Impact of Architecture on Human Psychology….
We may define ourselves as out-going, adventurous, full of wanderlust but it is surprising just how much of our lives are spent indoors. From alarm clocks buzzing in the morning to the last blink in the night, an adult, in spite of being engaged with work and studies, spends as much as 80–90% of his/her time indoors and the space, lighting, colors, acoustics, aesthetics indeed play a big role on the psychology of the individual. So, ever wondered what actually shapes our personality? May be the shapes or shades?
Imagine how much more your design would affect the client if you know what he/she really wants? What are the colors they are fascinated by or the elements that attract them the most in their surrounding?Individual differences are bound to exist so proper architectural implementation is necessary to meet everyone’s psychological desires. Hence, there is a definite relationship between architecture and psychology.
Whether we like a place or not depends on how we perceive it’s design elements, the illumination, materials and furnishing or if the place is similar to any previous ambiance we are well acquainted with.It’s pretty simple, if we are not comfortable with the environment at some place, we are not at ease — be it a public space, or our own home. So, it is of utmost importance to keep psychological needs of a person regarding a vicinity in mind while designing a space. The enchanting aesthetics will go in vain if a person inside is stifled by heat from a badly placed window or unable to arrange furniture neatly inside.
For an architect to show his skills,it is essential to keep in mind the taste and preferences of the client along with the purpose of construction of a particular space. For instance, a prison cannot have bright and vibrant colors simply because it is not meant to be. Likewise an old age home should be soothing and calm where senior citizens could feel like at home,therefore, the architect works on the design scheme by introducing soft colors with some cooling effect, soft materials and patient- friendly features, a healing garden, a space for them to gather, private rooms, taking in the consideration of temperature for their healthy well being.
Just to highlight the importance, let us consider the red road flats of glasgow, built in 1971. Considered the best high-rise estate in the city, these apartments were soon left vacant as the residents found them difficult to warm up in the cold Scandinavia winters.
Another example which highlights a different attribute altogether is the social encounters.The pruitt- igoe public housing building of st. Louis built in 1959 was praised for wasting no space through some private areas but had to be demolished just opportunity for interaction, social order and perceived safety through knowing one another. As a result, the building attracted substantial crime and vandalism.
An architect can control human behavior with his design by understanding the way that a building’s design can influence a person’s behavior, thus, modifying the individual’s mood and perception,whether the environment is natural or man-made.Understanding the way in which environment effect people could enable the design and construction of work, recreation and living space that has the ability to influence people’s behavior.
To that end, there are a lot of elements of architecture which impact psychology of people inhabiting the place from basic performance of employers in an office to attracting customers and boosting sales at a retail outlet. A hard working architect is the one who creates a beautiful space which the people love to look at and appreciate, however a smart working architect is the one who makes the place look beautiful inside,as it is on the outside, making the people feel comfortable and elated throughout.
�jw��
�jwa��
