Architecture is deeply rooted in our lives. Ever since humans have inhabited the earth, they strive for shelter for protection from any unforeseen threats. We, humans, spend almost 80- 90 percent of our lives indoors in some form of architectural intervention. We have wrapped ourselves in a cocoon of structures. Thus, spending so much time indoors affects our behaviour patterns. Architecture and human psychology are co-dependent on each other. The envision of an architect for a building also impacts its user’s psychology. An architect has the power to make people feel emotions. While a tiny ill-lighted area may make you feel claustrophobic, a well-lighted broader area can make you feel at ease. That’s the power that architecture holds! It can easily manipulate moods.
Architecture might affect a person individually, but it also engrains the quality of instilling social connection. Just like a comma to a sentence, public spaces are a pause point in people’s life. To fulfill the need felt by humans for social interaction, various forms of architecture like- entertainment centers, urban hubs, hotels, gardens, and plazas are designed. While an ordinary person might overlook the importance of public spaces in community bonding, an architect knows its benefits.
Public spaces of a city portray the culture and society through architecture. Like the Step wells of Adalaj, the reservoir holds the title of World Heritage site, to the Marine Drive in Mumbai, a casual coastal sit-out by the bay. Its impact on the social setting might get ignored as merely a place for gathering. But a city is an empty shell without these community spaces. The aesthetics and natural elements combined with designs play a significant role in getting people’s appreciation. In contrast, the absence of these design principles leads to monotonous and dull design. These unconscious elements attract users’ focus.
Enriching public community spaces can benefit in cutting out the loneliness and make people feel more engaged and comfortable in society. The importance of public spaces goes far beyond feel-good aesthetics. It prevents the chances of someone developing mental disorders like depression and anxiety.
In this course of becoming an architect, an ignorant unbothered person transforms into a keen observer of every intricate detail. Have you ever gone out and got zoned out from your surroundings? And then moments later, you find yourself staring at a wall? If the answer is yes, then I am pleased to announce that you have fallen in love with architecture! The eyes become a scanner, constantly scanning and measuring details. Analysing everything and developing the skillsets through years of studying architecture.
Another example of the impact of architecture is- Everyone walks past a pedestrian pathway but seldom does anyone think about its inconvenience for a differently-abled person. Pedestrian pathways are public property and should be accessible universally. These smaller design considerations are easily ignored by the common users, except for an architect who observes!
Apart from social bonding, architecture impacts the environment. With the world slowly becoming unhabitable, global warming is a red alert. It is a state of Climate Emergency! An increase in global warming has raised many concerns, and buildings and construction lead to roughly 36% of global emissions. Architects and designers are trying to build environmentally conscious designs. The use of locally available materials and in-depth climate analysis contributes to a more sustainable design. Unlike architects, the construction methodology, materiality, and contextual study subjects unconcerned people lack. Ignorance harms the environment. The users should also be more involved and aware of the same. New software is developed that allows architects to predict the way different climates will affect a building before it is even constructed. This enables architects to design more flexible and durable structures.
The exponential growth of technological advancement in the field of architecture has broadened the aspects of design. With the ease of technology, architects can now integrate the building industry with other fields. These advancements have opened a gateway of roles for future generations like sustainability consultants, green architects, and building systems which were possible due to technology. The story-telling abilities of architects have also improved with the help of Virtual and Augmented reality, which has decreased the communication gap between architects and reality. These technologies have greatly expanded capabilities to design and construct infrastructure.
Architecture combined with behavioural psychology can enhance human behaviour. Working across disciplines allows a better understanding of the design principles and how they can affect human behaviour and emotions. Architecture’s impact varies from person to person, but it can shape and change everyone’s perspectives. The advancement of technology also means improvement of architecture in the future. The future generation will benefit from these technologies that will assist them in designing for a cleaner and better environment. Cause at the end of the day, the ultimate goal is to create synergy between architecture and environment!
REFERENCE LIST–
- Vats, S., 2022. Impact of Architecture on Human Psychology….. [online] Medium. Available at: <https://medium.com/@srkshivangi.01/impact-of-architecture-on-human-psychology-f0b637714603#:~:text=An%20architect%20can%20control%20human,is%20natural%20or%20man%2Dmade> [Accessed 3 April 2022].
- Bond, M. (2017). The hidden ways that architecture affects how you feel. [online] Bbc.com. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170605-the-psychology-behind-your-citys-design.
- Jagannath, T. (2018). Interactive Public Spaces Make Successful Places. [online] Interviews and Articles on Art & Public Spaces. Available at: https://medium.com/interviews-and-articles-on-art-public-spaces/interactive-public-spaces-make-successful-places-c522b4346e55.
