The Perception of Spatial Enclosure As a Function of the Position of Architectural Surfaces

Two studies were conducted to test a hypothesis that the perceived differential enclosing effect of architectural surfaces is a function of their position, weighted in the ratio 1:2:3 for surfaces in the horizontal under, vertical side, and horizontal over positions, respectively. The stimuli were separate realistic line drawings in one-point eye-level perspective of the same furnished and occupied interior space, differing only in the presence or absence of floor, wall, and ceiling surfaces in all possible combinations. In the first study subjects were asked to arrange the drawings in a left-to-right order ranging from spatial openness at one end to spatial closedness at the other. In the second study the same subjects were given a diagram of the most enclosed case and asked to rank-orderthe surfaces in terms of their importance in enclosing the space. A total of 35 subjects took part in these experiments. The results of both studies confirmed the enclosure hypothesis.