The influence of architectural attributes on decision making in emergency situations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/gtp.v20i1.230082Keywords:
Architecture, Environmental perception, Virtual reality, BiofeedbackAbstract
There are several gaps related to the need for evacuation in emergency situations. The difficulty in predicting human behavior and the disorientation of building occupants are the main factors. Hence the relevance of better understanding the perceptions that each individual may have and their relationship with the architecture of the place in an emergency and, consequently, their behavior. Given this context, this research aimed to evaluate the influence of architectural attributes on decision-making in emergency situations, from the individual's point of view. The attributes analyzed were emergency signage, dimensions, spatiality, ceiling height, luminosity, and colors. To conduct the study, an exploratory, qualitative, and hypothetical-deductive research was adopted. Data collection was performed using Virtual Reality (VR), biofeedback equipment to assess heart rate variability (HRV), and semi-structured interviews. In the data analysis, the level of consciousness (LC) and visualization of architectural attributes (VAA) were determined. In this way, it was possible to cross-reference the data, verifying the relationship between the stress detected, the awareness at the time of decision-making and the perception of the attributes. In the triangulation of the data (VFC x NC x VAA), the indexes were shown to be close in the decision-making with reference to the importance of the architectural attributes for the participants. Through sampling, it was found that there is a tendency for individuals to make decisions according to the architectural variables that are presented throughout the plan.
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