HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY WITH RESPECT TO

ENVIROMENT AND ARCHITECTURE

A dissertation under the subject

Research Skills & Project Introduction
Seventh Semester
B.Arch (C.B.S.)
(Session:- 2018-19)

FINAL DESSERTATION

Submitted By:-
Shailja kumbhalwar
Roll No. 35

Under The Guidance Of:-

PROF. MRS. G.S. NAIDU

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

MANOHARBHAI PATEL INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING

AND TECHNOLOGY, GONDIA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

I would like express my genuine gratitude towards all those who have shared their
valuable time and helped me directly and indirectly in the preparation of this
project.

I grab this opportunity to acknowledge my guide Prof. SATYALAKSHMI

NAIDU, under whose able guidance my project could get shape.

Lastly, I would take the liberty to express my sincere feelings to all the members of
my family and all my dear friends for showering their unending support for the
completion of this project and make it come true.

SHAILJA KUMBHALWAR
 CONTENTS
Acknowledgement
………………………………………………………………………….
Abstract ..……………..……………..……………..……………..….……

Chapter 1: Introduction ………..……………..……...………..……………..

……………..………
Chapter 2: Psychology
2.a Environmental Psychology
2.b Psychology of Architecture
2.1 Architecture
2.1.a Architectural Elements
2.1.b Colour
2.1.c Lighting
2.1.d Form and space
………………………………………………………………………………..

Chapter 3: The Positive Psychological Effects of Thoughtful Architectural

Design.
……………………………………………………………………………….

Chapter 4: The Negative Psychological Effects of Poorly Designed

Architecture.
……………………………………………………………………………….

Chapter 5: The Importance of Human Interaction with the Environment.

……………………………………………………………………………

Conclusion
………………………………………………………………………………

References
…...........................................................................................................................................

Biblography
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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 Abstract

Does design affect our senses? This may seem a simple question and
therefore, it should have a simple answer. If really the built environment
affects the user physically and psychologically. How these senses function?
What kinds of stimulus influence each sense and what kind of reaction or
behavior should be expected accordingly?

Different buildings can generate different psychological feelings. Each

building will generate different spaces, each building also consists of various
spaces, and each space can give people different feeling. The psychological
space of building has both important application value and great artistic
value, which can not only help the architect to more systematically design
the overall architectural space, but also help the building user to more
comprehensively recognize the space. Today, with general emphasis on the
architectural environment, the research and application development of
architectural psychology and the realization of a harmonious and uniform
relation between people and building can actively promote the architectural
creation field.

This area of research has gripped a lot of architects to study the

relationship between architecture and human behavior, in order to help
them enhancing their designs and producing better qualities.
Environmental psychology is an important research field that assists
architects understanding more about their built environment.

This paper will try to address the importance of such relationship, and
highlight the process of perception and behavior in the environment. It
will discuss the main human senses, their stimuli and their influence on
the human body physically and psychologically. It will also rank these
senses from the most noticeable sense which is highly influenced by the
surrounding environment to the least one.

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 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Architecture is a form of human expression, portraying the psyche of the collective or

individual designer. The father of analytical psychology Carl Jung describes a building

architecture as a structural diagram of the human psyche that conceives and creates. It is

n established fact that art and architecture offers a vehicle for conveying our deepest

unconscious thoughts of human beings.

“Architecture is the blend of science, art and technology to provide a

meaningful interaction between an audience and the space that they occupy.”

The needs of humans are vast and changing from one person to another so that
it is important to be informed from the relationship between people and the
environment while designing the built environments which can best afford their
needs (Lang, 1987). The understanding of this mutual relationship between
people and their surroundings is the major concern of the behavioural sciences
(Dent, 1998). This paper will compares and synthesizes from a different variety
of resources, the discoveries of exploration that has researched Psychology and
Architecture.

This paper includes a detailed explanation of the term and terminology of the
current fields of study “Psychology of Architecture” and principles about
Productivity in built environment that will lead to a better understanding of the
problem statement and the research questions seeking an answer through this
study.

The main aim of this paper is to emphasize utilizing the knowledge of human
behaviour while designing the built environments and to approach this issue
from the perspective of an interdisciplinary discourse, environmental
psychology.

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Architects who are responsible of designing the surrounding environments
for all mankind should try hard to clarify more about the human-environment
interface and thus about environmental design. They should respond to
human needs and motivations and speculate their behaviors, not only the
perceptual processes but also the emotional responses and actions. They
should also learn more about the human senses and how they function for
different stimuli. In other words, architects should design for the human
senses.

