brodsky in his impressions of
Venice in his book Watermarks.
The built environment can If this is reversed, it may mean
In this quote he makes it clear
acquire no more positive than that the addition of positive
that there is direct connection
negative features, independently structures and symbols influence
between our mental landscape
of the intentions and values of its society and the experience of the
and the built environmentx. Men
builders.x environment favourably.
build an image of the world,
which is an image of themselves.
Architecture, made by man,
carries two narratives. Since all
We regard the built environment
actions are neither accidental
as a neutral stage, before which
nor arbitrary, they contain both
life unfolds. On the other hand
conscious as sub-conscious
that same built environment
motives. These narratives, firstly,
represents history and traditions,
are the physical structure and
authentic images of culture and
the building objectives and
lifestyle. This shows us the link
secondly, a layer of motives, not
between life, the human mind
immediately recognizable. A
and architecture.
hospital as a community facility
may represent fear of death.
Nowadays, however, it is said we
Amusement parks and shopping
live in a misanthropic enironment,
malls condition emotions and
of which we say it originated
therefore deprive men from
from a negativism outside our
spontaneous experience and
control. But we fail to, or do not
emotionx.
want to, see the actual origin of

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? Psychological approach of perception and
Perception

fig.1 schedule of perception


fig.2

! The perception of space is constructed of three elements: experience,


knowledge and impulses. Since experience and knowledge are greatly
conditioned by the cultural environment of the perceiver, it is difficult to

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pinpoint the role of impulses. Therefore it is equally difficult to predict the
perceivers reaction to designed space.

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and Emotion
human emotion Vision
Hermann von Helmholtz is the
similarity -
objects similar in size or shape
founder of research on visual are more likely to form a group
perception. He formed a theory, (fig.4).
stating that vision is a form of
For us to understand the
unconscious inference: deriving closure -
influence of spatial experience
a probable interpretation for missing components are added
on human behavior and emotion,
incomplete data. to complete a larger pattern
we must understand how space
(fig.5).
is perceived and how that
Inference implies assumptions
perception is constructed.
and knowledge priorly known symmetry -
about what is viewed. In optical symmetrical items are more
When perceiving space, that
illusions this theory is used in likely to group together
which is perceived is processed
misguiding the mind. Earlier
in a cognitive process, comparing
viewings complete the perceived common fate -
the new impulses with previous
image and influence the image items moving in the same
experience, emotion and feeling,
ultimately formed by the mind. direction are more likely to group
evoking new emotion, feeling and
together
behavior regarding the beheld
The Gestalt-theory explains how
space.
people behold visual components continuity -
as organised patterns or wholes once a pattern is formed, it is
Impulses are registered with the
and not as singular objects. It more likely to continue even if the
senses: vision, audition, gustation
states that there are 6 factors elements are redistributed
and olfaction. Furthermore there
which determine the grouping
is tactition and thermoception.
of viewed objects, according to Furthermore the Gestalt-theory
In this chapter, the processes
visual perception. distinguishes four systems in
of perceiving images will be
These factors are: which the mind forms images.
discussed. Further on the
manual will discuss the visual
proximity -
construction of depth through
the objects closest together are
colour and the effect of acoustics
more likely to form a group (fig.3).
on human behaviour.

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? fig.3 proximity

fig.6 emergence (R. C. James)

fig.4 similarity

fig.7 reification (S. Lehar)

fig.5 closure
fig.8 multistability (S. Lehar)

! Hermann von Helmholtz states that vision is a form of


unconscious inference: deriving a probable interpretation for
incomplete data. The Gestalt-theory says that visual impulses are
interpreted by their properties of proximity, similarity, closure,
symmetry, common fate, continuity, emergence, reification,
multistability and invariance. this knowledge can be used to

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construct space, so that the desired visual effect will be most
likely achieved.

fig.9 invariance (S. Lehar)

