Space psychology is a growing field that can lead to more productive workplaces, better retail sales, and faster recovery in healthcare developments. But how does it work?
One of the most striking things about The Haunting of Hill House is how it blurs the line between tragedy and horror. This is especially true through the show’s production design.
Designing a House
While the study of space psychology may seem esoteric, its implications for architects can be far-reaching, says Hill House. By understanding how our physical environment affects us, we can create buildings that are more functional, beautiful, and emotionally stimulating. This knowledge can result in better productivity on commercial projects, bigger sales for retail ventures, and accelerated recovery in healthcare developments.
To understand the psychology of space, one must first look at how different spaces evoke different emotions. For example, spaces with curvilinear features evoke positive feelings of relaxation and pleasure, while those with rectilinear features induce feelings of tension and arousal. These characteristics are also influenced by the size and shape of the space. In addition, the use of color can elicit different emotional responses.
The psychological impact of space can be a significant factor when designing and building a house. As such, the design and construction of a house must be carefully planned to ensure a psychologically positive outcome. While this can be challenging, it is important to keep in mind that the occupants will spend a lot of time in their home, so it is essential that the space is designed to create a positive atmosphere.
In the case of Hill House, Farrell used a combination of mood boarding and research to create the set. His goal was to capture the kind of robber-baron homes that were popular in the late 1800s. These were a mix of styles, including Gothic, Tudor, and Roman influences. These styles helped give the house its unique feel.
Creating a sense of scale was another challenge. In order to get the right feeling, the sets had to be large enough for the actors to move around. For example, in an early scene, a character must walk from a funeral home into the Hill House set. To do this, Farrell built a funeral home set adjacent to the Hill House set and connected them with a hallway.
The show’s cast is filled with talent, but some stand out more than others. Gugino is especially effective as Theodora, whose brooding persona is balanced by her inner vulnerability. Siegel is also impressive as Eleanor, a woman who can’t touch other people without having visions of horror.
Building a House
Creating an environment that is psychologically engaging requires careful planning. The goal is to influence a person’s emotions and behaviours. However, it is important to remember that environmental influences can fade over time. This can be due to the natural process of adaptation, which occurs when people adapt to changes in their environments over a long period of time. This can also be caused by the influence of a person’s social network and other contextual factors.
While the impact of space on psychophysiological processes is not fully understood, researchers have found that certain architectural features can increase or decrease an individual’s perception of a particular scene. For example, contours – edges or lines that define the shape of a space or object – have been linked to different emotional responses in individuals. Various studies have shown that individuals prefer spaces with curvilinear contours over those with rectilinear ones.
For the filming of Hill House, director Mike Flanagan turned to production designer Patricio Farrell for help with creating a home that would evoke the spirit of the show’s title character. Farrell says that after annotating the script, he creates a mood board using styles, periods, artists, and mediums to match the feeling he wants to convey. He then begins building the set.
He starts with the foyer, which is featured prominently early on in the show. This space must be able to convey scale and help the audience understand that this isn’t just any home. He builds this with a mixture of high ceilings and proportionally large elements.
After that, he builds the kitchen and then moves onto the bedroom and the basement. He says that he pays special attention to the lighting in each room, as it can make or break the overall look and feel of the space. He says that he also pays close attention to the windows, as they can make or break the light in a room.
In addition to the psychological stressors of a space mission, astronauts are often exposed to physical challenges such as radiation exposure, isolation, and immobility. These can lead to physiological biomarkers such as elevated cortisol levels and a decreased ability to perform cognitive tasks. Research within the field has primarily focused on ensuring that selection/training programmes adequately prepare astronauts for space travel and developing effective inflight support strategies, as well as identifying potential methods of reintegration into a terrestrial environment.
Creating a Room
There is a growing body of research in space psychology that focuses on examining the impact of the physical environment on astronauts and crew members. It aims to optimize human performance, including cognitive and emotional functions, in the space environment. This new field of study has been inspired by the success of long-term manned missions and the challenges associated with them, particularly psychological issues that may arise during prolonged periods in isolation from Earth.
It is possible to influence the psychological experience in space through the design of buildings, offices, and other public spaces. For example, studies have shown that social areas can increase collaboration among employees and encourage the formation of strong ties between people. It also affects productivity and well-being. This is the reason why Pixar designed its office in a way that encouraged interaction and community.
In addition, the design of spaces can help reduce stress and enhance the quality of life. For example, curvilinear spaces are judged more beautiful than rectilinear ones, and have been shown to have a positive effect on the brain through neuroimaging experiments. Taking this into account can have a profound impact on the design of commercial projects, retail ventures, and healthcare developments.
The process through which architectural space impacts on psychological phenomena is not fully understood, but one key element is through encouraging optimal levels of arousal. This is important because people function best and are most satisfied when they are optimally aroused. Conversely, under-arousal and over-arousal can lead to negative psychological outcomes.
For instance, a recent study found that space psychology can lead to better productivity in a business setting, higher sales in a retail venture, and faster recovery in hospitals. However, the application of this knowledge into real-world spaces will depend on a designer’s sensitivity, creativity, and understanding of space psychology.
The production design of Netflix’s hit horror show, The Haunting of Hill House, is a great example of how the physical environment can enhance the storytelling. Patricio Farrell, the set decorator behind the show’s stunning sets, used a variety of styles to create a setting that felt both functionally sparse and opulent at the same time. He began his design process by annotating the script and then creating mood boards to explore various styles, time periods, and artists. This approach helped him achieve the look of robber-baron homes, as captured in movies such as Xanadu and Citizen Kane.
Creating a Space
The psychology of space is a branch of environmental design that impacts how people feel and perceive the spaces they inhabit. The impact of a space on our emotions, moods, and perceptions is profound and can have real world consequences in commercial projects like offices or retail ventures as well as healthcare developments. Taking into account the principles of psychological space can lead to greater productivity, better sales, and faster recovery times for patients. However, the implementation of these principles is not always straightforward and requires a certain level of sensitivity, creativity, and understanding of psychological research.
Many of the psychological effects of architecture can be explained through impacting the optimum levels of arousal. People function and feel best when they are optimally aroused, and under arousal has been shown to be detrimental to performance and satisfaction.
In the case of architectural space, one way it impacts our feelings and perceptions is through contours. These are the edges or borders that define shapes and objects. Research has demonstrated that contours have a strong influence on our emotional responses, and can even be interpreted as a form of beauty. This is why the most beautiful buildings and structures often have curved edges.
Another aspect of the psychology of space is how it influences our behavior and how we interact with others. Spaces that promote interaction and communality have been found to increase interpersonal liking, which impacts collaboration and the overall experience of being in the space. Spaces that encourage chance encounters by managing serendipity can also increase bonding and connections between individuals, and even the productivity of teams.
In addition to these aspects, the way in which a space is used and manipulated can also affect how people react to it. This is especially true for a space that is intended to be terrifying, or has some sort of symbolic or metaphorical meaning. For example, a room that is meant to be the haunted house of a famous horror movie can cause a person to feel fear or anxiety even if they are not actually there. For this reason, it is important for designers to consider the impact of the space they are creating on their audience and to use it intentionally.