Architectural Psychology and Biophilia in Healthcare FINAL - Flipbook - Page 3
Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center at
Albany Medical Center
Interior Color and Room Size:
An extensive study on the psychological
effects of wall and ceiling color was
performed at the University of Bologna
in 2018. The results showed a preference
for blue interiors, followed by green,
violet, orange, yellow, and red. The
study went beyond stated preference
and measured the mood and
psychological performance of the
students. An association was found
between the blue color preference and
the “calm” rating in the mood scale.
An earlier study published in 2009 demonstrated that people surrounded by red walls
(the color of a stop sign), were much better at skills that required accuracy and
attention to detail. At first, this seems to contradict the University of Bologna study.
However, while people in the blue room did worse on short‐term memory tasks, they
did far better on those requiring some imagination which correlates with the Bologna
study.
According to scientists, these results can
be explained considering that the color
blue is often associated with openness,
peace, and tranquility (Kaya & Epps, 2004).
This sort of mental relaxation makes it
easier for us to daydream. We are less
focused on what’s right in front of us and
more aware of possibilities in our
imagination.
Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center at Albany
Medical Center ‐ Design by HHA
On the other hand, red is often associated with dangers and activation (Elliot et al.,
2007) which make people more alert and aware.
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