The Potential Placement of Visual Stimuli for Occupant Interaction Improvement in Compact Living Space at Karawang, West Java: The Isovist of Space Syntax Approach

Abstract

The small type of landed housing with limited living space (compact living space) has been vastly growing in several of Indonesia’s regency areas, such as in Karawang. However, despite those limited spaces, the house’s role as a hub of family interaction must be preserved. The suggested method to improve the quality of occupant interaction is by applying visual stimuli elements. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the potential placement of a visual stimulus using Karawang’s small housing type as a case study. The primary analysis was processed using the isovist of space syntax approach and focused on Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA). The result shows that the veranda and the transitional area, which intersect with the entrance, have the best visibility value from the living room as the communal space. Those areas are identified as the best placement for visual stimuli. Based on this study, it is suggested for the designer and occupier to organize the veranda area, the transitional area along the side of the living room, and their surrounding walls, using visual stimuli (such as colour, furnishing, or decorations) to get quality family interaction.