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 Chapter 2: Psychology

Wilson (2005) determined another approach to define the

relationship between philosophy and Psychology. It was between truth
and need and he concluded that:
 Psychology works with human need.
 Philosophy works with truth in the world.
Morgan et al. (2001) describe Psychology as the investigation of
behaviour and psychological procedures. They considered three ideas
important to the meaning of Psychology; science, behaviour, and
psychological procedures. Psychologists use scientific methods to
observe, describe, estimate, and explain actions and psychological
procedures. An individual with a degree in psychology will have the
ability to apply the knowledge of actions and psychological procedures
to a wide range of job possibilities in business, service areas, and
research.

Gordon (2004) indicates that Psychology is a science which

studies mental factors which affect actions performing, and
psychologists apply psychology towards the arrangement of issues in
different settings in various configurations such as educational
institutions, medical facilities and companies. The psychological
issues have been recognized by behavioral, psychological,
psychodynamic, humanistic, and natural parameters. The points of
view are established in changed philosophical presumptions, and
depict human instinct in distinctive ways such as improvements in
neurosciences, investigation of culture and cooperation with different

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significant ways. All these developments will have its own influences
on interior design as the mood is often influenced by the settings.

According to Stangor (2011) a significant objective of

Psychology is to estimate behaviour by knowing its causes. Prediction
of individual’s behaviour is difficult because they differ and react in a
different way in different circumstances.
As reported by Bogdan (1993) Psychology describes and
expresses the brain in terms of the inner design and function of the
brain. It provides explanation of the experience and human behaviour
about a particular event. It comes from the understanding of the
individual’s thinking process which is shaped by physical and non-
physical condition in a particular setting. The science of Psychology
may be more intelligent than it appears to be about what makes
individuals functionally and socially helpful, and objective
coordinated.
To know how humans interact with the built, several research
groups analysed how the design of hospitals, particularly psychiatric
facilities, influenced patient behaviours and outcomes. In the 1960s and
1970s the field that became known as environmental psychology
blossomed.
Environmental Psychology is an interdisciplinary field
concentrating the transaction between people and their environment.
The field characterizes the term environment comprehensively,
including common habitats, social settings, and assembled situations,
learning situations, and enlightening situations

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2.a Environmental Psychology

The field of environmental psychology investigates the relationship between

people and the physical environment. It is a multidisciplinary research
involving psychologists, cultural geographers, architects, designers, and
engineers began exploring the relationship between human behavior and the
physical environment, which can be defined as either natural or human-made,
urban or rural part surroundings (Matthews et al. 2010).
Environmental psychology is the study of people-environment
transactions. In other words, the relationship between the physical surroundings
and the people who create and use them. It strives to build bridges not only
between psychology, sociology, and geography, but also between the social
sciences and the design disciplines such as architecture, landscape architecture,
urban planning, space planning and interior design.
In the last few years we have also witnessed a concern for these
matters. landscape architects and designers, and from those public and private
sector organisations responsible for developments which affect the natural
environment, such as local and national government departments. Over the last
twenty years environmental psychologists have made important contributions
to both policy-making and practice in all of these areas. Decision-makers are
looking to environmental psychologists for advice because of their
understanding of the relationship between people and places. An appreciation
of the different perspectives, attitudes, values and behaviour of individuals and
groups is now seen as crucial to the successful planning, design, management
and use of the environment.

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2.b Psychology of Architecture

Few things affect how you feel more than your surroundings. But when people
want to create spaces, they generally turn to architects, not psychologists. But
some experts recently met in Austin to argue that both disciplines need a place
at the table when it comes to designing the spaces we inhabit.

With the cubicle “they have designed essentially caves, except you have your
back to the door and your facing inwards,” he said.

When given the choice almost anyone would prefer the opposite, a space with
walls around them but a clear view out.

Earlier this month a conference organized by Gosling asked why. Why is

psychology not better integrated into architecture when psychologists know a
lot about how design impacts people’s psyches?

Part of it, he believes, comes down to communication between one group that’s
based in the world of science and one that’s based more in the world of
aesthetics.

“Architects and psychologist, are just coming from such different places in the
world that they don’t really talk to each other,” he said. “So the purpose of this
conference is to get them to talk to each other.”

If they do, he believes, architects can learn more about how to create buildings
that nurture us, and psychologists can learn more about how the spaces we
move through can impact our inner landscape.

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 Philip (1996) attempted to identify the relationship between
Architecture and Psychology. He also mentioned about Louis Hellman’s idea
which is about unfulfilling marriage between Architecture and Psychology and
introduces new idea about this connection. The intention of his research is to
focus on improvement of the marriage, to demonstrate that it is not a complete
failing, and to advice both associates new methods to create the connection
more effective and fulfilling in the future. This forms the pioneering thought of
marriage between Architecture and Psychology.

