Architectural design and the brain: Effects of ceiling height and perceived enclosure on beauty judgments and approach-avoidance decisions

Vartanian, Oshin; Navarrete, Gorka; Chatterjee, Anjan; Fich, Lars Brorson; González–Mora, José Luis; Leder, Helmut; Modroño, Cristián; Nadal, Marcos; Rostrup, Nicolai; Skov, Martin

doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.11.006

Cited by 160 publications

(133 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…People often prefer architectural interiors and urban spaces that are more open and visually connected to their surroundings compared with enclosed environments (Dosen & Ostwald, 2016). In an fMRI study of architectural interiors, we found that participants judged open rooms as more beautiful than enclosed rooms ( Vartanian et al, 2015).…”

Section: Visionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…According to this model, three large-scale systems generate aesthetic experiences: sensorimotor, knowledge-meaning, and emotion-valuation systems (Figure 2). Architecture engages multiple sensory networks, presumably visual, auditory, somatosensory, olfactory, and vestibular systems, and triggers motor responses such as approach and avoidance (Vartanian et al, 2015). Meaning-knowledge systems informed by personal experiences, culture, and education also shape one's encounters with the built environment.…”

Section: The Aesthetic Triadmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently, descriptive research predominates in this young field (Brown & Lee, 2016;Mallgrave, 2010;Eberhard, 2008). Several empirical studies have recently emerged reporting neurophysiological responses to architectural parameters (Choo, Nasar, Nikrahei, & Walther, 2017;Shemesh et al, 2016;Marchette, Vass, Ryan, & Epstein, 2015;Vartanian et al, 2013Vartanian et al, , 2015. These studies represent a first step.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Buildings, Beauty, and the Brain: A Neuroscience of Architectural Experience

Coburn

Vartanian

Chatterjee

2017

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

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114

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A burgeoning interest in the intersection of neuroscience and architecture promises to offer biologically inspired insights into the design of spaces. The goal of such interdisciplinary approaches to architecture is to motivate construction of environments that would contribute to peoples' flourishing in behavior, health, and well-being. We suggest that this nascent field of neuroarchitecture is at a pivotal point in which neuroscience and architecture are poised to extend to a neuroscience of architecture. In such a research program, architectural experiences themselves are the target of neuroscientific inquiry. Here, we draw lessons from recent developments in neuroaesthetics to suggest how neuroarchitecture might mature into an experimental science. We review the extant literature and offer an initial framework from which to contextualize such research. Finally, we outline theoretical and technical challenges that lie ahead. and architecture promises to offer biologically inspired insights into the design of spaces. The goal of such interdisciplinary approaches to architecture is to motivate construction of environments that would contribute to peoples' flourishing in behavior, health, and well-being. We suggest that this nascent field of neuroarchitecture is at a pivotal point in which neuroscience and architecture are poised to extend to a neuroscience of architecture. In such a research program, architectural experiences themselves are the target of neuroscientific inquiry. Here, we draw lessons from recent developments in neuroaesthetics to suggest how neuroarchitecture might mature into an experimental science. We review the extant literature and offer an initial framework from which to contextualize such research. Finally, we outline theoretical and technical challenges that lie ahead. ■ Disciplines Bioethics and Medical Ethics | Neuroscience and Neurobiology | Neurosciences

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Section: Visionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: The Aesthetic Triadmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Buildings, Beauty, and the Brain: A Neuroscience of Architectural Experience

Coburn

Vartanian

Chatterjee

2017

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

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114

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“…Within environmental psychology, behavioral responses towards environments or environmental features are frequently researched, but these studies have traditionally focused on approach and avoidance behavior as typical behavioral outcomes (Russell & Mehrabian, 1978;Stamps, 2005;Gilboa & Rafaeli, 2003;Vartanian et al, 2013;Vartanian et al, 2015). We M A N U S C R I P T…”

Section: Awe Architectural Vastness and Behavioral Immobilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Up speeds you down. Awe-evoking monumental buildings trigger behavioral and perceived freezing

Joye

Dewitte

2016

Journal of Environmental Psychology

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“…Rooms with a larger ceiling height activate visuo-spatial structures responsible for exploration and attention and are more likely to be judged as beautiful. 19,20 Evidently, a huge asymmetry in our knowledge exists, on the one hand regarding ways in which humans react, both in terms of physiology and in terms of psychology and behaviour in the indoor environment, areas about which our knowledge is limited, and on the other hand, knowledge about human reactions to the indoor climate, which are very well investigated. In as much as certification systems and building codes only reflect current knowledge, this might actually, due to this asymmetry, leading to loss of quality of the indoor environment and well-being for the users, as important aspects of human interaction with the indoor environment will be overlooked or only poorly represented.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Healthy Buildings’: Toward understanding user interaction with the indoor environment

Brunsgaard

Fich

2016

Indoor and Built Environment

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In recent years, research and the building industry have increasingly focused on issues regarding the lowering and optimising of operational energy use in buildings. This has resulted in several pilot projects illustrating how these can be achieved, e.g. Danish projects like 'The Comfort Houses' (some of the first Danish passive houses) 1 and 'Home for Life' (active/zero energy houses).2 Besides exemplifying construction techniques and technical service systems as well as documenting energy use, the mentioned projects were evaluated according to the resulting indoor environment, qualitatively and quantitatively. The findings of 'The Comfort Houses' project 3 show challenges in fulfilling elements of the indoor environment, primarily due to problems with overheating during summer. The study also concludes that the design process needs to contain analysis of the indoor environment, besides the development of the design, to make sure the demands can be fulfilled. The research further concludes that there should be more focus on occupants' lifestyle and behavioural traits when designing and planning passive and active systems, as the assumptions in many cases did not fit. In one case, for example, a family was concerned about their child's safety if opening windows sufficiently to allow cooling and therefore chose not to do so, with overheating as a result. Hence, user-friendly solutions should be important considerations to allow the 'correct' operation of systems while also considering realistic user behaviour.3 Similar findings appear in the research of 'Home for life '. 4 Overall, the project concludes that 50% of the altered preconditions are due to factors in the building, control and technology, and 50% are due to the family's behaviour that was at variance with the original estimations.4 With regard to the passive house requirements, the main focus is on energy use. However, the passive house standard includes an overall demand for thermal comfort.5 Nevertheless, this is analysed by using values of the monthly temperatures in the calculation method on the overall geometry of the building. An hour-by-hour dynamic simulation, or at least a simple check of the 24-hour maximum temperature for the critical rooms, would be a more reliable methodology to state the risks of overheating in the actual design. This methodology would also allow testing of different scenarios of user-behaviour and thereby test the robustness of the design. Unmistakably, the abovementioned research states that the user-behaviour and every day practices of the occupants are of major importance in the performance of the indoor environment -issues that are not sufficiently taken into account in today's practices.Along with the development of different low-energy and zero-energy concepts, voluntary sustainability certification schemes (BREEAM, LEED, DGNB) have been developed around the world -certification schemes that have a wider approach to sustainability than solely energy. However, the first-generation schemes still have a large focus ...

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Architectural design and the brain: Effects of ceiling height and perceived enclosure on beauty judgments and approach-avoidance decisions

Cited by 160 publications

References 43 publications

Buildings, Beauty, and the Brain: A Neuroscience of Architectural Experience

Buildings, Beauty, and the Brain: A Neuroscience of Architectural Experience

Up speeds you down. Awe-evoking monumental buildings trigger behavioral and perceived freezing

‘Healthy Buildings’: Toward understanding user interaction with the indoor environment

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