An experimental research on the impact of spatial configurations of complex hospitals on human wayfinding performances

Esra Aksoy; Dicle Aydın; Gökhan İskifoğlu

Authors

Esra Aksoy Aydın Adnan Menderes University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9597-151X
Dicle Aydın Necmettin Erbakan University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6727-6832
Gökhan İskifoğlu European University of Lefke https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8119-4254

Keywords:

Cognitive Mapping, Complex Hospital Designs, Space Syntax, Spatial Configurations Wayfinding

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the impact of spatial configurations of a complex hospital plan on individuals' wayfinding performances on the basis of a human cognition theory. 20 participants were sent to two different locations in the hospital (Breast Clinic and X-Ray Clinic). After qualitative data derived from VGA study was analyzed, VGA results were transferred into binominal continuous values for each variable and statistically analyzed by SPSS 24 to come up with quantitative results regarding the wayfinding performances of the participants. As a result, cross-sectional node points were found to be the decision-making points of participants where they mostly stopped to think and lost time and effort. The results also revealed that reference points have strong positive influence on wayfinding performances. This study concludes that wayfinding performances of navigators are supported when there is small gap between the users' existing schemata and new building design. Designing circulation areas in a curvilinear shape allow direct day light to get into the building and that creates wide spectrum of vision rather than vertically designed cross-sectional areas, which create narrower vision of the circulation areas and node points.

References

Abu-Obeid, N. (1998). Abstract and scenographic imagery: The effect of environmental form on wayfinding. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 18(2), 159-173.

Anastasi, A., & Urbina, S. (1997). Psychological testing. Prentice Hall/Pearson Education.

Appleyard, D. (1970). Styles and methods of structuring a city. Environment and Behavior, 2(1), 100-117.

Arthur, P., & Passini, R. (1992). Wayfinding: People, signs, and architecture. McGraw-Hill.

Barkaoui, K. (2011). Think-aloud protocols in research on essay rating: An empirical study of their veridicality and reactivity. Language Testing, 28(1), 51-75.

Brösamle, M., & Hölscher, C. (2007). Architects seeing through the eyes of building users – A qualitative analysis of design cases. In T. Barkowsky, Z. Bilda, C. Hölscher, G. Vrachliotis (Eds.), Spatial cognition in architectural design. Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT'07), Melbourne, Australia.

Brunyé, T. T., Martis, S. B., Hawes, B., & Taylor, H. A. (2019). Risk-taking during wayfinding is modulated by external stressors and personality traits. Spatial Cognition & Computation, 19(4), 283-308. https://doi.org/10.1080/13875868.2019.1633540

Carpman, J. R. (1991). Creating hospitals where people can find their way (Plant Technology and Safety Management Series, No. 1). Oakbrook Terrace, IL: Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 5, 101-108.

Carpman, J. R., & Grant, M. A. (2016). Design that cares: Planning health facilities for patients and visitors (Vol. 142). John Wiley & Sons.

Conroy, R. (2001). Navigation in immersive virtual environments [Doctor of Philosophy Thesis, University of London, The Faculty of The Built Environment, Department of Architecture, England].

Dalton, R. C., Hölscher, C., & Montello, D. R. (2019). Wayfinding as a social activity. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, Article 142. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00142

Denis, M. (2017). Space and spatial cognition: A multidisciplinary perspective. Routledge.

Downs, R. M., & Stea, D. (1977). Maps in minds: Reflections on cognitive mapping. HarperCollins Publishers.

Downs, R. M., & Stea, D. (2017). Image and environment: Cognitive mapping and spatial behavior. Transaction Publishers.

Garip, E. (2003). Mimari mekanlarda içeride olma deneyimi: Yön bulma ve oryantasyon [İstanbul Technical University, Institute of Science, Turkey].

Gärling, T., & Golledge, R. G. (1989). Environmental perception and cognition. In Advance in Environment, Behavior, and Design (pp. 203-236). Springer.

Golledge, R. G. (1999). Wayfinding behavior: Cognitive mapping and other spatial processes. JHU press.

Haq, S., & Zimring, C. (2003). Just down the road a piece: The development of topological knowledge of building layouts. Environment and Behavior, 35(1), 132-160.

Hölscher, C., Meilinger, T., Vrachliotis, G., Brösamle, M., & Knauff, M. (2004). Finding the way inside: Linking architectural design analysis and cognitive processes. International Conference on Spatial Cognition, 1-23.

Hölscher, C., Meilinger, T., Vrachliotis, G., Brösamle, M., & Knauff, M. (2006). Up the down staircase: Wayfinding strategies in multi-level buildings. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 26(4), 284-299.

Hölscher, C., Meilinger, T., Vrachliotis, G., Knauff, M., & Van Nes, A. (2005). The floor strategy: Wayfinding cognition in a multi-level building. Proceedings of the 5th International Space Syntax Symposium, 2, 823-824.

