Spatial Orientation and Wayfinding: Architectural Strategies for Improving Circulation in Buildings

This book is a concise and accessible introduction to the Challenges of wayfinding in buildings. The book focuses on research that is capable of inspiring and understanding of fundamental ways of overcoming disorientation, circulation and efficiency of human flow in the built environment. Disorientation is a common phenomenon that affects every human especially when visiting new places. Often described as the condition of having lost one's sense of direction, this phenomenon is a common occurrence experienced in mostly large sized buildings. In order to achieve adequate orientation, the human body depends on accurate perception and cognitive integration of these systems. This book presents the premise that the collective systems of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive stimuli differ in magnitude, direction and frequency and the inappropriate coordination of these systems result in spatial disorientation.It commenced with a brief introduction of the subject, followed by the discussion of the underlying Spatial Cognizance Principles, then presented a review of Circulation and Flow Patterns in large Buildings (especially Hospitals) and ended with strategies for Solving Wayfinding Problems while presenting techniques of improving wayfinding and it's application in building designs. Furthermore, it presented case studies and analysis of selected building types as means of identifying efficient methods of circulation and movement within critical building types like Hospitals. This is done with design strategies and touches on the practical demonstrations with explanatory illustrations and case studies.