Perception and Cognition in Real and Virtual Computer Generated Architectural Space - An Experimental Approach

Abstract

This paper investigates the difference of spatial perception and cognition between virtual and real architectural environments. Specifically, three different aspects have been studied, concerning the live perception and cognition of a complex actual building, the perception and cognition of a high quality rendered virtual space, as well as the perception and cognition of a non-photorealistic virtual environment. To study the differences between these three types a series of experiments were prepared, in which students of architecture participated and statistical results were drawn. Earlier studies have investigated the desirability of key simulation attributes for architectural design visualization, but extensive research on what contributes to a better spatial comprehension is still missing. This experiment is part of a series of experiments mainly focused on the perception and cognition in virtual spaces. The results of these experiments were correlated with each other, each one leading to new ideas of experimentation. Preliminary results confirm earlier findings from previous similar experiments. It was found that there was a statistically significant tendency of the students towards larger scatter in more luminous virtual space as well as a tendency to visit the lit part of virtual space. Visitors of the photorealistic spaces also seem to have better knowledge of the depth of space in comparison to those navigating in the non photorealistic space.