Mikellides (2007) evaluate the impact of research in Architectural

Psychology and human aspects in design and practice of Architecture. He
believes that Psychology is integrated within a design-based course and so
many students have studied different researches in this scope. Because the
architect who had no training in Psychology or human aspects of design as part
of his/her education, can never give out any livable space for human life which
can be usable for a long time.

Popow (2000) in “a report on Psychology and Architecture” narrates that

environmental Psychology might also be employed by various components:
interest or knowing how individuals agree to their environment; Understanding
and perceptive applying or how individuals cognitively map what they
encounter centred on everything they might understand, feel and perceive
about their surroundings. His research was on the people’s inspirations
showing that individuals normally like to encounter locations where they will
feel qualified, assured, convenient or enjoyable.

Rush (2008) gave a psychological value to Architecture. He said that

Architecture is connecting with different feelings of humanity. A designer must

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develop the spaces based on psychological principles of human’s mind which
helps to create more comfortable lives in regard to art, lifestyle, sociology and
appearance. He also describes Architecture as a creative perception enriched
with the genuine distribution in reaction to nature, history and behavior design.

Kopec (2012) investigated on how a room impacts an occupant's actions

and well-being and how does a building effect its residents' health. The author
examines these questions with an in-depth look at psychosocial reactions to the
developed environment. Kopec also examined the connections between
surroundings and human actions and well-being and demonstrated how
individual variations relevant to age, gender, and social qualifications effect
that connections. Many practical projects are also developed to reduce stress
and increase customer fulfilment, assisting to make more relaxed areas that will
both fulfil the needs of the developed citizens and increase the opportunity of
design.

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2.1 Architecture

According to Anthes (2009), Architecture would be defined as a food for

thought. Where designer creates or changes the setting; effects not only how
individuals like and understand the world, but also, how they communicate
within it. The main concept is that the mind translates structure through the
mind and results in impacting the ideas and following actions. As Anthes
indicated Architecture is always delicate to making areas humane, by truly
considering for individual reaction.
As Šafránková (2006) said Sociology and Psychology analyse the role of
Architecture in the conscious shaping of urban space in the 21st century.
Sociological and psychological aspects of the influence of Architecture are
connected with human, his perception and needs. The relationship between
Architecture and sociology is also part of the topical idea of Sustainable
development of Architecture which has a positive influence on human
perception.
Ulrich (1991) described that there are two very primary and essential concepts
regarding to structural design:
 Function follows form: This idea indicates something designed
according to its features. We are not considering the Form at the
preliminary level of structural design.
 Form follows function: It indicates something is designed in a way,
which allows it to execute its function.
Gifford (2007) revealed that the principles of design manage the connections
of the components used and set up the structure as a whole. There are no
guidelines for their use but designers must keep design purposes in minds and
produce a proper result with balance between the components. According to his
study, the design principles are: Harmony, Contrast, Repetition (rhythm,

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pattern), Balance, Proportion, Variety, Emphasis, organization and
harmonization of accessories, etc.
As Ayers (2007) Research facilitates the idea that components of design
and quality of surface material, the quantity and position of windows, and
Lighting will impact people. Furthermore, structural style has strong but
changeable effects on social actions and users' feelings and efficiency and, at
some level, style features also impact wellness.
Joye (2007) believes that people have practical knowledge about the
impact of design, because their minds generally tend to bring in pattern and
styles of space and framework, which impacts actions. He assumed physical
environment has an important effect on individual actions. As people invest
more time inside the buildings, it becomes more valuable to design the spatial
components with consideration of building’s function. In this connection,
architectural scenery must meet the human-mind’s demands.
Stone (2011) focused on Architecture interior and explained that interior
spaces must be matched with the overall look of place, irrespective of its real
dimension. Since place impacts individuals thought and emotions, the
connection between inside and outside of the building should be considered.
People would experience feelings of control, when their atmosphere does not
allow them to choose connections or isolation with people, inside the building.

De Botton (2008) investigates the methods that Architecture talks to us.

When we are living inside the buildings, they can influence our real selves and
impact how we are connecting to our life.

For this reason,; it’s the architect's duty to design spaces that promote pleasure
by embodying principles. Along with elegance and beauty in design some of
the benefits a building should have: order along with complexity; stability

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between distinct elements; elegance that seems to be effortless; a consistent
connection between the parts; and self-knowledge, which requires an awareness
about human mind-set, something that designers all too often neglect.

