Spatial Navigational Patterns Induced by Real and Virtual Architectural Environments

The scope of this paper is the identification of elements in architectural space that can trigger human behaviour in both real and virtual environments. These elements can be either material, such as shapes and volumes or immaterial, such as light and shadow. Our research depends on a series of experiments taking place in an existing architectural environment (a high-school) and its virtual counterpart, focusing mainly on the spatial perception and cognition by the subjects through real-time navigational means. The aspect that survey knowledge (spatio-exploratory or exocentric perception) is “primary” in virtual environments seems to be confirmed. It is indicative that in the virtual environment the movement of subjects (primarily visitors) is related and defined strongly by specific architectural elements, such as a stoa and the staircases, while being strongly exploratory