Introduction
As the world develops, more people expect a higher and better quality of life. In the 21st Century, architecture has evolved significantly and it seeks to maximise the quality of life that people have across the world. Thus, several works have been done, seeking to blend traditional architecture with other disciplines in order to enhance the nature of the built environment. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a book review on Cognitive Architecture: Designing for How We Respond to the Built Environment by Professors Ann Sussman and Justin Hollander. This book review will include an overview of the different elements and features of the book and undertake a chapter-by-chapter analysis of the book.
Overview of the Book
The book utilises neuroscience and evolutionary biology to explain the relationship between building design and the way the human being accepts these structures. The book identifies key human traits that influence how we experience and interact with our surroundings. Based on this, it provides a way architects can understand and appreciate the internal needs of consumers and human stakeholders in relating to buildings.
The basic premise of the book is that the more you know about human behaviour, the better you can design for it. Thus, the book makes a conscious effort to give the reader perspectives on how human behaviour and feeling is influenced by the structuring and arrangement of buildings within the scope of the built environment.
The book theorises the main parameters within which the human mind interacts with the built environment. It commences by examining the major rules and general trends in human nature, based on our biological composition. This helps to formulate specific conceptions of best practices that can be used as a means of building and designing of structures for the creation of an ideal society where there is a high quality of life.
The first rule is that there is the need for architects to apply people-friendly designs to structures. This is because there are natural instincts in people that they seek to exhibit in their relationships with buildings. The most basic instincts are the desire for safer areas and the response to stimuli. Thus, the human being seeks to be in a place where s/he will feel instinctively safe. The next point is that there is the desire to be in places of visual interest. This is fundamentally steeped in the fact that we want to see things that are exciting to our brains. Thus, human beings have some natural expectations they have for some things of visual interests.
Hence, the book examines some universal biological instincts that human beings share with animals in the quest for safe environments called thigmotaxis. This creates a set of guidelines for how people will react to the nature of a built space. This biological instinct leads to strategies for animals to weave through to find niches and spaces where they will be safe from danger. Thus, it forms a set of hidden subconscious strategies and preferences. This natural tendency and mind-set is innate and inherent to all people and animals.
Based on this view, Sussman and Hollander recommend that there is the need to build with character (2015). This is because there are patterns of the brain that works in certain ways. As such, the human mind has expectations. This is what determines whether a building will be memorable to the viewer or not. This is based on the expectations of the human mind and the physical evidence of the house. This creates an impression on the long-term memory of the individual in question.
The research therefore indicates that by learning how the brain views and internalises images can become a basis for designing better cities. The writers therefore recommend a system of pursuing visual diversity in a manner that creates harmony and a strong impression on the human mind.
Furthermore, the nature of the brain is such that it desires pattern and symmetry. People expect and prefer bilateral symmetry. Thus, there must be a hierarchy in design. There should be a story that relates to every architectural design. And this must have some core and fundamental elements. This must be applied intuitively with scientific underpinnings.
Chapter-by-Chapter Overview
The book has six chapters. The book uses various illustrations and photographs to demonstrate and show what the writers mean. The Introductory Chapter presents the concept of evolution, modern biology and Darwinism as well as Cognitive Science. This creates an introductory text to the reader and brings together important frameworks and traditions within which architecture will be discussed in the next chapters. Chapter 1 provides information about the way evolution has changed and transformed our cognitive abilities over the years. This explains why people who lived 1,000 years think and act differently from our generation. These discussions are backed by empirical evidence from authoritative scientific sources. This leads to the introduction of the concept of stimulus and instinct amongst humans and other living things.
The first chapter is titled “Edges Matter: Thigmotaxis (the Wallhugging Trait)”. This shows how people and animals seek to converge in parts of buildings where they have safety and protection. Thus, there are ways through which architectural design appeals to people in society and this plays a major role in identifying how people naturally connect with certain buildings and architectural styles. The chapter takes up pointers from research that shows behaviour traits and patterns in specific circumstances. This includes a study of how pedestrians behave as it has been observed over the years by planners and other professionals. These studies show that human beings have some natural tendencies when it comes to relating to structures and elements of the built environment. Thus, the concept of Thigmotaxis and the response to stimuli and natural actions in certain circumstances play a major role and is proven.
Chapter 2 of the book is titled “Patterns Matter: Faces and Spaces”. This is about the way people’s primary senses work perceive and understand things in the world around them. There is a desire and tendency for people to do certain things when some specific emotional triggers are ignited. Thus, the chapter examines those ideas and situations. This shows how we react to specific arrangements and patterns. This is something that plays a major part of the urban environment and its processes. Thus, there is an important set of clues presented to architects on the nature our cognitive features affect the way we do things and act.
The third Chapter of the book is about the way patterns satisfy human desires and lust for visual fulfilment. It is titled “Shapes Carry Weight: Bilateral Symmetry, (Hierarchy), Curves and Complexity”. Thus, the chapter discusses the importance of these patterns and trends in the lives of human beings. The chapter makes sense because in today’s world of consumer sovereignty, it is important and vital for designs to meet the needs of consumers. Therefore, the chapter shows how observed patterns and trends in architectural design influence certain innate and internal desires and expectations of people in society. This includes inner desires, emotions and feelings that are satisfied with some specific designs. Thus, the chapter shows that patterns are more than just a representation. They show some trends and arrangements that could affect the nature of people in their quest for some emotionally charged and inspired interchanges with the viewer and beholder of a given structure.
The fourth Chapter of the book provides a deep inquest into the concept of Cognitive Architecture. It is titled “Storytelling is Key: We’re Wired for Narrative”. This commences with the discourse that the human being has an imagination and expectations on what an ideal environment should be. Thus, the human being has an expectation of a sequence and orderly pattern of design and arrangement in buildings. This is something people have in their subconscious minds and when they see such buildings, their aesthetic and imaginative side is aroused and they get the story within a given building or built environment. Thus, the chapter presents information about human predispositions for narratives that relates to specific buildings and structures. Everyone has an ability to create stories and narratives about anything. Thus, the duty of the architect is to ensure a designed structure meets all these goals and expectations in an exciting manner. Thus, harmony is more than just a desire to fulfil basic physical needs, but rather, go further to satisfy the imaginative desire of people for a story behind a particular design. These narratives are based on story-telling and the desire to spread information about a particular project and how it relates to the people who use it.
Chapter 5 of the book brings together all the different parts of the discussions. This creates a synthesis and convergence of all the different parts and units of the work and give meaning to Cognitive Architecture. Thus, the chapter identifies that humans a biophilic – we have instincts related to our thoughts, emotions and sentiments. Thus, there is the need to connect the human nature to the built environment that is created around them. Thus, the Chapter orientates the reader to consider these biological tendencies of people in practice, policy and planning of building designs and structures. They present practical recommendations on the viability of projects and success of projects through the integration of cognitive architecture. This includes zoning and design regulations which could be modified in order to help design better environments that meet the deepest feelings and emotions of the users of the buildings.
In conclusion, the concept of Cognitive Architecture is presented as an important part of human nature in the book. It shows the nature of evolution and instincts which define our cognitive senses. The book goes on to show important patterns and trends in design that meet specific innate desires and expectations of people who watch and gain aesthetic harmony and pleasure for buildings. These pointers of Cognitive Architecture has practical application.
References
Sussman, A. & Hollander, J., 2015. Cognitive Arhitecture - Designing for how we respond to the Built Environment. New York: Routledge.
