LOCALLY AVAILALBE MATERIALS AFFECTING HUMAN

BEHAVIOR
Archita Dutta , Yashawini R. Pandian
173701248 , 173701142, VI C
Research Techniques
Manipal School of Architecture and Planning

AIM
To find the user’s behavior pattern in a space by the use of different local material.

OBJECTIVE
• To analyze the effect of locally available materials on the user’s behavior.
• To compare the effect by using of other material to locally available materials.
• To understand specific elements of a space that affect the human behavior.
• To identify which material is preferred in a region with respect to the user’s comfort.

Key words: behavior, psychology, vernacular architecture, local materials

INTRODUCTION

The human brain gets affected by different components and features of a space. Every person refers
and perceives these components and features differently. Different aspect are their culture,
economic status, physical status, gender, age, society etc. In present times, the use of locally
available materials is decreasing as the use of contemporary materials like concrete, aluminum,
steel etc. are increasing. The life style is also changing along with the use of the different materials.
People are moving away from their culture. Locally available material are more eco-friendly and
sustainable compared to the modern materials. Use of different type of material have different
impact on people. It is not only their experience in a particular space but also the memories they
carry back with them from that space.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How does the use of local material affect the user’s behavior pattern in
the space?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Vernacular architecture is the style of architecture which takes into account all the needs and
requirements of the residents, nature, construction materials and also mirrors the traditions and
culture. It develops over time to resonate the culture, traditions, history, environment, resident’s
desires and needs and economy of the locality. Though diverse from the popular outlook towards the
built environment, use of indigenous materials, designing and construction techniques plays a pivotal
role in design and architecture of the society.
In the research paper Indian Vernacular Planning by Ar. Kaninika Dey Sarkar, the term vernacular as
we know is derived from the Latin vernaculus, meaning ‘domestic, native, and indigenous’; from
Verna, meaning ‘native slave’ or ‘home-born slave’. When expressing in terms of language, vernacular
refers to a time, place or group. In terms of architecture, it refers to the style which is indigenous to
a specific place or time. It is most commonly applied to residential buildings in particular. Frank Lloyd
Wright depicted vernacular architecture as ‘Folk building growing in response to actual needs, fitted
into environment by people who knew no better than to fit them with native feeling’ suggesting that
it is a primitive form of design, having no intelligence, but he also stated that it was ‘for us better
worth study than all the highly self conscious academic attempts at the beautiful throughout Europe’

The interplay between architectural design and human psychology is significant, yet it remains
largely unnoticed or even ignored both in and outside the design industry. Moreover, the relationship
between design and psychology is not only consequential, it is bidirectional. On the one hand,
successful design has been shown to have clear psychological and physiological impacts; on the other,
psychology, human experience, and the function of our neurological systems all play a significant role
in what we perceive to be successful design.

Patterns, have long been a subject of human curiosity, and we have successfully adapted them for use
in our ability to plan ahead. There are several different ways in which our brain recognizes patterns.
The first, known as feature matching, is when incoming pattern information is broken down by the
brain into parts which are then compared and contrasted one by one with parts of a previously stored
pattern. Prototype matching is similar to feature matching except rather than our brain matching an
incoming pattern to a stored pattern, it attempts to link the incoming information with certain
characteristics of a known prototype.
Patterns represent consistency and organization; a lack of chaos. When our ancestors were able to
identify a pattern and predict what came next, their chances of survival were improved. Today,
patterns in our built environment that the brain recognizes from nature as having been advantageous
to our ancestors evoke the same physiological reaction. It makes intuitive sense that chaos or
unpredictability, the opposite of pattern, can negatively impact us physiologically. The human brain
has used pattern recognition as a form of survival for so long, it has become something we do
subconsciously daily.

