Architecture and perception

Architecture conveys itself through perception and interaction of spaces surrounding it in different ways
the psychology of architecture is a complicated mechanism that can be described in two ways one which
is related to figurative momentary configurations by direct and immediate contact, second is operative
related to operations that intervene between successive states where subject transforms part of world
into reconstruct able patterns thus things are understood differently due to cultural, social and
geographical backgrounds. One imagining things from architectural perspective is different from normal
perception that has very less knowledge of architectural principles, language of styles, basic architectural
characteristics where the intelligible structure in architecture is referred to as principle of realism in
representative art and degree of excellence in art is mentioned by the term beauty which is given by
candour in the portrayal of facts of nature. The spaces are defined diversly in different disciplines as for
science space is container in which all physical occurrences play, from human experience space is
determination by its dimensions and for philosophy and sociology space is some time to observe a
renewed interest in spatial questions and space in architectural perception has many theories, Space is
an essential tool of architecture used to create environments that make us aware of our external reality.

The concept of perceiving space from an architecture point of view is different it has quality of emptiness
that may be challenging to comprehend but considering how it feels to be space realising the elements
that used to create a finite environment that impact our associations with place for example how does
one feel when standing on skyscraper compared to being stuck in mining shaft feelings that are connected
to our psychological reactions. An architect perception considers the knowledge of feeling and emotions
related to human behaviour and spaces that controls an inhabitant’s spatial experience by compressing
or expanding below and all around the infinite environment.

‘Deception of the senses are truths of perception’ said by purkinje Czech physiologist the illusions call to
attention the workings of visual system and are perhaps more fascinating to artist, architects, and scientist
than workings of normal perception. The perception to grasp space, to know how to see it is the key to
understanding of the building, it not only understands the space but also applies it as a central factor
considering history and culture of space thus maintaining the enjoyment of architecture as haphazard.
The world an artist or architect see around him everyday and observe from earliest childhood he
understands more than he believes to do if it is brought to the level of his consciousness, it can become
part of his perception of the world. No matter how great the variety of living things are their growth and
form obey simple and easily comprehended relationships this comprehension is part of one’s perception
of the world

Assumptions are made that artist have experiences with forces and forms they are influenced by the
mere fact of living in a world composed of physical objects shaped and moving or held in a position a
place by physical forces the observer to therefore looking that possess a certain amount of rudimentary
education in the physical science that influence human perception of both form and forces.
Image source: author
Architectural perception is different from normal perception

Visual perception is a psychological process that allows to perceive things, objects etc in different ways
It starts with one’s concept of imagination where architecture is considered as mode of knowledge a tool
where the design of space, analysis and research takes place. A thought needs a material image
something that needs to carry a thought, Imagination is something that bridges the gap between
perception and understanding which implies to think that there is space in the mind where actually the
picturing of concept takes place .The thought that creates the image in the mind which has never been
there before also explains the difference between remembering something that already been perceived
and imagination where new image has produced. It is also different from concept which requires
materialisation but imagination is a capacity of mentally picturing images in the mind having specific kinds
of it one is architectural imagination where perceiving a structure in terms of its form, appearance,
surrounding landscape, rhythm of elements arranged or structured which is independent of material,
space, finance and is only emerged from purely architectural characteristics being it shape , form,
proportion, scale and aesthetical appearance these templates that already pre-existed in one’s perception
that clearly differentiates any normal perception from what we call architectural perception.

The arena of human behaviour

The building plan is the arena of human behaviour unfortunately the building plan is not revealed when
its standing only when it is demolished or rotted away is the foundation that traces the outline of the plan,
exposed those that design buildings and archaeologist that dig them up are only one in a position to study
the behavioural arena as a entire diagram. There is fundamental difference between the world of human
actions and horizontal surface and world of vision which is primarily the vertical relevant to human actions.
The architectural perception here is different the way one perceives for example if one wishes to see the
large objects without constraint and excessive distortion it must look at them in a position where it meets
the line of sight perpendicularly, this is revealed in the horizontal and vertical form of buildings
differentiating the workings from normal vision. The perception of an artist realizes for buildings is vertical
while the behaviour within it is horizontal the plan is therefore the diagram of human behaviour, and the
vertical is the diagram of human perception.

Artist perception expects a building façade to reveal the plan of the building inside if one can visualize in
the mind then it can be judged how the building serves as an organiser of human activity. Therefore the
idea of perceiving a building through its façade and reconstructing its plan, shape, movement activity
organised explaining things what to do and what not to do in the building, trying to indicate guidelines of
the buildings arrangement of spaces through culture or person’s idiosyncrasies dictates that architect’s
way of perception is different from normal perception, about how the growth takes place from analysing
the world around it in simple forms to complexities of buildings and entire city. Visualising things as
physical objects its forms and shape from the environment society and culture, tradition one’s imagination
and human psychology becomes an asset or tool in the field of architecture to differentiate from normal
vision that brings a new picture a thought that was never created before giving mind a chance to develop
a design that draws an sense of appreciation an aesthetic beauty of realisation coming out of one’s
imagination.
References
Claudia Perren and Miriam Mlecek,’Perception in Architecture here and now’,Cambridge scholars publishing, ISBN (10): 1-4438-7256-3

Gerald AdlerTimothy Brittain-Catlin, Gordana Fontana-Giusti,’Scale,imagination, perception and practice in architecture’1st Edition,
Published October 20, 2011 by Routledge.

Jörg Kurt Grütter,’ Basics of Perception in Architecture’, https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-658-31156-8

Spence, C. Senses of place: architectural design for the multisensory mind. Cogn. Research 5, 46 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-
020-00243-4.