Building appearance and wellbeing: how architectural design affects public emotion

Research was conducted to understand public’s views on how they perceive and emotionally respond to building exteriors. This study’s methodology involved three phases: a survey of 2,029 participants; a subset of 21 individuals engaged in week-long, in-depth video diary exercises; plus, a second, follow-up survey of 2,000. The dataset was subjected to rigorous analysis employing a range of statistical tools for quanti- tative/qualitative analysis including thematic coding/classification, frequency, and sentiment analyses of video diary transcripts. Results suggest buildings’ appearance impact people’s emotional wellbeing. There is a desire for investment in designing buildings that make people feel good when looking at them. Other findings included criticisms of the construction industry, a preference for older buildings and for more restoration/reuse not demolition. Finally, their views on building appearance were associated with sus- tainability concerns, an under-researched interaction rendering this a novel study. These insights may offer valuable guidance for future urban planning and design.

Architectural Science Review