Session A: 9AM – 10:30AM
Architecture: Session A – Poster Presentations, Ballroom, Union
Location: Ballroom, A. Ray Olpin University Union
Is Ornament in Architecture beautiful or criminal?
Jacob Harris, Utah Valley University
Faculty Mentor: Brandon Ro, Utah Valley University
SESSION A (9:00-10:30AM)
POSTER A1
Ornament in architecture is the placement of sculpture or art on a building. This design strategy is common in classical architecture, and ornament can be seen on doors, windows, columns, cornices, facades, and more. In the eye of the classical architect this adds to the overall beauty of classical buildings. It is common for modern architecture to utilize little to no ornament. A famous modern architect by the name of Adolf Loos was even bold enough to refer to ornament in architecture as a “crime”. The classical architect sees ornament as good, whereas the modern architect sees ornament as bad. This research project seeks to understand what the average person is drawn to when it comes to this topic, whether that be ornament or no ornament. Using an eye tracking emulation software it is my hypothesis that the average person is more attracted to a building with ornament. I will be doing a comparison of two temples built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that reside in the same city. This includes the Provo Utah and Provo City Center temples. Using the software I will be able to determine where people are more likely to look as well as their gaze sequence. This study aims to reinforce that an increase in ornament will hold our attention more than a building without it.
Designing for the Eye: Using Virtual Reality to Test Proportions in Intercolumniation
Ben Varnell, Utah Valley University
Faculty Mentor: Brandon Ro, Utah Valley University
SESSION A (9:00-10:30AM)
POSTER A2
The poetic use of classical architecture to portray beauty though proportions is being lost in the modern world. Architectural theorists, Vitruvius and Le Corbusier, agreed that beautiful architecture uses the proportions of the body to bring harmony between all the parts of a structure. A challenge architects face today is communicating their designs using plans and sections to those who have trouble visualizing the three-dimensional qualities of two-dimensional drawing. In his research article “The Digital Perception of Architectural Space,” Hugo C. Gomez, a professor of architectural urbanism in Peru, found that virtual reality is the most “highly-rated medium” to understand and visualize architecture. The current research builds upon Hugo’s findings and will present what proportions in intercolumniation are most pleasing to the eye by utilizing three mediums to collect data: three-dimensional virtual reality environment, 360 augmented reality images, and two-dimensional images. Participants in the survey were asked questions evaluating their visual preference and comfort levels of five SketchUp-modeled Tuscan columns. These columns were rendered and d