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Experience Emotion is differentiated from
In psychology, experience is feeling. Feelings are affective
described as both mentally states of consciousness. Emotion
unprocessed, immediately- is directly linked with thoughts,
emergence -
perceived events. Also: the which in turn are related to the
this is best demonstrated
purported wisdom gained in cognitive process described
in fig.6 the dalmatian dog
subsequent reflection on those earlier.
is recognised as a whole, in
events or interpretation of them.
stead of being built up from
The construction of the
its components. Instead, it is
Emotion and feelings perception of space therefore
perceived as a whole.
Emotion is an intense neural is a combination of previous
impulse-produced mental state experiences, knowledge and the
that arises subjectively rather present instant impulses.
reification -
than through conscious effort
in perceiving, the mind
and evokes either a positive or This endorses the assumption
constructs or generates an image
negative psychological response that architects can influence the
which contains more information
to move an organism to action. beholder by design.
than is actually received by the
Emotions are conditioned by But simultaneously it becomes
sense of vision (fig.7).
culture. This means that the obvious that predicting response
response to certain emotions to and perception of space is
multistability -
differ with each culture and fairly difficult.
this concerns the instability of
are dependent on social
perceiving images which allow for
phenomenon. A related field of research is the
two or more interpretations. In
so-called ‘Cognitive ergonomics’.
fig.8 this is demonstrated.
In the cognitive perspective, it is It is related to ergonomics
generally accepted that thought which focusses on the relation
invariance -
and in particular cognitive between man-machine. Cognitive
the ability of recognizing
appraisal of the environment is an ergonomics deals with the
simple geometrical forms,
underlying causal explanation for cognitive and perceptual factors
regardless of the factors
emotional processes. of man and his environment.
rotation, translation, scale, plastic
deformations, lighting or graphics.
Fig.9 shows these 7 factors.

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? Psychological approach of the perception
Sound and

The obvious task of hearing is


the audio perception of our
surroundings. It plays a great part
in orientation and localisation
of objects. It sorts out the
components of mixtures of
sounds so as to reconstruct the
originating sound events.

It is commonly accepted that the


Gestalt-principles of proximity,
similarity, common fate and
continuity are applicable to audio
perception and used to perform
these tasks. In the case of hearing,
the proximity-principle states that
sounds that are proximal in pitch
or in time are more likely to have
arisen from the same source than

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are sounds that are distant from

The perception of sound is used to orientate and locate ourselves. The


Gestalt-principles are applicable to the perception of sound, as they are to
vision. Annoyances by sound occur when duration, level and interval of

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occuring sound is not known. The unability to locate, control or adapt to the
sound are major reasons for annoyance.

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Perception
of sound constant demand of attention by
the sound.(Dejoy ,1984)
With regard to the nature of tasks:
- Simple tasks have been found to
be performed better in situation
- New and/or unusual sounds of noise presence. Difficult tasks
each other along these
effect most tasks. (Cohen, 1982) are impeded by presence of noise.
dimensions. For similarity, sounds
There have been made no clear
that are similar in character
- Sudden changes in sound, definitions of the terms ‘simple’
are likely to have arisen from
regarding presence,level or kind, and ‘difficult’, however. (Cohen,
the same source. According to
are reason for brief distraction 1982)
continuity, a sound that changes
and reduction of performance.
smoothly in pitch has probably
(Broadbent, 1979) - There is reason to believe that
come from a single source. An
certain types of tasks are more
illustration of the common fate-
- The less variation in sound, easily affected by noise than
principle is that many musical
the less the negative effects. others. This is partly dependent of
instrument tones are composed
(Broadbent, 1979) the level of concentration needed
of partials that rise and fall in
to perform the task. It is not clear
synchrony.
- The ability to control the whether this is related to the level
source of the sound is of major of the function.
Extensive research has been
importance. Research shows
done in the field of sound
that, when subject have control With regard to individual
and the effect on users of
over the sound source, the variables:
buildings. However, the results
annoyance level is significantly
vary enormously. Some results
low. (Nemecek, 1980) - Per person results vary
acquired in one study, are
enormously. Obviously, people
countered of not found in others.
- The ability to locate the source more susceptible to noise are
In the matter of annoyance by
of the sound is of great influence. more easily affected and annoyed
sound, several conclusions are
When a source is located, it is by presence of noise.
accepted:
likely to cause less annoyance
than a non-located or moving - Motivation influences the
With regard to the sound and its
source. susceptibility to noise. The
source:
more motivated people are,
- The reduction of performance
- The need for the sound. If it is a the higher the annoyance
is probable when the duration,
by-product of a useful activity, it is threshold.(Nemecek, 1980)
strength and interval of sound
less likely to cause annoyance.
is undefinable. This is due to the

