The Psychology of Everyday Spaces
The study of human civilizations, cultures, and their evolution over time is known as anthropology. It helps us understand how people interact with the spaces around them, which is useful in architecture. By looking at culture and behavior, architects can design spaces that are not only practical but also respectful and inclusive.
Living in a space is not just about being there; it is about how we use and change it. Architectural anthropology looks at how people live in and adapt their surroundings through daily routines. Studying habits, rituals, and how people move through spaces helps us see how buildings and environments affect our mental and emotional health.
Architecture as a Tool for Control
Homelessness is a serious issue worldwide. While many efforts are made to help homeless people, there are also efforts made to keep them out of sight. One way this happens is through hostile architecture, also known as defensive or exclusionary design. These are things like metal bars on benches, spikes in corners, or oddly slanted surfaces, all meant to stop people from sitting or lying down.
This kind of design is part of city planning and engineering, and it is used to control how public spaces are used, especially by people who are seen as “undesirable.” Most people do not even notice these designs, but they show how city planning can be used in unfair ways. The same tools that make cities look nice can also be used to push certain people out.
Public Spaces and Social Interaction
When walking through a new neighbourhood, it is easy to quickly form a feeling about it. Elements like graffiti, cracked pavement, or empty streets might cause unease, while clean buildings, good lighting, and busy walkways typically evoke a sense of safety. These gut feelings play a role in deciding whether to explore further or leave quickly, influencing the development of a neighbourhood and its architecture.
Researchers from MIT’s Media Lab explored these instincts through a project called Place Pulse. Originally similar to “Hot or Not for Cities,” the project grew into something more substantial. The website showed users two side-by-side images from Google Street View, including photos from cities like Boston, New York, and Salzburg, and asked which looked safer or more upscale.
Visitors clicked their preferences, and algorithms used that data to identify patterns. According to Professor Cesar Hidalgo, who led the project, “The way places look affects how people feel about them. By understanding what features create certain feelings, better spaces can be designed.”
The findings, published in the journal PLOS ONE, confirmed what many already suspected, which was, inequality in cities is clearly visible. Wealthy neighbourhoods were perceived as safe, while poorer neighbourhoods were seen as unsafe. The reasons were often attributed to factors like graffiti, broken pavement, or vacant lots, revealing how design can shape perceptions and treatment of different areas.
Emotional Connection
Architecture and design is not only about aesthetics, but also about the emotions it evokes. Lighting impacts mood and energy. Colours can either calm or stimulate. The layout of a room influences how people move within it, while the size and proportions of a space can make it feel cozy or uncomfortable. Even the way sound travels through a room affects its atmosphere.
For example, bright, open spaces like classrooms encourage focus, while cramped, cluttered layouts can increase stress. Low ceilings create a sense of confinement, and echoing rooms can lead to sensory overload. In contrast, a room with natural light, soft materials, and soothing colors feels calm and inviting. Light blues and greens work well in bedrooms, warm tones energize social spaces, and soft greens and neutrals are often used in hospitals to create a peaceful environment.
Humans are naturally responsive to nature, rhythm, and connections. Cities with excessive noise, congestion, and concrete are not suited to human needs. However, even small changes can significantly improve spaces. Features like trees along streets, benches for rest, and pathways that encourage interaction can all create a positive impact. People-centered design does not just improve functionality, it also enhances the overall experience.
Architecture has a profound effect on emotions, behavior, and social interactions. Design choices can make spaces welcoming or push people away, foster healing or increase stress.
Architects have a significant responsibility. Design is not just about creating structures, but also about considering the people who will use them. Who is the space intended for? Who might feel excluded? Good design goes beyond aesthetics; it requires care and consideration.
When empathy guides the design process, buildings become more than mere structures. They transform into places full of life, meaning, and shared experiences. The best designs not only meet practical needs but also respect and celebrate the individuals who interact with them. In the end, architecture has the power to shape not only the physical world but also the connections and well-being of those who experience it.
References:
www.architecturecourses.org. (n.d.). Psychology of Architecture | ArchitectureCourses.org. [online] Available at: https://www.architecturecourses.org/design/psychology-architecture.
Stinson, L. (2013). Can ‘Hot or Not’ Help Us Design Better Cities? [online] WIRED. Available at: https://www.wired.com/2013/09/can-quantifiable-emotions-change-the-design-of-cities/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2025].
Nussbaum, Z. (2023). Hostile Architecture: The Ethical Problem of Design as a Means of Exclusion. [online] Viterbi Conversations in Ethics. Available at: https://vce.usc.edu/volume-7-issue-1/hostile-architecture-the-ethical-problem-of-design-as-a-means-of-exclusion/.
Gattupalli, A. (2024). How Can Architecture be Designed to Reflect Human Behavior? [online] ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/1013253/how-can-architecture-be-designed-to-reflect-human-behavior.