Pattern in architecture is often referred to as rhythm; it is what causes the eye to flow from one focal
point to the next (for example from one part of a room, or house, to the next). Not only does it work
to grab one’s attention, but it also contributes to the beauty of the object (house or room). There are
four categories of rhythm in the architectural world: Alternation, the repetition of a contrasting pair;
Progression, either increasing or decreasing the size of the element in the pattern; Repetition,
continuously repeating a single element; and Transition, the use of a line that the eye is able to
continuously follow from one point to the next. We find buildings that incorporate certain
aesthetically pleasing patterns or rhythm to be more beautiful because our brains are conditioned by
evolution to associate those patterns with safety, security, well-being and survival. As noted
previously, that perception results in the release of oxytocin, endorphins and DHEA, and throttles
back the fight or flight sympathetic nervous system, all resulting in a sense a pleasure. This in turn
works to restore our body, immune system, telomeres, etc., which is beneficial for both our mental
and physical health.

In the research paper The Psychological Impact of Architectural Design by Natalie Ricci , she
mentions about the nine square .Nine square is a common pattern used in buildings, it is inspired
from nature and human body. The pattern can be applied to everything from city plans, to exteriors
of buildings, and to floor plans. The center of the Nine Square has been utilized in Barcelona’s block
plan as well as the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome which uses the center of the Nine Square as well as
the corner four squares. The Greek Parthenon, Roman Pantheon, and the Taj Mahal in India are also
examples of the Nine Square. These buildings are important references due both to their universally
recognized beauty and to their standing the test of time, both physically and metaphorically. Believed
to have been built between 447 and 432 B.C., the Parthenon resides in Athens, Greece, and was
constructed to be viewed from the outside only with viewers only being able to catch a glimpse of the
inside through the outer pillars.The Pantheon in Rome, Italy is believed to have been built around
120 A.D., and consists of both a height and diameter of 142 feet. It utilizes the Nine Square at the
entrance of the building, as well as in the main plan of the building which is viewable from an aerial
perspective. Today, it remains one of the largest unsupported domes in the world.23 Lastly, the Taj
Mahal, considered by some to be one of the worlds 7 wonders, was built between 1628 and 1658. It
also incorporates two Nine Square patterns: one in the 9 arches in the front of the building and
another inside the center front arch. These examples illustrate the importance of the Nine Square
pattern as an important historical architectural concept. These buildings also show how structurally
sound the pattern is, as they have lasted for centuries. Their universally accepted beauty shows how
psychologically impactful the Nine Square pattern is to the human brain.
The psychological attitude of a human is affected by the design of interior architecture through
various aspects. every person receives, perceives and responds in different way, this is due to
physical and psychological differences in addition to the differences in personal experience. Culture,
physical status, age, education level, gender, socioeconomic class and ambitions are factors with
special concerns that shaping occupants’ needs. The interaction between interior architecture and
the psychological condition is engaged with both humanitarian characteristics and the interior
architecture approach of design. The mental and psychological effects of architectural frames on
human beings have been considered from the early shelters to today ́s modern structure. Since the
human behaviour is performed in defined spaces, it is necessary to design the physical space based
on people’s behavioral characteristics
‘People feel comfortable in the places that are concurrent with their place identities. Moreover, with
reflecting true cultural identities, designer can take part in sustainability of cultural value. The typical
features that are creating the image are the basic elements in designing new images’ (Ayalp, 2012).
Most studies about the interaction between interior architectural design and the psychological status
of people are comparatively a contemporary approach, a detailed understanding still needs to be
refined.

Hence by analyzing the literatures, the traditional architecture /vernacular architecture is gradually
disappearing and use of RCC is becoming more prominent in present scenario . Local materials merge
with the surrounding and create a pattern which instigates our endocrine system to release
hormones that pleases and comforts the user. 70% of user are more comfortable in places where the
design is related to their culture and use of local material.
REFERENCE:-

• Body. Emotion. Architecture : Sarah Fortkamp

• The Psychological Impact of Architectural Design Natali Ricci
• Understanding transitions in a rural Indian building typology in the context of well-
being-Kumari Moothedath Chandran, Nallaval Chinnaswamy Balaji and Monto
Mani
• Interior Architectural Elements that Affect Human Psychology and Behavior - Heba-
Talla Hamdy Mahmoud