photos

I went around leeds photography architecture and spaces that I felt evokes particular psychological responses

Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre

I went when it was not very busy, so annoyingly I couldn't get a sense of the atmosphere created when it is full of people trying to get around the centre. But looking at the architecture, with the multiple floors that caters for an endless stream of people that leads them past all of the shops so to tempt them in. 

Trinity is quite open and naturally lit which makes you feel less like you are closed in, but the ceiling reminds me a bit of a birdcage.

The Arcades 

The Arcades had a very different feel, the tall, very grand ceilings made you feel quite small and almost inferior. You feel like you should be quiet and respectable, surrounded by lots of expensive, classy shops and architecture. 

Leeds Market

The market was different to both, as it was more like a maze, easy to get lost in. All the rows of stalls look very similar, and there are little doors that cut into different rooms, and it is loud with all the sellers shouting out different deals so it is easy to lead people around, getting them a bit lost so they are more tempted to buy products.

Leeds Corn-Exchange

This is similar to trinity, with the multiple levels, and how each floor is visible so you can see all the shops from one place - it makes everything very accessible . 

proposals - research and practical

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
- To what extent has architecture been used to generate particular psychological responses?

research behind

Historical influences to architecture:

-       The church being an oppressive force in Britain

-       Economic boom 1920s (shopping centres)

-       Russian revolution

-       Nazi Germany

-       Fordism

Key figures

-       Christopher Wren

-       John Soane

-       Stalin

-       Hitler

-       Le Corbusier

Look into how architecture is used to manipulate the individual (design, layout, positioning, features)

Research into psychology of architecture

Look into the different attitudes to how those in power manipulated the people at different points in history and how architecture played a part in it

Look at worldwide examples – different under different types of governments?

research through

Using a HISTORICAL methodology

-       How key events in history affected architectural design to manipulate/create an emotional response, from the individual in certain ways

Also maybe using a PSYCHOANALYSIS methodology

-       The way we perceive things, is it different for various people?

Approaches to research:

-       Through books; to do with relevant historical events and architectural/environmental psychology

-       Internet; reading articles, essays on the subject

-       Finding relevant imagery; of the architecture to do an analysis of, from the internet or library

-       Asking questions; questionnaire? See how people actually respond to particular buildings, whether they do subconsciously feel a certain way because of the environment

-       Watching documentaries that are relevant

research for

Begin with deciding exactly what I need to research into

-       Find brief research on internet, then when I have a clear diea of the direction I need to take, research into what books are relevant and focus on that topic

-       Use lots of sources, make sure information I am getting is correct, that a range of sources say the same thing and it is a reliable website/book

-       Use visual research to inform my ideas, back up and illustrate points

research in front of

-       Psychologists? Or people interested in psychology

-       Those interested in psychoanalysing architecture

-       Those interested in the link between history and design, how key historical events shape how architecture was designed

-       Architecture magazines

sources of further research

Reportager website

‘Warped Spaces; art, architecture and anxiety’ Anthony Vilder

‘Environmental psychology for design’ Dak Kopec

Illustrators/artists that depict urban environments

Documentaries:

-       Architects of control: mass control and the future

-       The Stanford prison experiment

-       Affluenza

-       Inquiry: the great British housing disaster

PRACTICAL PROPOSAL
outline how you have identified an issue and approached practical responses so far

-        Looked into the work of Eugene Atget, liked his work of documenting the city as a way of remembering it how he wanted to remember it. Became interested in the subject of architecture for my essay/practical research

-        Had a lecture on ‘cities and film’, it was about how the city has a relationship/effect on the individual and how it can manipulate people in certain ways

-        I am already very interested in architecture and exploring the psychological aspects really intrigues me so started drawing architecture and environments I felt created a strong psychological response

-        I have taken photos in certain areas with relevant architecture and done observational drawings

identify the ways in which your visual responses and theory are connected. How and why does one process inform the other?

Essay is very much about how the historical events have shaped the architectural design of the time and the psychological reactions they generated

So the practical work will be more about the architectural design and responses felt rather than the historical elements. It will be documenting the psychological response to buildings and spaces

Both are intertwined as the essay is based on human responses and practical work will be illustrating those responses through my depictions of the architecture, so both projects will be constantly informing the other.

list the visual research sources you are using to develop and inform your practical responses

-        Photographic research; photos of architecture, looking at the design, the people around, the environment surrounding

-        Observational drawings; on location, trying to capture the atmosphere of the place

-        Reportage website, looking at illustrators who also depict urban/architectural environments through reportage illustration, looking at their techniques

-        Illustration websites; heart agency, itsnicethat; researching techniques.

-        How illustrators generate an atmospheric/emotional response through drawings e.g. the materials used, composition, colour etc.

-        Library books, for architectural technical drawings, also illustration/art books

begin to define the visual aspect of CoP2 here: bullet point your action plan for practical production of visual development and the 8-12 page publication. (content should be ideas-based at this stage: roughs and investigating media)

-       - Continue visiting places with relevant architecture e.g. Quarry Hill flats, Churches, Shopping centres (at peak times)

-        Draw from photos and life

-        Keep using visual and contextual references to inform work

-        Develop techniques in drawing; how to use materials/composition etc to generate a particular response

-        While developing essay, find connections/quotes that will relate to architecture I’ve been drawing, then find a way to connect the practical work to the essay

DEVELOPMENT WORK
I went around some areas to take photos and do some observational drawing. I feel like I have a lot of photographic imagery to work from but I haven't done as much drawing as I had planned. But here are 5 from trinity shopping centre, the arcades, leeds uni and a church. I found that making small notes alongside my drawing helped me remember the kind of atmosphere I want to create. Also, focusing on little bits of the architecture was useful when trying to exaggerate particular parts to generate a certain response. 

RELATED RESEARCH IMAGES

Hugh Ferris - use of dark colour and scale on the page gives building sense that it is imposing, ominous

Vignesh Madhaven - using figure in image gives sense of scale, the architecture surrounding appears as much bigger than it would be

Karl Goldammer + Frank Lloyd Wright - format of image being long and thin makes buildings seem much bigger and more intimidating. The use of so much detail in first  image makes it feel almost overpowering as there is so much to look at. The second has much more of an eerie atmosphere as it is faded and seems rather ghostly

Lucinda Rodgers - only focusing detail on a certain bit, makes that section look really busy and lively compared to rest of image. Using different colours and line strength to focus viewers attention on certain bits; manipulating viewer