Vague Space: Tracing Eyes, Edges, and the Indeterminate Limits of the Architectural Interior

The perception of architectural space involves a visual understanding of objects, light, color, and the configuration of wall, floor, and ceiling elements. This eye-tracking study examines how architectural student viewers of two-dimensional scenes see these elements in images from 17th century Dutch paintings and photographs of mid-20th century modern architectural interiors. Results indicated significant patterns in how viewers observed these spaces, especially the attention given to openings with space beyond – the dis¬tant and vague regions of the scene. These patterns did not vary significantly between the three types of images viewed: historic color, historic black and white and modern black and white. Gender differences emerged, especially in participants’ visual attention to foreground objects. In addition, there were distinct differences between the results proposed by a computer simulation model and those of the actual participants. This study elevates the significance of architecture as a spatial practice in contrast to its focus on the object.

https://doi.org/10.35483/ACSA.AM.109.27

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ISBN
978-1-944214-37-1