Perceived Openness-Enclosure of Architectural Space

Experimental investigations of space perception have been largely confined to the study of perceived size, distance, form, and motion. Perceptual psychologists have only recently directed their attention to some of the more complex dimensions that determine our responses to the large-scale environment (Berlyne, 1960; Wohlwill, 1966). While it appears to be generally accepted that architectural variables are important determinants of behavior, systematic investigations of their effects are rather rare. This paper is concerned with the architectural variables that determine the perception of open and enclosed space. Several authors (Lynch, 1971; Simonds, 1961; Spreiregen, 1965) seem to agree that the organization and characteristics of vertical elements (e.g., walls, colonades, trees) distinguish an undifferentiated, open area from a confined, articulated enclosed space. The purpose of this experiment is to examine two alternative interpretations of the effect of boundary elements on the perception of open and enclosed space.