Colour perception in built environments: An empirical study

Since 1960?s, environmental psychologists have studied the relation between environment and human behavior and how physical environmental variables (such as cohesion and complexity) influence people?s perception, cognition and spatial preference. However, colour, one of the formal variables, has mostly been neglected. This study aims compare people?s evaluation of various color compositions, presented on a gridal pattern or on a photograph of a simulated building facade.In this study, 22 different colour compositions were designed. These compositions differed in the amount (low or high) and the type of hues (hot, cold, or contrast). Half of them were presented on photograph of a simulated building facade and the other half on a gridal pattern. Colour compositions were evaluated, via surveys, by 104 students from Ege University, Department of Geography. The survey questions collected information on participants? demographic characteristics, defect of eyesight and preference of colour in general. Also, participants were asked to use a 7-point scale to evaluate each colour composition for preference, aesthetic quality, complexity and etc. Thus, people?s colour preference on a gridal pattern (non spatial) and on a photograph of a building facade (spatial) were compared via statistical analyses to understand whether the findings on colour preference on various objects (non spatial) apply to building exteriors.The results showed that, the colour compositions on a gridal pattern or on a photograph of simulated building façade were evaluated similarly. Also the most preferred colour composition included ?violet-blue? and the least liked ones included ?reddish purple?, ?pinky green? and ?dark yellowish green? hues. The findings should be evaluated and generalized considering the methodological limitations. Put it differently, this study is important for its emphasis on necessity of enhancing practical and theoretical knowledge on color perception in urban design and for developing a methodology to study color perception in urban environments rather than its findings.Keywords: aesthetics, perception, colour preference, colour composition, environmental psychology, urban design