Environment shape the way we live and how we feel. According to

Lew the same objectives can also be considered in terms of their emotional
effects: vehicles may affect our emotions of serenity and safety; density can
make emotions of nearness and belonging; mixed-use development can make an
empowered environment. Understanding the characteristics of the way we
correspond with our environment is just one more critical facet to consider in
the pursuit to make our places more liveable.

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2.1a Architectural Elements

The challenge of interior design lies in the task of resolving a wide variety
of functional and aesthetic requirements into a consistent, satisfying design.
The attempt to solve the different requirements would make use of certain
design elements by arranging the properties of these elements into a consistent
whole. Design of interior spaces must enhance the function and quality of life
and increasing productivity.
Callari (2015) defined Elements of design as true building blocks. She
believes they never change but they help to accomplish the meaning and
quality in the room. According to her research these blocks are; line, Form,
shape, space, Light, Colour, pattern, and texture.
In the scope of three elements of design; colour, lighting and form, as
the main concern of this study.

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2.1.b Colour
Maybe one of the most powerful visual elements in a space is color.
Like David Johnson states in Psychology of Color, “Like death and taxes, there
is no escaping color.”. Color, as they say, can make or break a design project.
While color should be thought of to make a building aesthetically pleasing (or
unattractive if that may be the purpose of the design), color is much more
important than mere aesthetics. Why is it that people feel more relaxed in a
green room? Color psychology is a difficult subject to tackle a paper as small
as this one.

Color of power and authority. Absorbs light and dims a space

Black
usually making the space less desirable to occupy.

Reflects light and makes a space brighter and usually

White
more pleasurable to be in.

Most emotionally intense color. Tends to cause a faster

heartbeat and breathing. However, the most romantic color,
Red
pink, is used in guest team locker rooms to cause the team to
loose energy. (Morton)

Blue Opposite of red, causes body to produce relaxing chemicals.

Most popular color in decorating. Green is the most calming

Green
and refreshing color and can even improve eye health.

A cheerful color, yet it is more common for people to loose

Yellow their temper in yellow rooms and babies tend to cry more.
Yellow tends to increase metabolism.

Purple “The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth,

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 and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However,
because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.”

Brown is the color of nature. Symbolizes strength and

Brown genuineness. Men are more likely to say that brown is their
favorite color.

Table (1): Colors and their Psychological Effects

From Johnson’s Psychology of Color

The study indicates that designer must be aware of the tendencies of space
users, then they can design for betterment of all interior spaces.

Despite the years of research on the Colour, we are often not aware that
stress, tension, visible problems, and a variety of other problems may actually
be due to a badly designed atmosphere. According to this analysis Colour is
now dealing with a rebirth in design. Used properly, Colour and Lighting can
enhance efficiency at the workplace, increase the protection of commercial
facilities; enhance greater attention covers in students; create more delectable
food-service establishments; and enhance the mood of medical centre
sufferers. Developers, designers, directors, planners—anyone enthusiastic
about developing valuable, glare-free surroundings—will find all the
information, they need to advertise physical, visual, and emotional well-being
with Colour and Lighting (Mahnke, 1996).

One of the research relevant to this issue has been performed by

Ainsworth, Simpson and Cassell (2002) about the consequences of red, white
and green coloured workplace on participants’ feelings and efficiency. The
given process was to type terms and the work efficiency was calculated by

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writing mistakes and the rate of mistakes to terms entered. They discovered no
important efficiency distinction between the categories and recommended that
this was because of the short-term period of study.
The other research was designed by Kwallek and Lewis (2003) to evaluate
the consequences of red, green and white-coloured workplace setting on
workers’ efficiency and feelings. The test results indicated that participants in
the white-coloured workplace made considerably more mistakes than the
participants in the red workplace.

With colours individuals can set a feeling, entice interest, or create a

particular message or meaning. They can use colour to motivate, or just relax
during working hours. Since researchers couldn’t introduce guidelines and
formula for the use of Colour, others developed them. As Sloane (2002)
indicates into the twentieth century, many seekers appeared to believe that the
arts, especially the visual arts, could not be considered genuinely respectable
unless law could be found that explained them and defined their purposes. If
Colour harmony and other forms of beauty could be shown to have a rational
basis, the arts would be revealed as more than just aesthetic.

Lehrer (2011) in University of British Columbia analyzed on effects

of Colour application as a background screen. His research revealed how
certain background Colours affected efficiency in several psychological
projects. According to his study, test-takers in the red environments were much
better at skills that required accuracy and attention to detail, such as catching
spelling mistakes or keeping random numbers in short-term memory. Though
people in the blue group performed worse on short-term memory tasks, they
did far better on tasks requiring some imagination.