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? Colour and
Emotional response and perception of depth

fig.12 protrusion fig.15 importance

fig.13 depth perception fig.16

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i fig.14 colour warmth fig.17

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Perception
through colour Colour preferences in previous
tests were done in abstracto. This
In his book ‘Kunst der Farbe’
(1961) Johannes Itten set a
means that they do not conclude standard in subjective colour
about spatial application. perception. Although relatively
In his publication ‘Psychologische
However, there has been done old, his theories are still used
aspecten van ziekmakende
research in the colour preference today.
gebouwen’ 1990, Piet Vroon
of office employees (BOSTI,
describes shortly the research
1980). This showed that most His theories include the spatial
that has been conducted in the
people preferred cool colours effects of colours. These effects
psychological effects of colour.
like green and blue. Whites, greys depend on several factors.
and obtrusive colours were Colours themselves may evoke
Known colour tests have
appreciated least. certain qualities of perception,
generally been conducted in
such as bright-dark, cold-warm
laboratories. Sundstrom (1987)
There has been no scientific or quality-quantity. When these
lists results, which are sometimes
evidence, much in contrary to qualities are crossed, spatial
contradictory.
what is commonly accepted, effects occur.
that colours have any effect on
Blue and red are highly
the perception of temperature The perception of colours is
appreciated colours, next to green
(Greene and Bell, 1980) There is influenced by adjacent colours
and violet. Orange and yellow are
however evidence that colour and background. Itten made a
least appreciated.
effects perception of space distinction in colours: the primary
(Sundstrom, 1987). Light coloured colours red, blue and yellow, the
Light, saturated colours are
rooms are perceived bigger than secondary colours green, purple
preferable over dark tones and
dark coloured ones. Likewise and orange and the tertiary
colours which are
do light coloured objects seem colours, which are mixed with
Composed of several colours.
bigger than dark ones. This both primary and secondary
research has been conducted in colours. All occurrences are
The appreciation is dependent
laboratories. There is no result for elaborated with primary colours
on the kind and kind of tone of
field-research. on black or white background.
lighting, on the brightness and
the saturation of the background.

Men prefer ‘cool’ colours, women


‘warm’ colours.

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?

fig.18 position fig.19 fig.20

! fig.21 crossing
all figures: Itten
fig.22 fig.23

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Perceiving depth is greatly influenced by colour. In 1961, Johannes Itten
published a theory on how depth perception is influenced by colour. He
describes 7 kinds of occurences, each contributing to perceiving depth.

