- Gebied en Ruimte
- Sociaal en Maatschappelijk
It would surely be useful in the ongoing debate over the preservation of older buildings if environmental psychology could speak with a clear voice on the issue of the noneconomic value of such buildings. Are older buildings generally preferred to more modern buildings? If not, are they sometimes preferred, and is it possible to identify the circumstances under which older buildings have high preference? (...) Frewald’s data on rated descriptor variables offer insight into why older buildings were preferred over modern buildings. She found that the older-building categories were also rated higher on physical feature contributing to visual richness (decoration, natural materials, curves articulated walls), legibility (distinctiveness), and mystery (opportunity for exploration, promise of further information).
(...) Frewald argued that the informational model provided a plausible theoretical account of why older buildings were preferred. To check this possibility, we obtained ratings of complexity and mystery. (…) Given the strong trend toward symmetry and recti linearity on the design of contemporary buildings, we feel that Frewald’s argument for higher coherence in older buildings lacks credibility. Nonetheless, as a check, we also obtained ratings of coherence.
