The Labyrinth-ness of Lived Space. The spatial psychology of Abraham Moles.

In the second half of his academic career, Abraham Moles (1920 – 1992) devoted most of his research to what he called micropsychology, and in particular on interpersonnal communication and the perception of space in everyday environments – what, together, makes a psychology of space.
Looking at the spatial experience of microevents in spaces such as gardens, museums, theaters, and in general urban public spaces, he proposed the « labyrinth » as one typology of lived space. The « labyrinth-ness » of a space depends on the ability of the perceiver to sense the order present in its physical organization ; it evolves as one learns to better know that space by moving through it – in other words, it reflects how one dynamically builds one’s own mental map.
In my presentation, I would like to present some of the design implications of the « labyrinth-ness » of lived space. I will explore how physical design can offer the motile visitor the possibility of an evolving « labyrinth-ness » which partakes in the overall aesthetic experience of a given space.