Just like a piece of artwork displayed at a gallery can evoke a certain emotion from you, architecture can have the same effect.  This feeling you experience while gazing upon a building is occasionally more influenced  by the emotional connection that you have with the architecture than the design of it. However, a truly successful architect will find a way to make the building not only have an emotional connection to you through your experiences with it, but also through its carefully thought out design. 

The Peace Arch

A successful architect is able to create a design that can evoke feelings by many of its onlookers. Usually this type of architecture is a monument that is functioning as a symbol for something. The Peace Arch monument symbolizes the ties between Canada and the US and visually represents this bond. When an individual is looking upon the structure, it encourages them to see and feel the unity between Canada and the United States due to the monuments positioning in both countries.

Sometimes however, the design isn't the factor influencing the emotion and it is instead based on personal experiences while visiting the site. For example, when a visitor sees the building for the first time they may not have any emotion towards it. However, if they come back a second time after having a pleasant time the first time they came, they will then associate the building as being a good place to visit. If, however, they have a bad experience the second time visiting, when they come for the third time they may experience an entirely different emotion again. 

Third Annual Flatiron Public Plaza Holiday Design Competition

Another strong influence on the way architecture affects a persons emotions is the surroundings of the project. When considering certain structures the architect should consider the immediate surroundings of the  piece since this can heavily influence the emotions of others. One example of an architect firm that understood the surroundings was the the winner of the Third Annual Flatiron Public Plaza Holiday Design Competition. They noticed a need for a resting area and created a structure that met the needs of the people. This in turn created feelings of happiness while people interacted with the structural piece. Read more about the Flatiron Sky-Line installation piece here

Eiffel Tower

While the surroundings of the architecture is important, so is the geographical location. For example, one of the main reasons people see the Eiffel Tower as a romantic landmark is because of the fact that Paris is known as the "City of Love." Had the Eiffel Tower been placed in the middle of a desert, it may not have the same emotional connection that its getting from people today. 

Interested in more mood changing architecture? Check out the projects below or view our design gallery here.

cover photo © unsplash