To See or Not To See
One of the fundamental things to consider when designing a space is "prospect and refuge." Prospect and refuge go hand in hand with giving someone a sense of security within a space. As expressed by Maslow in his hierarchy of needs, providing a feeling of security is one of the most crucial elements of human psychology. Dosen and Ostwald state that "environments that meet such needs will often provide people with the capacity to observe without being seen." The theory of prospect and refuge is applied in nearly every designed space in order to give us what we require. The goal of this theory is to gain a better understanding of "why certain environments feel secure." No one would willingly enter a space where they feel susceptible or at risk. The two primary ways to prevent this is by ensuring one is able to see the surrounding environment while also being protected from it.
If you've ever been hiking and reached a clearing where you feel like you are on top of the world and can see the rest of the world in front of you, then you've experienced first hand the idea of "prospect". To be high up, in an open space, and able to see your surroundings is to have prospect in a space. In design, we see this daily through the use of windows. Windows open up a space and enable us to observe our surroundings. Similar to what I explain in my post about control-- when you are aware of what is around you, there is a sense of security knowing there won't be any surprises that could harm you all of the sudden at your door. Because we know what is coming, we feel as though we have more control over our environment, and in return feel more comfortable.
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| Source |
If you've ever been hiking and reached a clearing where you feel like you are on top of the world and can see the rest of the world in front of you, then you've experienced first hand the idea of "prospect". To be high up, in an open space, and able to see your surroundings is to have prospect in a space. In design, we see this daily through the use of windows. Windows open up a space and enable us to observe our surroundings. Similar to what I explain in my post about control-- when you are aware of what is around you, there is a sense of security knowing there won't be any surprises that could harm you all of the sudden at your door. Because we know what is coming, we feel as though we have more control over our environment, and in return feel more comfortable.
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| Overlooks are a way for design to help us see. Sketcked by Me |
Refuge allows us to feel less vulnerable in a space. We need a ceiling over us and something to the sides or behind us to feel safe and protected. On our hike in the woods, we may have been enclosed by trees with their canopies branching out above us. A little nook in your home where you can go to retreat and feel safe is an example of this seen in design. Restaurants sometimes try to provide barriers to distance ourselves from others so that we may have privacy and also something tangible between individuals we do not know. Refuges provide a sense of security by isolating and comforting us.
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| Small Nook Beneath a Staircase Source |
Prospect and refuge are two very different things, but we require each of them to feel secure and content. Would you be more inclined to enter a space made entirely of windows? Or would you rather have walls to give privacy and protect you? In the picture below, a stairwell combines both the ability to look out and sense protection from an enclosed space. If the stairwell had no windows, visitors could feel too closed off; likewise, if it had no walls, visitors may feel too exposed. No design would be successful without both.
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| This stairwell has surrounding walls to provide refuge and windows so that the visitor can have prospect. Photo taken by me at the Grandfather Mountain Visitor Center |
Sources:
Bunkse, E. (1977). Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 67(1), 149-151. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2562247Dosen, Annemarie & Ostwald, Michael. (2013). Prospect and refuge theory: Constructing a critical definition for architecture and design. International Journal of Design in Society. 6. 9-23. 10.18848/2325-1328/CGP/v06i01/38559.
Lester, D. (2013). Measuring Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Psychological Reports, 113(1), 15–17. https://doi.org/10.2466/02.20.PR0.113x16z1
Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and personality.
I enjoyed reading your post. You have some great examples. I feel as if I should have thought of prospect while hiking, that is perfect. I love the refuge built into the steps. Great job!
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