Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

• mojgan khakpour ¹
• bahar majlece ²
• Abbas Tarkashvand ³

¹ Professor Assistant, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

² masters student of architecture in university of guilan

³ Iran University of Science and Technology, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Architecture Department

Abstract

Merleau-Ponty's theory, about body-based experience of the environment and its generalization to the theory of multisensory perception of the environment by Plasma, suggests that while communicating, either with another person or with the environment, people use their senses in a cohesive manner. Although there is less skepticism about the multisensory nature of the human perceptual mechanism, little is known about how it works in terms of presence. Researches consider the emphasis on the centrality of the sense of sight as the main cause of the abandonment of other senses and the lack of coherent sensory perception of space. Therefore, in the present study, relying on neuroscience strategies, it has been tried to clarify how sensory stimuli in the environment will lead to greater presence. In this regard, a test was conducted to quantify the effect of sensory stimulation, separately and in combination, on the pleasantness of the space as an indicator of its presence. Volunteers, in a single architectural space, simulated for them using virtual reality devices, exposed to four sensory stimuli and their brain's emotional responses to these stimuli, in the form of 6 quantitative indicators, which are engagement, excitement, focus, interest, relaxation and stress, using the Emotive EPOC+ device which was recorded in the Emotive BCI software. The findings makes it clear that in indoor spaces, the combination of visual, olfactory and tactile stimuli, with a high degree of confidence, will increase the pleasant atmosphere. Findings of the study, in general, indicate that increasing the harmonization in the perception and physical experience of space, visibly increases the degree of pleasantness of the space and is likely to improve the presence in space.

Keywords

• Multisensory perception
• neuroscience
• architecture of the senses
• neuro-architecture

Main Subjects

• Architecture