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2.1.c Lighting
The earlier research on the consequences of Lighting mainly targeted on
functional aspects like exposure and visible convenience. During the 1960’s
and1970’s Lighting designers and scientists began to think that Lighting also
affected people’s subjective opinions of the environment around them.
Consequently, besides providing the appropriate classifieds of Lighting for
visible efficiency, it became important for designers considering substitute
alternatives, which may provide different ideas for very subjective reactions of
occupants (Murdoch and Caughey, 2004).

In spite of the fact that offices are mainly work-focused, other results of
Lighting on long-time occupant's satisfaction and prosperity should be regarded
in the design approach. There is a body of literary works that focuse on the very
subjective reactions to Lighting. Flynn (1977) carried out an early study about
the consequences of Lighting circumstances on very subjective opinions. Four
features of Lighting have been found to be important in the design process,
which are overhead/peripheral, bright/dim, uniform/nonuniform, and creatively
warm/visually awesome. Modifications in strength, submission and shade i.e.
overall tone of the Lighting impacts on very subjective opinions about the
surroundings such as space, pleasure, visible quality and comfort.

Juslén et al. (2007) examined a controllable task Lighting system which

can improve efficiency under real working circumstances. They experimented
for a period of 16 months in a luminaire manufacturer in Finland in which such
a task-Lighting system was set up above 10 individual work stations. The
illuminances chosen by the customers and efficiency were documented. The
improvement of efficiency for the analyse team was +4.5% in comparison to a
referrals team, and mathematically important. The procedure for this

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improvement can be enhanced visual comfort, biological impacts of light, or
emotional results.

According to Izsó et al. (2009), humans may prefer dynamic over fixed
Lighting because they are biologically accustomed to responding to natural
Lighting, which is inherently dynamic. Accuracy and speed of task
performance were not significantly different between the “down” (decreasing
luminance) or “up” (increasing luminance) dynamic Lighting conditions,
though speed was more variable during the “up” than the “down” condition.
Time and luminance were the most important factors in determining speed and
accuracy, indicating that biological factors associated with time (e.g.,
habituation, fatigue) may result in worse performance over time. However, the
“up” dynamic Lighting condition may offset the effects.

As indicated by Oberascher (2002) Architecture is not features that can be

easily acknowledged. The perception of Colour and Lighting appear from the
continuous process of adjusting and are the result of a complicated mixture of
various features. Colour and Lighting are identified in the perspective of space,
time and movement; content, area and Form as well as attributes and actions of
the viewer

Manav (2007) performed an empirical research on the impacts of Colour

temperature and amount of Lighting in the office environment. It was found in
this research that advanced Lighting level (2000 lux) was preferred to low
stage illuminance (500 lux) for the impact of convenience, spaciousness,
saturation, and brightness level. Moreover, 4000K Colour temperature was
recommended rather than 2700K for the impact of convenience and
spaciousness, yet 2700K was recommended for leisure and relaxation. Akashi

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and Boyce (2006) performed an study in a modern office to analyze employee’s
reaction to decreasing the normal illuminance level and brightness conception
related with Colour temperature. As research indicated office personnel were
generally pleased with the reduced level of Lighting for work environment,
after an initial variation period and they improved the use of process Lighting
at their process. Moreover, implementing 6500K light improved the conception
of Lighting, with the lower level of ambient Lighting.

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2.1.d FORM AND SPACE
Architectural space affects the psychological feelings

Buildings with various functions are important components of a city, and

if roads are the blood vessels of city, buildings are like the flesh of the city. If
there are people, there will definitely be buildings. A building is like a gigantic
artistic work, which is everywhere in people’s life. People’s basic necessities of
life require various buildings, such as business building, residence building and
transportation building. Different types of buildings will trigger a series of
psychological activities of people, such as feeling, cognition, memory,
association and thinking.

Function is not the only requirement for space, and people’s

psychological feelings are also closely related to the architectural space.
People’s feeling toward object is generated through stimulation, which is the
sense organ’s reflection of the individual attribute of objective matter. On deep
level, the position of various matters is decided by a series of human perceptual
factors, and people can feel the stimulations brought by space through certain
functions and sensations provided by the space.

Generally speaking, people can only experience the existence of space

when staying in a certain space, and different architectural spaces could
become quieter or more energetic due to the existence of human.
Take the square space for example, people feel it is a square because it is wide
open. This kind of feeling differs based on different perception objects, space
service objects and utilization objects. As a person who lives in the city, if he
comes to the rural area, he will feel unprecedented fresh, like returning to the
nature; while for a farmer who has lived here for a long time, he wouldn’t feel
anything. With the same space, from different psychological perspectives, the

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architectural space will also trigger different feelings. Therefore, the
architectural space is closely related to people’s psychological feelings.

