ARCHITECTURE OF EMOTIONS: THE INFLUENCE OF THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE OF A PERSON

Abstract

The urban environment exerts a powerful influence on a person's psycho-emotional state; however, a number of its spatial components have so far been studied only fragmentarily. The aim of the article is to identify which elements of architecture and layout (colour range, illumination, green zones, the forms of buildings, the acoustic environment) shape the positive or negative emotions of city dwellers. The research methods include an analysis of interdisciplinary publications on architecture, urban studies and psychology, as well as a comparative examination of empirical cases from the cities of Europe and North America. The results obtained confirm that a warm colour palette, access to natural light, the presence of vegetation and a "human" scale of development statistically correlate with a decrease in the level of stress and a growth in the subjective sense of well-being. The conclusions emphasize the need to take psychological factors into account at all stages of designing the urban environment in order to improve the quality of life and social sustainability.