How does design influence culture?

Architecture can influence human behaviour and colour our emotions

The interaction between life and design is like a vicious circle, a Yin and Yang with each counter-influencing the other. While designing cities and spaces based on lifestyle and culture is a fairly well-detailed and researched concept, the counter-effect of it is a topic still in its nascence.

Each space, the way it is designed, built, maintained, and kept clean or dirty exudes a certain culture. It is that culture which drives the behaviour and life of people occupying the space, be it a family, office staff or visitors.

Palaces and prayers

If the manner in which a space is built and maintained can determine the way people behave in it, then, can’t we consciously design spaces to cultivate a certain culture and behaviour? Yes. The closest examples to this are found in designs of palaces and places of worship.

Be it the Bahai temple in Delhi or inside the main hall of the Bull Temple in Bengaluru — varied design elements like the play of colours, the sound of the bells, the pillars, the landscape, and the smell of the incense drive a feeling of positivity and awe.

Famous palaces across India are enhanced by specific design techniques. The Jaali work lets natural light in and mellow colours used in the interiors lend a feeling of calmness to the place.

Take Diwan-e-Aam at the Red Fort as an example. It is done in mellow natural stone to drive a feeling of simplicity and comfort in the hall where the common man had an audience with the King. Compare this to the Diwan-e-Khas, where the King met with state guests — done up in rich marble and ornate carvings.

Even the Durbar Hall of the Mysore Palace is done in rich bright shades of blue and gold, which exudes grandiose, power and control.

Easily adaptable

Our homes, as well as business spaces, can use this power of design by aligning its five core elements — the layout, furniture, lighting, colours or paint, and furnishing — for a specific aura.

A feeling of stability and power is reflected when browns are combined with earthy elements like gold, leather, and stone. Combine the same brown with white and the space will feel open and airy.

A reading nook in the kids’ room may drive the children to grow a reading habit, a climbing wall on the other hand may inspire the spirit of adventure in them.

We experience spaces through our four senses — sight, smell, sound, and touch. Well-designed spaces like commercial retail outlets, malls, and showrooms incorporate engagement of all these senses in a well-planned manner to create a certain mood. The distinct scent of many large retail outlets encourages spending, and places like casinos in Las Vegas are known to use fragrances that encourage gambling.

In fact, scent marketing is now a formal term in business with a lot of research behind it. In homes, central spaces like the ‘puja’ room with the incense stick or a diffuser can create a nostalgic ‘smell of home’. The type of music that one plays in their store and the way a display is arranged adds to the sense of sound and touch, which creates a unique aura and culture to the business.

Thus, when envisioning a space, one should not only create good-looking spaces but also curate a culture of space, which will make you feel a certain way when you reside in it.

(The author is an interior designer and founder of The Studio by Nandita Manwani)