exhibiting architecture: the visitor‘s perspective riklef rambow chair of theory of architecture...
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EXHIBITING ARCHITECTURE:THE VISITOR‘S PERSPECTIVE
Riklef RambowChair of Theory of ArchitectureFaculty of Architecture and Urban PlanningBrandenburg Institute of TechnologyCottbus, Germany
PRACTICAL BACKGROUND:‚BUILDING CULTURE‘
Goal: Fostering knowledge about and interest in architecture among the public
Means: Architecture in schools; nationwide „day of architecture“, citywide „architecture festivals“, brochures, exhibitions etc.
Common condition for success: Relevance and comprehensibility for experts and non-experts alike
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND:THE PSYCHOLOGY OFEXPERT-LAYPERSON-COMMUNICATION
Systematic differences in perspective between architects and laypersons (cf. Hershberger, Nasar et al., Gifford et al., Rambow...)
Systematic biases/mistakes in experts‘ anticipations of laypersons‘ perspective (cf. Rambow, 2000)
Characteristic of architecture: Dominance of visual communication
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Architecture exhibitions are an interesting real-life interface between experts and laypersons
Practical importance: The number of exhibitions and institutions (architecture centers and museums) is steadily increasing
Suitability to investigation: The circumstances of the communication are clearly defined (restricted time, uni-directional, similar interest etc.)
Setting: Two exhibitions of comparable scope, comparable content (newest architecture) and comparable structure (project-centered) at the German Architecture Museum, Frankfurt/Main
EXHIBITION 1: OVERVIEW
EXHIBITION 1:PROJECTDISPLAY
EXHIBITION 2: OVERVIEW
EXHIBITION 2: PROJECT/OFFICE DISPLAY
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Are the exhibitions evaluated differently by experts and laypersons?
Are particular media used and evaluated differently by experts and laypersons?
If so, then what reasons are given for these differences by experts and laypersons?
METHOD
Questionnaires (N= 691) and face-to-face-interviews (N = 188), administered directly after the visit
Questionnaires: General evaluation on the dimensions ‚interesting‘, ‚comprehensible‘, ‚entertaining‘
Interviews: Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of individual media (texts, pictures, videos, models)
Post hoc differentiation between experts, intermediates and laypersons
GENERAL EVALUATION:„INTERESTING“
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Experts Intermediates Laypeople
Exhibition 1Exhibition 2
GENERAL EVALUATION:„COMPREHENSIBLE“
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Experts Intermediates Laypeople
Exhibition 1Exhibition 2
GENERAL EVALUATION:„ENTERTAINING“
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Experts Intermediates Laypeople
Exhibition 1Exhibition 2
EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL MEDIA:EXHIBITION 1
EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL MEDIA:EXHIBITION 2
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Texts Pictures Videos
ExpertsIntermediatesLaypeople
QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL MEDIA
Models: Three-dimensionality and high level of control are highly estimated by experts and laypersons alike
Videos: Low level of control; lack of orientation and information
Texts: Laypersons need more structure and less detail
Pictures: Laypersons need accompanying information and clear cross-references
CONCLUSIONS
Exhibitions can be a powerful tool to communicate architecture to the public
Exhibitions can be designed in a way that meets the needs of experts and non-experts alike
For this, the selection, the design and the coordination (cross-referencing) of exhibition elements (media) must take psychological criteria into account
Of course, these results are preliminary and have to be corroborated and differentiated by further research