The space is infinite and shapeless, but it is also ubiquitous. All forms
adhere to the space, which transform with the time and space. The space can be
solid or virtual, which creates different psychological feelings through different
forms.

Different types of architectural space can bring different psychological

feelings to people, including the sense of security, comfort, affinity and
distance. The safety issue should be considered during architectural design, and
the space without molimen cannot create a sense of security.

In the meantime, the space distance is also one of the elements for the
sense of security, such as the space, personal, social and public distance, the
distance directly affects the size of space, and you won’t feel safe if the space is
too big or too small.
The sense of comfort is the basic standard to measure the building quality,
and the rationality of the color and void-solid matching and comparison of
architectural space will directly affect people’s feeling of the architectural
space.
Different architectural techniques can generate different psychological
feelings. For example, the mysterious religious building requires a sense of
distance, while the kindergarten building should generate a sense of affinity. By
reducing the space aspect ratio and intensifying the space sense of closure, the
sense of affinity of the space can be increased; conversely, the sense of distance
can be increased.

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Chapter 3: The Positive Psychological Effects of
Thoughtful Architectural Design

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 Architectural style has evolved over time as the preferences of the general

public have changed, and as new materials and building processes have been

discovered. Some styles have been fads that have quickly come and gone, while

others have stood the test of time and been around for centuries, even

influencing some modern architecture today. What separates the architectural

styles that last from those that do not?

Don Ruggles (2017), a prominent architect in Denver, Colorado believes

there are three components that make for a “beautiful” building: form, use, and

beauty.13 Although the word “beautiful” is fundamentally subjective, the feeling

associated with it is universal. Seeing something we define as beautiful causes

us to feel pleasure. If the sole purpose of buildings is form, or a place where

humans can simply gather for some specific purpose, why then would they have

the ability to positively impact us physiologically? Again, the answer has its

basis in evolution.

Buildings that provide us with a sense of pleasure are those tha

incorporate the architectural elements that our brain recognizes as having

similar characteristics to those locations that helped our human ancestors to

survive. Thus, it is important to identify which specific characteristics or

patterns our brain associates with those survival attributes and why.

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Patterns, have long been a subject of human curiosity, and we have successfully

adapted them for use in our ability to plan ahead. There are several different

ways in which our brain recognizes patterns.

Patterns represent consistency and organization; a lack of chaos. When

our ancestors were able to identify a pattern and predict what came next, their

chances of survival were improved.

Today, patterns in our built environment that the brain recognizes from

nature as having been advantageous to our ancestors evoke the same

physiological reaction. It makes intuitive sense that chaos or unpredictability,

the opposite of pattern, can negatively impact us physiologically.

The human brain has used pattern recognition as a form of survival for so

long, it has become something we do subconsciously daily. Although your

conscious mind might not realize the feelings it is experiencing are due to a

pattern, or lack thereof, our physiological system does resulting in the same

sympathetic or parasympathetic response our ancestors experienced.

we can now understand the architectural success of some historical

buildings. Many of the most critically acclaimed buildings throughout time

have been those that have been built with patterns that mimic the natural

environment from which we came. La Sagrada Familia, designed by Antoni

Gaudí, is an extravagant cathedral located in Barcelona, Spain. The

construction first began in 1882, but because the details of the building are so

exquisite, it is projected the building will not be fully completed until 2026.

Gaudí’s inspiration for the cathedral came from the forest, and the many trees

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that it consists of. Upon walking into the cathedral, one is greeted by hundreds

of 78-foot-tall pillars that branch off at the tops and converge into the ceiling

and one another, like the intertwining branches of tree canopies.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms /34317112306/in/photostream/.

One principle reason why we perceive these buildings as beautiful is that

our brains process the sensory information it is receives from them and
correlates it with patterns that had previously proven to be evolutionarily
beneficial in nature. Yet, because this pattern recognition happens at a
subconscious level, most viewers are unaware of the neuropsychological and
physiological basis behind their perception of this sense of beauty.

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 The ability of architecture and design to impact our emotions is more
complicated than architecture simply simulating nature. The kinds of patterns
used in design also play a significant role in our perception. “As architects and
artists, we are in the profession of making patterns.” – Don Ruggles (2017)

He considered beautiful, all exhibited variations of a certain kind of pattern

known as the Nine Square. It is believed to represent primordial and perfect
form; and it was used extensively during the Renaissance and neoclassical eras.

