Reviewing Place Meaning via Users’ Emotional-Perceptual Experience

Abstract

Abstract By recognizing different meanings of place as well as influential parameters on the perception of place, it is possible to create a pleasant environment. This study aims to measure the factors contributing to the conception of place meaning and emotional experience of place. Also, it seeks to understand the mechanism of perceiving the different meanings and qualities of place from users’ point of view. The qualitative and quantitative methods were applied. In this regard, the emotional evaluation model of Pleasure-Arousal, interview, and questionnaire have been used. The study has been conducted on 3 buildings of Selcuk University in Turkey. The statistical population in the different groups consisted of architecture students. Results show that along with the emotional assessment of place, the factors such as morphological, sensory, and individualones affect the user’s assessment, and there is a meaningful relationship between the emotional evaluation of place and factors forming the meaning of place. Furthermore, place quality and its aesthetic components play important role in individuals’ preferences and judgments and led to psychological pleasure and positive emotional assessment.