Effect of architectural and spatial variables on the perception of crowding

The study investigates, in a field setting, the differences in the behavioural responses of subjects, between two sets of contrasting built environments, viz., ‘low crowded’ and ‘high crowded’ settings, which were classified as such on the basis of the assumed effects of six spatial and architectural variables. The study revealed that four variables, viz., physical density, social density, partitioning and illumination, were significantly related to measures of perception of crowding. The results have been offered as four hypotheses which are to be tested across different activity environments in order to be generalised for their validity.