The root pattern of the Nine square consists of a 3 x 3 grid, with a

centralized space (the middle square) surrounded by an exterior zone (the outer
8 squares) (see Figure 5a). However, because humans inherently see patterns in
most things, there are many variations of the Nine Square that produce the same
effect.

This is because the Nine Square is less about the squares themselves and
more about the division of space that creates the squares. The four lines that
define the Nine Square can either be pushed closer together (see Figure 5b),
pulled farther apart (see Figure 5c), broken apart so they are not continuous, or
even removed fully. You can also create the Nine Square within a square of a
larger Nine Square.

a. b. c.

Figure 5. Various versions of the Nine Square Pattern.

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The pattern can be applied to everything from city plans, to exteriors of
buildings, and to floor plans. The center of the Nine Square has been utilized in

Barcelona’s block plan as well as the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome which
uses the center of the Nine Square as well as the corner four squares. The Greek
Parthenon, Roman Pantheon, and the Taj Mahal in India are also examples of
the Nine Square
.
These buildings are important references due both to their universally
recognized beauty and to their standing the test of time, both physically and
metaphoricallyThe Pantheon in Rome, Italy is believed to have been built
around 120 A.D., and consists of both a height and diameter of 142 feet. It
utilizes the Nine Square at the entrance of the building, as well as in the main
plan of the building which is viewable from an aerial perspective. Today, it
remains one of the largest unsupported domes in the world.

Lastly, the Taj Mahal, considered by some to be one of the worlds 7

wonders, was built between 1628 and 1658. It also incorporates two Nine
Square patterns: one in the 9 arches in the front of the building and another
inside the center front arch. These examples illustrate the importance of the
Nine Square pattern as an important historical architectural concept. These
buildings also show how structurally sound the pattern is, as they have lasted
for centuries. Their universally accepted beauty shows how psychologically
impactful the Nine Square pattern is to the human brain.

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 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

More likely, the frequency of its use is a result of the beneficial psychological
impact of the pattern being encoded in the human brain, and therefore, in the
minds of the architects who conceived these buildings.

It’s also essential to note here that the upright “T” pattern of the human
face, among the others shown to the infants, very closely resembles the Nine
Square (see Figure 7). The human face consists of two symmetrical eyes, a
centered nose, and a centered mouth. When laying the Nine Square over the
face, the left eye lies in the to left square, the right eye in the top right square,

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the nose in the most center square, and the mouth in the center square on the
bottom row.

(left). The similarities between the basic facial structure and the Nine Square.
(right). Example of the human facial structure and the Nine Square. Background
Image from 2643525, https://pixabay.com/en/portrait-child-face-boy-
human-2643525/. Copyright 2015 by Tiluria.
Note: Reference lines for the Nine Square in Figure 8 are not part of the original
photograph. They were added to emphasize the similarity of the human
face and the Nine Square pattern.

The close resemblance of the Nine Square to the human face raises the
distinct possibility that humans subconsciously see faces when observing
certain forms of architecture and in the patterns of that architecture, providing
another explanation for the physiological reactions and feeling pleasure that
certain architecture can evoke.
So far, we have focused on the positive effects of architecture. It is as
important to observe the negative influence that poorly designed or constructed
buildings and spaces have on human psychology and physiology.

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Chapter 4: The Negative Psychological Effects
of Poorly Designed Architecture

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 This trend of simple, architecturally unoriginal buildings was not unique
to houses; it also greatly influenced the industrial side of the built environment
at the time. Due to an increase in material production capability from the war,
there was access to new building products which were easy produced in the
factories that previously had been dedicated to the war. These materials set in
motion the Modernism aesthetic that characterized many of the industrial
buildings in the 1950s-1990s.

Glass, concrete, aluminum, synthetics and steel were the primary

materials utilized to create a boxy, futuristic, space- like style. Monochromatic
colors, poorly placed windows, an absence of architectural detail, and repetitive
styles produced a unique form of sensory deprivation. Not only did this trend
result in a lack of intellectual stimulation, it effectively removed every aspect
of human touch, creating a cold, unwelcoming environment that lacked the
ability to produce a positive physiological response or a sense of well-being.

It comes as no surprise then that the style of this period was soon
replaced, and a new desire for individualistic and creative architectural freedom
emerged as the high demand for houses began to die down. Once again, the
ancient principles of beauty that characterized Classical period began to re-
emerge. There was a newfound emphasis on structure, geometry (the use of
patterns such as the Nine Square), and the uniform grid.

