Spatial Manifestations of the Human Psyche

spatial manifestations of the human psyche

architecture based on neurological theories of environmental preference & aesthetic experience AR8103 Winter Studio P2: Manifest Building ashley b. biren

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issue Architecture’s fractured relationship with the human psyche deprives occupants from satisfying their needs and desires in the built environment.

position >>>>>>>>>>>

Architecture today fails to provide human cognitive nourishment: architects design buildings as static objects that fail to respond to the users’ needs and desires, while humans favor for an empathetic infrastructure that perceives, adapts, and changes in relation to each person’s idiosyncrasies.

cognitive approach How can we adopt a cognitive approach towards design that will foster neurological nourishment for the occupant? As architects, we can design buildings based on neurological theories of aesthetic experience and environmental preference, through both static and kinetic architectural gestures. These explicit actions are intended to enhance the occupants wellbeing and fulfill their environmental needs and desires.

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project scenario Visual Arts Studio

Client: Sketch Project-based initiative working with ‘street-involved’ small groups of youth in visual arts

Need: A dynamic learning environment for young artists.

= building adapts to user

user adapts to building

=

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Where? Art & Design District on Queen Street

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in Fenn reet gs St Q

t Wes treet S n uee

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position in context Designing for Occupant Needs & Wellbeing Through Environmental Preference The building is comprised of both static and adaptive elements that satisfy the user’s functional needs and overall wellbeing within the education environment Architectural Response - Designing for Students’ Environmental Preference

Strategy#1 - The Empathetic Building The building is designed to be empathetic towards its users with the intention of enhancing their spatial experience and wellbeing through both static and adaptive architectural elements.

Strategy#2 - The Utilitarian Building The building must provide spaces that satisfy the users’ functional needs through both static and ever-changing spaces that are not predefined by a single application.

Strategy#3 - The Neuroplastic Building The building will learn from the inhabitant and evolve accordingly over periods of time; eliciting the user’s stimulus through building variations.

01 2

5m

3. East Elevation

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strategies >> tactics Tactics on a MACRO Level

Designing for Wellbeing

Designing for Needs

Strategy #1 The Empathetic Building

Strategy #2 Utilitarian Building

#1 Perceptual

Gradually revealing the building’s entrance way on street level. The ‘peek-a-boo’ effect ensures that the “visual system ‘struggles’ for a solution and does not give up too easily” as the idea of discovering an object is rewarding for the viewer.

V.S. Ramachandran & W. Hirstein (1999)

Entice spectators on street level to enter building.

#1

#2 Connection to

The building is orientated towards the park across the street.

Building environments that connect people to nature are more supportive of human emotional well-being and cognitive performance.

Biologist E.O. Wilson’s - Biophilia (1993)

Ground floor plane is freed to allow for open public space.

#2

#3 The Hearth

The sense of safety and intimacy associated with the hearth may have been a factor in the evolution of intellectual development as well as social bonds.

Anthropologist Melvin Konner (2008)

Create a central gathering node for intimate place to congregate.

#3

Tactics

Problem Solving & Ambiguity

Nature

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strategies >> tactics Tactics on a MACRO Level

Designing for Wellbeing

Designing for Needs

Strategy #1 The Empathetic Building

Strategy #2 Utilitarian Building

#4 Legibility & Coherency

Clear Visual Access at Corner People prefer environments that are coherent, ease with which a setting can be organized cognitively, and legible, perceived ease of use.

Rachel Kaplan & Stephen Kaplan’s Environmental Preference (1982)

Create a direct connection to the outdoor park through clear glazing. Provides occupants with a visual direct access to outdoor environment.

#4

#5 Mystery

Circulation Mystery - The perception that entering the setting would lead to increased learning, interaction or interest.

Rachel Kaplan & Stephen Kaplan’s (1982)

Create an environment that enables the occupant to navigate through the space with ease.

