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SPACE PERSONA UNIT OF THE

FUTURE

For insights, it is useful to look not at buildings, but at zoos. Zoo design has gone through a
radical transformation in the past several decades. Cages have been replaced by natural
habitats and geographic clustering of animals. In some places, the animals are free-ranging
and the visitors are enclosed in buses or trains moving through the habitat. Animals now exist
in mixed species exhibits more like their natural landscapes. And, as in nature, the animals
have much greater control over their behavior. They can be on view if they want, or out of
sight. They forage, play, rest, mate, and act like normal animals. A key factor was concern
over the animals' psychological and social well-being. Zoos could keep animals alive, but
they couldn't make them flourish. Caged animals often exhibit neurotic behaviorspacing,
repetitive motions, aggression, and withdrawal. To compensate for this unfortunate situation,
the zoo added amenities and toys to the bear's enclosure to encourage exploration and play.

There lessons from the zoo that we can apply to building design. Survival needs deal with
aspects of the environment that directly affect human health, such as clean air and water, lack
of pathogens or toxins, and opportunity for rest and sleep. Well-being needs, on the other
hand, are associated with fulfillment, quality of life, and psychological health. Whereas
failure to satisfy survival needs may lead to serious illness or death, failure to meet the wellbeing needs can lead to psychosocial maladjustment and stress-related illnesses.
Environmental psychologists have also considered other needs such as comfort maintenance

SPACE PERSONA UNIT OF THE


FUTURE
and sense of equity, which are important in today's building environments. Environmental
psychologists are finding that beauty is not in the eyes of the beholder, but rather built into
their minds. There seems to be strong universal, cross-cultural patterns that underlie much of
what we find beautiful and enjoyable. These patterns have evolved from primitive habitat
preferences that kept our ancestors safe and healthy over the eons of human evolution.

The structural design or arrangement of space imposes restrictions on behavior.The main


focus of the building is the red and green a look like glasses. It isfunctional as A "big sky"
with a wide, bright field of view to aid visual access in all directions.Doorways determine our
access to a room and room dimensions restrict the kinds of behaviors that can take place
inside a room. With these considerations in mind, a buildings function as well as its users,
must match its design. Because uses and inhabitants change both functionality and design
needs, the design of the interior must accommodate flexibility. A building's interior must
create the appearance of space, regardless of its actual size because space makes inhabitants
believe they have the choice between interaction and isolation. Individuals report a more
positive sense of control when their environment allows them to choose interaction or
isolation rather than experiencing both randomly thrust upon them. The psychological effects
of crowding have been associated with arousal and stress.

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