‘Architecture of fear’: an analytical investigation on ‘negative impression’ in architectural design articulated by ‘integrated spatial and space-related aspects

Abstract

Architecture of fortification; iron bars and iron spikes, cinder blocks and barking dogs, razor ribbon wires, glass spines and security alarms- The city has been armed with apparent evidences all over the city. The built fabric has been transformed into an ideal representation of ‘contemporary fears’ of citizens. Often people scare to use lifts, narrow walkways, rear staircases, darken basements, high roof tops or largely open public places. In such places they fear being murdered, abused, abducted, or stabbed. The investigation primarily measures the ‘required sense of safety’ in an urban public realm with respect to the architectural design principals, spatial and space related aspects. The four case studies of the research will be focused on ‘public buildings’ filling the ‘research gap’ within the field of study existed between two main levels of ‘city fabric’ and ‘individual dwelling’. The research outcome reveals the ‘controlling power’ of ‘fear in space’ that has influenced user psychology and behavior accordingly, including 21 integrated architectural aspects behind the cause. Concurrently, the investigation emphasizes possible design interventions to diminish such negative impressions composing ‘positive motives’ which supports public cohesiveness, interaction and free movements in built-sphere in which architectural design becomes a ‘tool’ in order to manipulate ‘sense of safety’.