Analysis of inner peace in virtual reality experience based on the phenomenology of embodied perception of space (case study: design of a residential complex in Kish Island)

Mina Hasani ¹ (Department of Architecture, Kish International Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kish Island, Iran.)
Jamaledin Soheili ² (Department of Architecture, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.)
Ali Akbari ³ (Department of Architecture, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.)
Hamid Nejat ⁴ (Department of Educational Sciences, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.)

Submited date : 2023-07-12 accepted date : 2024-01-08

Keywords: architecture and virtual reality, residential architecture, Architectural design, perception of inner peace, Phenomenology of Perception,

Abstract :

Bringing living space design closer to space quality standards is one of the most important architectural issues. Considering the high volume of housing construction, the desirability of residential spaces is important and necessary. Testing the quality of the space based on its perceptual pseudo-experience during design and before construction is one of the mechanisms to achieve the desired architecture, which is possible for architects today with the help of virtual reality technology. With this aim, in the theoretical framework of the phenomenology of perception, in a quantitative way and with the test of the semantic differentiation scale, first eight components of the feeling of inner peace, including pleasure, interestingness, beauty, normality, calmness, wideness, openness and enjoyment of daylight, were counted. In this experimental perception test, 24 participants (12 women/12 men) rated 24 virtual rooms in eight experimental groups. The participants were randomly selected from people who intended to pre-purchase an apartment unit in Kish Island. The interior of the apartment under construction was renovated for them. For each visualized scene, space evaluation was done through a 45-second exploration interval. The resulting data were evaluated using the semantic difference scale technique. Also, the correlation of the variables was checked through the non-linear quadratic regression test. The findings from the analysis of the components of the perception of inner peace in the virtual reality experience, which in this study are the pleasantness or unpleasantness of the space, the attractiveness of the space, the beauty or ugliness of the space, normality or abnormality, calmness, the perceptual breadth of the space, openness to the outside and the enjoyment of daylight and It was sunlight, it indicates the meaningful relationships between them in a way that is in line with the real experience of the space and as if the people felt themselves present in the space. Also, the correlation diagram between the variables, especially in the case of the three characteristics of pleasantness, attractiveness and beauty, confirms this. In this study, the correlation between the living space characteristics of a residential unit and the experimental qualities attributed to them was studied quantitatively to measure the virtual experience of the perception of inner peace. The interaction of eight components with independent physical factors (floor materials, surface of openings, location, geometry and height of windows along with fixed height of space and fixed view outside) of a component-based description showed to be very effective for describing the variance observed in the ratings. The high level of correlation is particularly notable for the emotional and aesthetic rating categories, which cannot be trivially attributed to only one scene feature. Representation of designed scenes provides evidence for the importance of perceptual features in the experience of space in virtual reality. The current research has been carried out in the direction of generalizing and valuing spatial components in the design of a residential complex in the cultural/climatic context of Kish Island in Iran, so that a more successful design can be offered to users from this practical study.