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effect. When the setting is rotated that the reverse effect occurs
90 or 180 degrees, the effect will (fig.17).
enhance the effect, but will not
alter it.
Itten describes 7 kinds
6. Position:
occurrences, dealing with spatial
3. Colour warmth: the position of colours with
effects by colour perception.
when warm and cool colours of respect to each other influences
same brightness are set adjacent spatial perception. When upon
1. Protrusion :
to each other, warm colours will a background of blue over red
(fig.12 ) when the primary and
protrude and cool colours will a yellow plane is placed, the
secondary colours are projected
retreat. Changes in brightness red will protrude over blue
on a black background, yellow
may overrule this occurrence. If (fig.18). When a red over blue
will protrude the most. Violet
the cool colours are brightened, background is used, the blue
will be in the same plan as the
they will protrude over the less plane will protrude over the red
background. The other colours
bright warm colours (fig.14). plane (fig.19). If the brightness of
will vary in degree of protrusion,
all colours is equalled, the effect
orange being the second
4. Gleam: will be diminished (fig.20).
protruding, to red, green and
gleaming colours protrude over
blue. The same colours put on
matt colours. On any background, 7. Crossing:
a white background show the
the matt colour will retreat from if a yellow plane on a white
reverse effect. Because of equal
the gleaming colour. However, background is crossed by a
brightness, yellow will fade in the
when the brightness of a matt blue plane (fig.21), the depth
background. Violet will be the
colour exceeds the brightness of perception will exceed the
most protruding.
the gleaming colour, the first will situation when the yellow and
protrude. blue plane are placed on a black
2. Depth perception:
plane (fig.22). The case is the same
(fig. 13) when yellow, red and
5. Importance: in the reverse.
blue planes are set to a black
placing a small colour speck
background, the yellow plane will
on a larger background colour, Itten admits that the improve-
stand in front of the red plane,
draws the colour speck to the ment of depth perception by use
whilst the blue plane is on equal
foreground (fig.15). Enlarging of colour is but partly absolute.
level as the background. When
the colour speck will enhance The perception may change with
set to white, the reverse occurs.
the importance of the colour the beholder. These rules are
The habit of reading and writing
speck(fig.16), up until the point generally true however.
from left to right influences this

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3
Case studies

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? Richard Neutra, Perkins House
Case study 1

Psychoanalysis
The beginning of the 20th
century marked the start of
psycho-analysis by Sigmund
Freud and the concept of holding
environments by D.W. Winnicott
and the theories of Otto Rank on
emphatic design. Their research
studied, amongst other, the
relation between surrounding
and the human psyche. This led
to the typical interior of Freud’s
office, which design was essential
to his practice. D.W. Winnicott
studied the psychological en
physical relationship between
analyst and analysand in a
fig.24 Perkin’s House, Pasadena (Drexler)
therapeutic setting. He made the

! Neutra actively connected psychoalalysis to architecture. Freud,


Winnicott and Rank were of great influence on Neutra’s theories and
designs. Neutra developed theories on how architecture can serve as a
therapeutical environment. His relationschips with clients showed many

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similarities with that between analyist and patient. Neutra’s design have
strong references to the mother-child relationship and are poised to create a
calming, soothing environment.

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personality. He developed a There are several elements
defense mechanism: design Neutra used in his designs,
becomes a form of therapy when assigning to them a certain value
the psyche must be protected as a therapeutic.
role of design in psychoanalysis
from the unconscious effects of
explicit
architecture. Affective rather Large openable glass panes,
Psychoanalysis in architecture
than symbolic form was the most repressing the distinction
Richard Neutra, living in Los
useful architectural defense, between walls, doors and
Angeles, was greatly influenced
according to Neutrax. windows, combining visually
by these men. By the 1950’s,
as well as functionally these
psycho-analysis became part
Perkins House otherwise distinct architectural
of American society. The
Neutra developed what has come elements.
domestication of psychoanalysis
to be known as the empathic Spider leg-like extended rafters
found its way to architecture.
house. One of the best examples and ceiling beams to the exterior
Architecture developed its own
is the Perkins House in Pasadena. are a representation of the
psychological discourses, as did
Not as large and less lavish than mothers’ womb, to which Neutra
psychology develop an elaborate
other houses by his hand, the contributed a felling of being
catalogue of attributes related
Perkins House was revolutionary home.
to form with which to perform
in the 1950’s. Constance Perkins Bedrooms are the only spaces
various therapeutic functions.
had a dominating mother and a not interconnected with and
Freud claimed that every house
recently deceased father, and she overflowing in other spaces. They
was an attempt to return to the
wanted to start a new chapter in serve as safe havens.
mother’s womb and by the ‘50s
her life. She chose architecture, In the use of material and colour,
this became clear with both
a new house, as a therapeutic Neutra chose them to be natural
architects and their clients.
environment. Neutra approached and non-obtrusive, so as to avoid
his clients as a doctor. His shock and induce calmness into
For Neutra this meant making
designs became the means by the design.
direct parallels between the
which he created a therapeutic
maternal object and domestic
environment for his clients. The
space based explicitly on early
relationship between architect,
psycho-analytic theory. But he
client and design changed
also psychologized predeceding
radically by this. Explicitly,
theories on aesthetics. He was
Neutra deployed psycho-
intrigued by the pathological
analytical concepts in his designs.
effect of design on the normal