#5

Create an environment with a variety of spaces for informal gathering, individual and collaborative work.

#6

Tactics

Reinforce Connection to Nature

Enticement & Peril

Enticement & Peril - Exploring unseen space and evoking pleasurable distress - Curvilinear surfaces that gradually open information to view

#6 Zoned

Spaces for Prospect & Refuge

People prefer to be in places where they have good visual access to the surrounding environment (high prospect), while also feeling protected and safe (high refuge).

Geographer Jay Appleton (2008) Preferred settings have soft, rounded forms and irregular layouts.

Suzanne Scott, University of Wisconsin (1992) Variety of informal spaces to encourage relationship development. Opportunity for privacy and for movement between interaction and solitude is desired.

- Judith Heerwagen (2008)

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strategies >> tactics Tactics on a MICRO level

Tactics for Strategy #1

A Kinesthetic Empathy

C

Movement patterns associated with safety show motion that is “always changing, yet always staying the same.�

- Environmental Psychologist Judith

Heerwagen (2008)

B

Sensory Variability Variation in form and light creates a stimulus. Contrast in form and light is intrinsically pleasing to the eye.

- V.S. Ramachandran & W. Hirstein (1999)

0

1

2

5m

Section AA

Tactic for Strategy #2 Adaptive Floor in Zoned Spaces

The building will re-configure itself into multiple uses for individual work, collaborative work and exhibition.

A. group work zones

(located closer to atrium)

B. gallery exhibition

(located on second floor)

C. individual work zones (located east of atrium)

narrative hearth adaptive enticement prospect refuge mystery peril coherent variability

(

((

4.

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( 3.

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+ 5.

2.

((( 6.

1. Main Entrance 2. Individual Work Zones 3. Collaborative Work Zones 4. Hearth 5. Informal Seating 6. Gallery Zone Stimulus Enhancing Module Low Body Temperature= Wall Aperture Expansion + High Body Temperature= Wall Aperture Contraction

(

(( High Level of Noise= Wall Aperture Expansion

(((

Low Level of Noise= Wall Aperture Contraction

1.

arrival

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Ground Floor Level

Second Floor Level

Third Floor Level

Fourth Floor Level

1. Entrance Vestibule 2. Collaborative Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 3. Individual Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 4. Individual Work Zone with Storage and Pin-Up Wall 5. Exhibition Zone (Adaptive Floor) 6. Hearth 7. Informal Stair Seating 8. Washroom 9. Storage

arrival

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2. West Elevation

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Ground Floor Level

Second Floor Level

Third Floor Level

Fourth Floor Level

1. Entrance Vestibule 2. Collaborative Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 3. Individual Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 4. Individual Work Zone with Storage and Pin-Up Wall 5. Exhibition Zone (Adaptive Floor) 6. Hearth 7. Informal Stair Seating 8. Washroom 9. Storage

gallery

Perspective on Second Floor Level 00 12

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Ground Floor Level

Second Floor Level

Third Floor Level

Fourth Floor Level

1. Entrance Vestibule 2. Collaborative Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 3. Individual Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 4. Individual Work Zone with Storage and Pin-Up Wall 5. Exhibition Zone (Adaptive Floor) 6. Hearth 7. Informal Stair Seating 8. Washroom 9. Storage

enticement

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Ground Floor Level

Second Floor Level

Third Floor Level

Fourth Floor Level

1. Entrance Vestibule 2. Collaborative Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 3. Individual Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 4. Individual Work Zone with Storage and Pin-Up Wall 5. Exhibition Zone (Adaptive Floor) 6. Hearth 7. Informal Stair Seating 8. Washroom 9. Storage

prospect & refuge prospect & refuge

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Ground Floor Level

Second Floor Level

Third Floor Level

Fourth Floor Level

1. Entrance Vestibule 2. Collaborative Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 3. Individual Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 4. Individual Work Zone with Storage and Pin-Up Wall 5. Exhibition Zone (Adaptive Floor) 6. Hearth 7. Informal Stair Seating 8. Washroom 9. Storage