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 We already know that these feelings activate our survival mechanisms and
kick our sympathetic nervous system into action. In their book Cognitive
Architecture: Designing for How We Respond to the Built Environment,
Sussman and Hollander (2015) explore the negative psychological impact urban
cities have on humans.
They argue that humans are generally healthier when their built environment
contains a variety of independent shops, unique spaces and buildings rather than
generic, cement buildings and repetitive chain stores.

In summary, architecture and design can have a substantial impact on

human psychology and emotions. Well-designed buildings that use successful
patterns like the Nine Square, or that evoke the sense of security our ancestors
felt on the savanna have a positive psychological impact, and cause the release
of neurochemicals that make us feel a sense of pleasure.
Poorly maintained buildings make us nervous and fearful by activating
our sympathetic nervous system which is detrimental to our health. A wide
variety of unique buildings and shops stimulate our mind, while dull repetitive
buildings bore us which has been clinically proven to induce stress.
Furthermore, constant exposure to such negative building
characteristics can be detrimental to health since they can be a source of chronic
stress. Fortunately, this is both avoidable and correctable considering all of the
cognitive research and building technology at our disposal. Ideally, the
construction of new buildings and urban areas should not simply avoid these
negative attributes, but work to counteract them by incorporating the
aforementioned methods of beautiful design.

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Chapter 5: The Importance of Human
Interaction with the Environment

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 It is important to note that because each human being is unique, each

person has different preferences and different reactions to environmental

stimuli resulting from complexity, partiality and past experiences.

Regardless of individual variations, human beings generally favor

environments that are pleasant (whether arousing or unrousing) over

environments that are unpleasant. One benefit of arousing and pleasant

environments is the mental stimulation they provide. This turns out to be an

important architectural and psychological consideration in our built

environment. In fact, information processing is a separate environmental

preference theory which suggests that because humans are natural born

information processors, we prefer environments that provide us with ample

amounts of information to process.

Good architectural design finds much of its influence in the patterns of

nature. The stress reducing capabilities of those deigns are a direct result of

our brain recognizing visual similarities to nature. The beneficial impact of

natural design elements goes deeper than an improved sense of psychological

well-being though.

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CONCLUSION

There is now extensive research demonstrating that good architectural

design has clear psychological and physiological benefits that transcend the
mere sense of an aesthetically pleasing appearance. We also now understand
there is a direct link between poor architectural design and execution and
negative health and psychological issues.
Finally, today we have a better understanding of the human evolutionary
basis for many of those psychological and physiological responses to design.
Utilizing that knowledge and the technological tools we now have available, we
have an opportunity to create architecture that is not only aesthetically beautiful,
but more importantly, psychologically beneficial. As an outcome of this paper,
we conclude these important remarks:
• The natural environment is considered the main source of many
human experiences: radiant and ambient light, temperature, sounds,
odors, and mechanical contacts. The way designers organize there
built environment affects all these stimuli.

• It can be concluded, that what a user does and why, and the thoughts
and feelings that accompany those actions, are linked somehow to
interactions with the designed environment.

• Architects must deal with their designs with a great concern; they
must not limit their concern on one sense and neglect all the other
senses. They have to deal with all the senses equally.

• A visual environment with a variety of colors and shades is a

good way of achieving desirable interest and stimulation for a
more pleasant and productive space.

• Architects should be in a contentious research and do more

efforts to feed back their knowledge about how the user of their
designed environment reacts and behave.

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3
REFERENCES:

 Architectural Space Combination, Peng Yigang, 2005;

 Bonnes, M. and Secchiaroli, G., 1995, Environmental psychology: a

psycho-social introduction (C. Montagna, Trans.), Sage Publications,
London; Thousand Oaks, 1995.

 Cassidy, T., 1997, Environmental psychology: Behavior and experience

in context, Psychology Press, Hove, East Sussex, 1997.

 Deasy, M.C., 1990, Designing places for people: A handbook on human

behavior for architects, designers, and facility managers, Whitney
Library of Design Publishers,

 Gifford, R., 2002, Environmental psychology: principles and practice,

Optimal Books Publishers,
 Graphic Analysis of Environment Design, Jing Qimin, Zhang Li’an,
2009;
 Introduction of Psychology, Xu Liancang et al., 1988.
 The Taj COMPLEX . (n.d.).

 Nasar, L.J., 1994, Urban design aesthetics: The

evaluative qualities of building exteriors.
 Environment and Behavior, 26, 1994, pp. 377-401.
 Massey, D., 1994, A global sense of place. Space, Place .

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 http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/10/chronic-stress.aspx
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research-in-architectural-practice-matter/
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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX1hDP1vJmI
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