Subjective and Objective Dimensions of Spatial Legibility

Paper

Subjective and Objective Dimensions of Spatial Legibility

Authors: Emine Koseoglu and Deniz Erinsel Onder

Full paper, 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance,
25-29 May, 2011, Antalya, Turkey.

Abstract
Reading space means understanding, analyzing or evaluating a certain space. Yet spatial legibility differs from the concept of reading. Legibility is one of the principles of urban design. Legibility means the possibility of organizing an environment within an imageable and coherent pattern. Reading an environment is a process that evolves with the obtaining of spatial information from the environment and by mentally processing that information and using it in a way appropriate to its purpose. Two components play a part in the process of obtaining spatial information: the characteristics of the space and the characteristics of the observer. The observer’s perception and
understanding of the characteristics of a space occurs as a result of spatial-psychological processes that happen in the mind. At the same time, legibility is influenced by spatial characteristics. The degree of legibility of a space depends on the plan layout in the second dimension and its complexity, and on the saliency of architectural components in the third dimension. There are many concepts in the literature that define legible environments: simple, coherent, understandable, perceivable, etc. All of these concepts point to characteristics deriving from the structure of the space. However, it is impossible to measure legibility by these concepts. It is discussed in this article that there are two main variables to devise a definition based on characteristics deriving from space: 1. the complexity of spatial layout and 2. the saliency of landmarks. The complexity of spatial layout describes the two-dimensional information about a space, while the saliency of landmarks refers to the three-dimensional information about a space. These two variables are also the elements of spatial information used while employing wayfinding behavior.

http://www.wcpcg.org/index.htm

The effect of user participation in satisfaction: Beyciler after-earthquake houses in Düzce

Journal Paper:

"The effect of user participation in satisfaction: Beyciler after-earthquake houses in Düzce"
2010, ITU A/Z Journal, Vol.7, No.1, pp.18-37.

Authors: Deniz Erinsel Önder
Emine Köseoğlu
Ömer Bilen
Venhar Der
Abstract

Natural disasters that have occurred in recent years in Turkey have caused loss of property as well as deaths. Thus, they have necessitated the immediate construction of much housing. Many users neither adopted this housing, nor settled into it. The aim of this paper is to explore how user participation in design and construction process affects user satisfaction. As part of the study, a questionnaire was run (n=100) in a mass housing area with 168 units in Düzce, which was realized by the participation of the users after the 1999 Marmara earthquakes. The results of the questionnaire were evaluated on SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) using one sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test. Results showed that, in terms of houses‘ exterior spaces and general characteristics, there is no significant difference between the residents who participated to design and construction process and who did not. As for psychological needs and quality of interior spaces, the degree of satisfaction of the users that participated in the design and construction process was found higher than the ones that did not participated. In general, the study revealed that not only were the users pleased to have been involved in the process, but they were also satisfied with their accommodation.

Keywords: Residential quality, user satisfaction, participatory design.
For full text:
http://www.az.itu.edu.tr/azvol07no1.htm
http://www.az.itu.edu.tr/azv7n1web/04onderkoseoglubilender0701.pdf

8th Biennial Conference on Environmental Psychology, 06-09 September 2009, Zurich

Oral Presentation:


The Effect of Tourist Culture on the Perception of Hotel Lobbies:
A Comparison between Asian and European Tourists
Emine Koseoglu
Yildiz Technical University, Department of Architecture

Deniz Erinsel Onder
Yildiz Technical University, Department of Architecture

Omer Bilen
Yildiz Technical University, Department of Statistics


AbstractThis study examines cultural differences in the perception of hotel lobbies. It aims to determine the differences/similarities within spatial preferences in hotel lobbies by focusing on three aspects: physical appearance, configuration and usage and privacy arrangements.

A survey was conducted in Sultanahmet, Istanbul with tourists within two focus groups from Asian and European countries (n= 30 each). They were asked to rate their agreement with each statement about spatial features on a 5-point Likert scale.

As a result, both differences and similarities in the perception of the tourists from different cultures are found. It can be noted that there are statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of configurational features and usage and privacy arrangement of lobbies. The results provide designers some data to create a space for similar user profiles.

Keywords: cultural differences, spatial perception, tourist behaviour, user preferenceshttp://www.sozpsy.uzh.ch/conference/program/Abstracts_a4.pdf

http://www.sozpsy.uzh.ch/conference.html