spatial variability

Perspective on Second Floor Level

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Ground Floor Level

Second Floor Level

Third Floor Level

Fourth Floor Level

1. Entrance Vestibule 2. Collaborative Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 3. Individual Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 4. Individual Work Zone with Storage and Pin-Up Wall 5. Exhibition Zone (Adaptive Floor) 6. Hearth 7. Informal Stair Seating 8. Washroom 9. Storage

individual work zones

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t Wes reet t S en

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Ground Floor Level

Second Floor Level

Third Floor Level

Fourth Floor Level

1. Entrance Vestibule 2. Collaborative Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 3. Individual Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 4. Individual Work Zone with Storage and Pin-Up Wall 5. Exhibition Zone (Adaptive Floor) 6. Hearth 7. Informal Stair Seating 8. Washroom 9. Storage

hearth

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t Wes reet t S en

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Ground Floor Level

Second Floor Level

Third Floor Level

Fourth Floor Level

1. Entrance Vestibule 2. Collaborative Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 3. Individual Work Zones (Adaptive Floor) 4. Individual Work Zone with Storage and Pin-Up Wall 5. Exhibition Zone (Adaptive Floor) 6. Hearth 7. Informal Stair Seating 8. Washroom 9. Storage

Pneumatic Wall Module

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strategy #3 >> tactics The Neuroplastic Building

A The building will learn from the inhabitant and evolve accordingly over periods of time; eliciting the user’s stimulus through building variations.

Individual Zones

Body Temperature Sensing in Adaptive Floor [acknowledge user] [seat temperature sensor]

[low]

[perceive’s need] [skin adapts] [acknowledge user] [seat temperature sensor]

Tactic The building would be comprised of sensing, actuation and control systems that would be able to acknowledge the occupant and change in real-time.

External Advice from Dr. James Smith, PEng. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

B

[low]

B

- STIMULUS

EXPANSION

CONTRACTION

[occupant result]

+ STIMULUS

- STIMULUS

[high] [acknowledge user] Group Zones [ultrasonic sensor] Ultrasonic Sensing

[environment result] [occupant result]

SOUND

[low]

EXPANSION [high]

SOUND

SOUND

CONTRACTION [low]

SOUND

+ LIGHT

- LIGHT

+ INTEREST EXPANSION

+ INTEREST CONTRACTION

+ LIGHT

- LIGHT

+ INTEREST

+ INTEREST

The building will re-configure itself into multiple uses for individual work, collaborative work and exhibition.

B

Section BB

+ BODY TEMP.

Adaptive Floor

A

5m

[high]

+ STIMULUS

[environment result]

2

CONTRACTION

[occupant result]

[perceive’sresult] need] [occupant [adapt]

1

- BODY TEMP.

+ BODY TEMP.

[perceive’s need] [skin adapts]

[acknowledge user] [ultrasonic sensor]

0

[high]

EXPANSION

[perceive’s need] [adapt]

B

- BODY TEMP.

How? 1. Cloud-enabled applications 2. Microcontroller 3. Pneumatic Actuator 3. Elastic Surface

Details & Components

1.

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contraction ++ air pressure

2.

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4.

5. mid-expansion + air pressure

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2.

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3.

wall section 1. curtain wall facade (pneumatic module) 2. insulated aluminum panel, steel angle, concrete slab 3. suspended ceiling 4. steel structure

exploded pneumatic module 1. double glazed panes 2. silicone encasement 3. fasteners 4. interior silicone casement 5. pneumatic channels 6. electrostem air valve 7. aluminum frame

7.

=

full expansion neutral state

Built spaces with moderate degrees of complexity, and a sense of refuge coupled with high prospect are more preferred than spaces lacking these characteristics. - Suzanne Scott PhD, University of Wisconsin - Journal of Interior Design Education and Research

Physical Final Model Scale 1:200