Architecture + Psychology

[neill]

Does any body know of any good topics related between these two?

 

 

Im trying to gather ideas for a Psychology paper i need to start and was trying to relate it to something that might be of interest.

 

 

i was looking for something along the lines of "How architecture effects people?"

-for example what kind of materials or colors that are used on a building might set the mood or something.

 

 

your help will be greatly appreciated

 

thanks

neill

[jackb602]

i was looking for something along the lines of "How architecture effects people?"

 

Neill,

 

The field of Environmental Psychology focuses on this. Hey, and it looks like my alma mater, University of Michigan, has a department here: http://www.snre.umich.edu/eplab/index.html

 

I know there has been some research done on the design of facilities for Alzheimer's patients. (Here's a link I found: http://www.homemods.org/library/life-span/design.html)

 

These might help you get started.

 

Jack

[Life Style]

"A Pattern Language" by Christopher Alexander was handed out(forced purchase) in first year arch as the bible of architecture.

 

It has its good and bad points and has become a little dated, but talks a lot about how people understand spaces. So I still think its a good read

[William Alexander]

Does any body know of any good topics related between these two

Your a member here.......

 

Objective - Subjective nature of architectural Illustration. How lines and color on paper bring forth varied responses based on one experiences and brain developement (left vs Right). Patterned behavior by Architects vs Advertising and the common viewer. Does Illustration best bring forth a verified reality or an induced perception forced by an artist, Architect, Marketing - Advertising.

 

Lots of applied Psyc here!!!!!!

 

Well, it might be a twist on the architecture direction.

 

Or even; why an Illustration/s are percieved correctly or incorrectly -Gestalt Laws of Perception.

 

Good Luck on your Paper!!!

WDA

[neill]

very.. very true....

 

im going to have to look into that

[Ras]

Hi Neil

 

Just to support the others... You know how you´d always recognize your mother way down the street on a rainy night...

My wife (psychologist) tells me that perception depends heavily on "tables" in your mind - these tables are filled out differently depending on the registered subject and help you find out what you are looking at without having to look at every little detatil first.

 

For example - a "pixel" on an edge is percieved much more strongly than a pixel on a uniform surfaces - If the edges corresponds to the one in your mothers chin you have a possible match. I guess you could call it the DivX codec of the brain.

 

What this also implies is that noone older than an infant is able to truly objectively observe anything - without going through these filters and codecs.

 

When talking about space and surface there are of course equivelant mechanisms in the brain. Being educated in architecture-related fields we have larger "tables" to fill out which makes our understanding of space and surface more nuanced.

 

Anyway - I thought it´d be interesting to explore the relation between auto-seeing (depending mostly on these tables) and objective perception - as in the way a child with no established tables percieves the world.

 

How does these neccesary tables limit us and how do they help us? How can we as architects use this and make architecture that either facilitates or contrasts these tables.

I think this would involve exploring symbols a lot to establish how much we can separate actual objects from their symbolic presense. You know - noone likes a plastic turd on the dining table even though it is only a symbol or reference to the object that disgusts us.

This of course goes for space also - like most of the public enjoy buildings that have some reference to a golden past while high-tech is often associated with an uncertain and evil future. It has nothing to do with the actual space or materials.

 

Oops, rambling...

[William Alexander]

like most of the public enjoy buildings that have some reference to a golden past while high-tech is often associated with an uncertain and evil future. It has nothing to do with the actual space or materials.

 

Niel & Ras,

 

The "evil future" is an architectural & intelectual disemination, of a fault, of Modern design to connect and has everything to do with space and materials. Space and materials illicite the inital responses and re-inforce the continuing understanding of a structure, on all levels, good and bad. Much lacks the connection and a tactical perception. Case in point the hieracrhy and integrity of a great cathedral. The common man is not always connected to a building by intellectual thought, but by emotional response that is tied to the function of the structure. It captures the imagination and inspires- gut emotional level-spacial/presence-intellectual level, that is to say it has depth.

 

Calatrava's Milwaukee Art Museum Addition is a public space and it may very well become understood as approaching the level of Architectural Integrity similar to a cathedral. The materials are abstract off white open to the viewer to mentally apply a percieved one. The Forms are just right to create the imagery of ships and the maritime history of the great lakes (who has'nt thought of sailing on a schooner). This is a real connection to the site, symbiotic. Because of it's abstract nature is perfectly suited for an art museum.

 

Basically it's like this; Would you rather have a Hug from your wife or study a a polished marble sculpture of a women. Given the choice I would rather study my wife as a piece of sculpture or create one of her.

 

Architecture is a pattened response induce by the study of it. Being inclusive to only it's self or those intellectualy equiped. (cough cough "EGO"). The idea of "corporate psyc" taken to the level of an industry or proffession.

 

DISCLAIMER: Ras's quote is valid and serves a valuable working point. The disconnect is client and cost fueled. But the AIA is advertising for it's members as part of a marketing campaign, at least in SE Wisconsin USA. They are not addressing this disconnect and the perception as I so wordily put it. If this disconnect was addressed a much larger market could be opened up and thus possibly changing Architecture and making it accessible to those more common. It would beat the crap out of having a retail store dictate function based on availabe product line.

 

Neil, this topic maybe a bit broad, however, may very well hold part of the future success of Architecture- best part for you it's deeply rooted in psyc. !!!

 

Ras, this is a subject that has bothered me since college and rooted in my required psyc studies (using to design & connect). I drove past the Calatrava site for 4 + years everyday, a decade or two ago, during college. The irony is his work there has given rise to this debate again, but with a good example of how it can be accomplished. I don't want to rip on Architecture in general, I'm inspired by the same things most others are, it just that the adverse response of the general public, is dis-heartening. I feel it maybe be at least a noble cause to explore a different approach.

 

Respectfully,

 

WDA