33
? Case study 2
MVRDV, Villa VPRO
In 1997 the VPRO moves from
eleven villas, spread all over
Hilversum, to one new building,
situated on the NOB terrain in
Hilversum-Noord.

In the old premises of the VPRO,


every section of the organisation
had their own part in one of the
villas. Almost literally stacked
away in every corner on every
floor of each villa, employees
were working. Interaction
between different sections was
difficult, but each section had
their own network within the
organisation.

The new building consisted of


fig.25 Villa VPRO, night shot (e-jjj.com)

! MVRDV’s Villa VPRO was supposed to be representation of the character


of the VPRO. But as an employee commented: ‘ Villa VPRO made me into a
nag and I regret that.’ The building fails to meet the expectancies and the de-
mands for working by the employees of the VPRO. It is an illustration of the

i
first fallacy, described by Heinsath: the designer fallacy. In addition to this, the
acoustic conditions are a major annoyance and distraction to the employees.

34
of wood and stone etcetera, of created by large glass surfaces
which they thought the ‘villa- in the facade. Next to creating
one floor which folds and flows feeling’ consisted. that openness and the noise
through the building. Every hindrance, they also create an
section has its own place, but In interviews and questioning enormous heat load.
is not separated by solid walls. rounds, one year after the
Interaction between the sections realisation of Villa VPRO, it There are two dilemmas. The
is thoroughly possible because of became clear that the vision of building is unique in its kind,
this. The open-minded structure the architects was not shared has a strong conceptual angle
of the organisation and its open by all employees. This resulted and exceeds the standard
character is reflected in the in ill feelings of well-being in office buildings in atmosphere
open,mainly glassed, facades the new building. All measures and design. But since the
and the open floor plans of the of employees to improve their building turns out to be (partly)
building. situation locally, by putting up unworkable, there needs to
The building, however, does curtains, using cupboards for be adaptation, either by the
not function well. This is due walls, laying down rugs etc. employees or to the building.
to a number of causes, creating confirm this. Adapting the behaviour of the
unworkable situations for the employees seems out of the
employees. One of those causes is the question, since the building
acoustics of the new building. serves them, not the other way
Characterising in this design Since wall and window surfaces around. But on the other hand,
is the first fallacy Heinsath are huge, numerous and made the building and its integrity have
describes: the Designers fallacy. mainly of highly reflective their own quality, which may be
During participation rounds, held materials like concrete and glass, damaged by adaptations to the
in the preliminary stage of the there is a huge hindrance from building. Furthermore, there is
design proces, the designers of echo. Furthermore the lack the question of development of
MVRDV formed an image of the of solid separations between architecture. By research and
‘villa-feeling’, as they perceived sections also contributes an experimentation, new ideas,
it while visiting each of the openness, as well as to noise ideals and architecture can be
eleven villas of the VPRO. This hindrance. found. But may this affect daily
image was then transformed in This openness also creates practise?
what became Villa VPRO. To the privacy problems. Nowhere in Villa VPRO may be an
designers, the new building had the building is space to study, architectural star, but it is a socio-
to be a modern translation of a contemplate or concentrate. psychological flop.
villa, using elements like patios, The openness towards its
outward opening doors, the use surroundings of Villa VPRO is

35
?