Holst, M. K. (2015). Optimal hospital layout design [Doctor of Philosophy Thesis, Aalborg University, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Denmark].

Huelat, B. J. (2004, May 31). The elements of a caring environment-wayfinding. Healthcare Design. https://healthcaredesignmagazine.com/architecture/elements-caring-environment/

Huelat, B. J. (2007). Wayfinding: Design for understanding. The Center for Health Design.

Hunter, S. (2010). Spatial orientation, environmental perception and wayfinding. Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access.

Imani, F., & Tabaeian, M. (2012). Recreating mental image with the aid of cognitive maps and its role in environmental perception. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 32, 53-62.

Kaplan, S. (1976). Adaptation, structure and knowledge In G. T. Moore and R. G. Golledge (Eds.). Environmental knowing: theories, research, and methods (pp. 32-45). Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross.

Lawson, B. (2007). Language of space. Routledge.

Lynch, K. (1960). The image of the city (Vol. 11). MIT press.

O’Neill, M. J. (1991a). Effects of signage and floor plan configuration on wayfinding accuracy. Environment and Behavior, 23(5), 553-574.

O’Neill, M. J. (1991b). Evaluation of a conceptual model of architectural legibility. Environment and Behavior, 23(3), 259-284.

Palmiero, M., & Piccardi, L. (2017). The role of emotional landmarks on topographical memory. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 763, 1-8.

Passini, R. (1980). Wayfinding: A conceptual framework. Man-Environment Systems, 10, 22-30.

Passini, R. (1996). Wayfinding design: logic, application and some thoughts on universality. Design Studies, 17(3), 319-331.

Pati, D., Harvey Jr, T. E., Willis, D. A., & Pati, S. (2015). Identifying elements of the health care environment that contribute to wayfinding. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 8(3), 44-67.

Payne, S. R., Mackrill, J., Cain, R., Strelitz, J., & Gate, L. (2015). Developing interior design briefs for health-care and well-being centres through public participation. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 11(4), 264-279.

Raubal, M. (2001). Human wayfinding in unfamiliar buildings: a simulation with a cognizing agent. Cognitive Processing, 2(3), 363-388.

Raubal, M., & Egenhofer, M. J. (1998). Comparing the complexity of wayfinding tasks in built environments. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 25(6), 895-913.

Rooke, C. N., Koskela, L. J., & Tzortzopoulos, P. (2010). Achieving a lean wayfinding system in complex hospital environments: Design and through-life management. Proceedings of the 18th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, 233-242.

Rooke, C. N., Tzortzopoulos, P., Koskela, L., & Rooke, J. (2009). Wayfinding: Embedding knowledge in hospital environments. HaCIRIC International Conference 2009 - Improving healthcare infrastructures through innovation, 2-3rd April 2009, Brighton.

Ruddle, R. A., & Péruch, P. (2004). Effects of proprioceptive feedback and environmental characteristics on spatial learning in virtual environments. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 60(3), 299-326.

Ruotolo, F., Claessen, M. H. G., & van der Ham, I. J. M. (2019). Putting emotions in routes: the influence of emotionally laden landmarks on spatial memory. Psychological Research, 83(5), 1083-1095.

Siegel, A. W., & White, S. H. (1975). The development of spatial representations of large-scale environments. In Advances in child development and behavior, 10, 9-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2407(08)60007-5

Ulrich, R. S., Zimring, C., Zhu, X., DuBose, J., Seo, H. B., Choi, Y. S., Quan, X., & Joseph, A. (2008). A review of the research literature on evidence-based healthcare design. Herd, 1(3), 61-125. https://doi.org/10.1177/193758670800100306

Ulrich, S., Grill, E., & Flanagin, V. L. (2019). Who gets lost and why: A representative cross-sectional survey on sociodemographic and vestibular determinants of wayfinding strategies. PloS One, 14(1), 1-16.

Vilar, E., Teixeira, L., Rebelo, F., Noriega, P., & Teles, J. (2012). Using environmental affordances to direct people natural movement indoors. A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation, 41, 1149-1156. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-2012-0295-1149

Vogels, J. (2012). Wayfinding in complex multilevel buildings: A case study of University Utrecht Langeveld building [Master's thesis, Utrecht University, Applied Cognitive Psychology, Holland].

Weisman, J. (1981). Evaluating architectural legibility: Way-finding in the built environment. Environment and Behavior, 13(2), 189-204.

Yang, Y., Merrill, E. C., Robinson, T., & Wang, Q. (2018). The impact of moving entities on wayfinding performance. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 56, 20-29.

Zheng, M.-C. (2012). Time constraints in emergencies affecting the use of information signs in wayfinding behavior. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 35, 440-448.

An experimental research on the impact of spatial configurations of complex hospitals on human wayfinding performances

Authors

Keywords:

Abstract

References

Downloads

Published

Issue

Section

License

Information

Language