Can the Emotional Impact of Architecture be Validated?

"Emotive Transformation—Suffused Blossom #8" is an innovative transdisciplinary installation that focuses on the dynamic appreciation of curvature versus angularity through physical exploration. Based on the hypothesis that curved and angular spaces evoke different emotional responses in humans, this installation serves as a new stimulus for experimental research in neuroaesthetics in architecture. The installation features a continuous form transitioning smoothly from curves to angles, with both ends having identical spatial compositions to ensure consistency in material, lighting, scale, and spatial perception.

At the Design Philadelphia Festival 2024, Emotive Transformation aims to provide an interactive and immersive experience. Visitors will be encouraged to explore the installation, navigating through the space and comparing their emotional and sensory responses to the curved and angular sections. This hands-on interaction mirrors real-life experiences more accurately than static viewing, providing more reliable data on human emotional responses to different architectural forms. Visitors will be invited to share their impressions and feelings about the different forms, contributing valuable data to the ongoing research. The feedback and responses will be analyzed to understand better how different architectural forms impact human emotions and behaviors.

The project, as a continuation of the "Suffused Blossom" research series for Emotive Architecture, is a collaboration between architecture, psychology, and neuroscience, forming a transdisciplinary research framework.