!
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4
Conslusion

37
? Conclusion

!
i
38
On a macro level, influence on aspects that influence the
human state of mind is briefly behaviour, feeling and emotion
described for urban settings and of human being to state
the built environment. When conclusive guidelines or design
designing, it is important to strategies. The occurrences and
realise that the design will not phenomenon described in this
only represent the creativity and manual can act as guidelines.
In the first chapters, information skills of the designer, but also the When these are observed, they
is given about several aspects status quo of society. Reversing may generate probable results.
of psychology. Impulses this mechanism and applying it Note that the theories in this
are processed by cognitive to design processes, it may result manual are of a general nature
processes. Previous experiences in improving or deteriorating the and result may very with every
and emotions associated with urban environment and with it person.
the impuls, knowledge and society.
present state of the mind have The case-studies show examples
a far greater role in perception If architecture is regarded and of a well and badly designed
than the instant’s impulses. understood as language, it may building, according to several
Nevertheless, the impact of have credibility and uses to act psychological phenomenon.
architecture and urbanism is not actively in altering behaviour, These two buildings illustrate
only limited to the conscious part feeling and emotion. Applying very clearly what can and what
of perception. The unconscious this in design processes will must not be done, in order to
picks up impulses, which yield understandable and achieve a pleasant building. As
are processed and translate human-scaled design. However, references though, they are far
themselves likewise in behaviour. the theoretical approach of from comprehensive and there
Visual impressions are processed architecture as a language is are many more examples to be
ingeniously by phenomenon hard to translate into the built found.
described in the Gestalt-theory. environment.
Likewise, audio impulses are This manual deals with only
perceived and processed. When To colour, many psychological a limited amount of aspects
these processes are understood, effects have been attributed. in the field of ‘architecture
one may derive general Although not all scientifically and psychology’. It is mainly
statements, which could be used proven, there is good reason focussed on the cognitive aspects.
in design processes. From this to assume that these effects An anthropologist approach
information can be derived that do occur and may be used is also possible, describing the
the effect of architecture and successfully in design. behaviour of building-users and
urbanism on human beings is dealing with the results of the
only partly influenced by the In general, there are too phenomenon described in this
built environment. numerous impulses and manual.

39
?

!
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5
Epilogue

41
? A small tip of

!
i
42
the iceberg

I started this study out of


curiosity. Supermarket
layouts have a sophisticated
way of leading customers
through the store. Shopinterior
designers scrupulously obscure
their knowledge about this
phenomenon. People feel more
at home in a garden-city like
urban setting, than in a concrete,
fifteen storey apartment-flat.
Architects and urbanists theorise
about their designs and create
one utopia after another, in order
to create a liveable environment
in a constant changing society.

I was curious in how architecture


and urbanism really is of influence
to people, in how people influ-
ence architecture and urbanism.

I still am, because I only just


started to melt a small tip of an
immense iceberg.

Sietze Meijer, november 2006

43
!
?

!
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45
? Bibliography

!
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46
3 Designing Experiences
Heimsath, Clovis, AIA
Behavioral Architecture, Toward an accountable design process,
New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1977, pp 35-47
4 Architecture and Emotion
Abel, Chris
Architecture and Identity,
Oxford: Architectural Press, 1997, pp 71-84
5 Architecture and Representations
Cold, Birgit
Aesthetics, Well-being and Health
Essays within architecture and environmental aesthetics
Hants: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2001, pp 204-220,
6 Perception and Emotion
Knoblich,Gunther
Human Body perception form the inside out
Oxford: Oxford Press University, 2006
Latner, Joel
The Gestalt Therapy book
New York: Julian Press, 1973
7 Sound and Perception
Vroon, P.A.
Psychologisch aspecten van ziekmakende gebouwen
Utrecht: ISOR, 1990, pp 46-61,
8 Colour and Perception
Itten, Johannes
Kunst der Farbe
Ravensburg, Otto Maier Verlag, 1973
9 Case study 1
Lavin, Sylvia
Form follows Libido
Massachusetts: MIT, 2004, pp 24-67
10 Case study 2
Broekmans, Trix
Villa VPRO is nooit af
Hilversum: VPRO, 2000
Wennekens, Wim
Villa VPRO
De wording van een bijzondere werkplek
Hilversum: VPRO, 1997

47 i

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