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Abstract

For architects, designing the visible form of buildings is usually intuitive, but sometimes it is a rationally-based exercise in arranging forms and masses into a balanced yet dynamic whole. Does this mean that the balance of a facade's composition influences assessments of its beauty? A study was conducted to test how judgments of beauty, balance, dynamism, and interest in a facade depend on compositional balance, and if there are differences between how architects and non-architects judge the facades. Eye movements were also recorded. The results demonstrated that compositional balance affected judgments of balance, dynamism, and interest, but not judgments of beauty. The link between balance and aesthetic judgments was moderated by expertise in architecture and viewing time. Furthermore, balance oriented the gaze, and evoked a shift of eye movements toward the lower left side of compositions. The implications of the findings for the relation between balance and beauty are discussed.

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Eye Movements on Facades: The Subjective Perception of Balance in Architecture and Its Link to Aesthetic Judgment

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