PX- Chapter 1: Developing Design Concepts

Question 1

what is a design theory

Answer 1

a way to direct design based on a system of beliefs or philosophy. can be based on the designers personal world view, historic precedent, functional needs etc.

Question 2

what is environmental design research or evidence based design

Answer 2

focuses on theories of interaction between humans and their environment. attempts to develop and approach to rational design based on scientific research rather than personal philosphies.

problem with it is that it’s only measuring one variable at time and it’s so complex it’s hard to base design decisions off of it. Also different in a lab vs in real life .

example- put chair in lab then in the field- the field may or may not have a window, may have a buzzing lamp etc affecting the user and the chair

Question 3

name two evidence based design research that can be used in design

Answer 3

territoriality and personal space

Question 4

What is Gestalt Psychology- basic info

Answer 4

founded by Max Wertheimer

humans innately perceive things as a whole so that what is perceived is complete and comprehensible

this means individual elements cannot be placed or designed as a single entity but seen as part of a larger environment

Question 5

name and describe gestalt psychology principles

Answer 5

1. grouping- humans perceive separate units in the visual field as a group by either proximity (things close together are seen as a group), similarity (things that are the same or similar read as a group), direction or context.
2. Closure- tendency to perceive incomplete forms as complete
3. Continuity - the tendency to see a line or shape as continuing in a particular direction rather than making a sharp turn- like an x is to straight lines, not two V’s together.
4. Simplicity- people prefer the simplest most sable organization of forms - the brain organizes things in to the fewest number of lines or parts- like an overlapping triangle and rectangle are seen as two ojects instead of three (the intersecting portion as the third)
5. Figure Ground- refers to the way ppl distinguish a f rom from it’s surroundings (the ground)- the vase that is two faces- can see one or the other not both. uses “negative space”. Art on a wall- art is the form and the wall is the ground

Question 6

what is perceptual constancy

Answer 6

people don’t view objects or spaces statically. if it’s farther away, the angle or view changes or the lighting changes, we still view it the same regardless of the actual image on the retina.

you perceive shape, size, lightness and colour constancy

Question 7

name some cues 2d paintings can use to perceive depth

Answer 7

1. interposition- a distant object may appear to be overlapped and partly hidden by a closer object
2. linear perspective- parallel lines will appear to recede towards a dingle point in the distance
3. atmospheric perspective- because there are small particles in the air, objects farther away appear to be hazy or change colour
4. texture perspective- density of a texture seems to increase as the distance from the viewer increases
5. size clues- when two objects the same size - the more distant one will be smaller.
6. relative closeness of objects to the horizon line- objects closer to the horizon line are farther away.

Question 8

name and describe some social and cultural beliefs that often influence interior design

Answer 8

1. political condition- political attidudes may affect design thinking- example green design
2. economic condition - state of the economy. prosperous times usually mean more lavish designs
3. cultural attitudes - views of the family, values, religion, fashion may influence the design. example- fashion often dictates popular colours
4. Symbolism- ppl sometimes like historic homes because they symbolize better times- ppl expect banks to be grand.
5. Regionalism - reflects the local geographic area. Vernacular.

Question 9

What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Answer 9

there are two groups of human needs:

1. deficiency needs
2. growth needs

the most basic needs must be met first before a person can move to the next highest level of needs.

Question 10

What is a behaviour setting

Answer 10

particular place with definable boundaries and objects in which a standing pattern of behaviour occurs at a particular time. for example weekly board meeting in a conference room

Question 11

What is Territoriality

Answer 11

people’s need to lay claim to the spaces they occupy and the things that they own.

Question 12

What are proxemics- definition only

Answer 12

deals with the issues of spacing between people, territoriality , organization of space and positioning of people in space, all relative to the culture of which they are a part.

Question 13

name the different distances proxemics uses as a guide

Answer 13

1. Intimate distance: 0-18”
2. Personal Distance: 18”-4’
3. Social Distance: 4’-12’- this is the most common distance for strangers
4. Public Distance 12’ +

Question 14

what is personalization

Answer 14

territoriality is manifested through personalization of a space. People bring objects or move items in their environment the way they want them.

Question 15

How do you hinder or promote human interaction in groups?

Answer 15

via seating arrangement

groups are 97% of the time groups of 2 or 4 ppl

intimate convo- seat at corner of table
competition position- opposite ends of the table
avoidance- on either side, not opposite each other.