Exploring perceived openness and spaciousness: the effects of semantic and physical aspects

This study focuses on the effects of the independent spatial variables of volumetric visibility, natural light, and the infinity index value on both perceived openness and spaciousness, and on the concept of familiarity, using computer-generated images of sixteen nodes of a university building. Ninety participants in three groups from two universities were selected to examine the effects of familiarity on the dependent variables of openness and spaciousness. These dependent variables of perception were explored through a semantic evaluation test, where the participants experienced the sixteen spatial nodes in a virtual environment derived from fixed vantage points on two floors of the case study campus building. The results revealed that the perceived spaciousness is significantly correlated to the independent physical aspects of space, such as the volumetric visibility, the natural light, and the infinity value, while familiarity with space indicated a higher ratio of perceived openness.