Emotional Analogous Data: Interaction in the Work Space

Abstract

The work environment and its architectural configuration increasingly seeks to give a conscientious response to the needs of its users as the built environment influences the health and well-being of people through biological and psychological aspects. Considering that human beings base their behavior on emotion, it is essential to expand this domain regarding how space controls, steers, or alters one’s emotional state and how this interaction affects perceptions of well-being, health, and productivity. This article sets out a case study applied at the offices of ELISAVA Research, Barcelona, which seeks to understand the emotional state of users in terms of space. The participants consisted of four women and two men. The materials and tools used for the study consisted of: an am/pm emotional assessment wall, facial expression stickers for each user related to 5 emotions, and environmental measurement tools. Emotional state measurements were made regularly, when entering and leaving the space. Various changes were also applied, which were identified on the wall, and qualitative perception and productivity tests were applied at the end. This study aims to correlate psychological, environmental, and energy aspects to understand their relationships and, in parallel, to validate new measurement tools. Direct correlations between physical parameters and user perception, such as light, humidity, etc. have been observed in the results as well as others that should continue to be explored, such as energy, comfort, and sociability, among others. In doing so, we aim to offer scientific data that can impact project processes, ergonomics, and design guidelines focused on the holistic well-being of individuals