The physiological and psychological impact of boring buildings: field studies of the effects of architectural façade complexity

People who live and work in urban environments pass by countless buildings daily. The design of these buildings can influence their day-to-day experiences. Visual complexity is an important feature of buildings, influencing aesthetic appreciation. But beyond aesthetic judgments, how does the design of building facades affect people’s experiences? To answer this question, we conducted field studies in London and Toronto (n=97) measuring the physiological and affective effects of viewing buildings varying in façade complexity. We brought participants for walks through each city, stopping in front of pre-selected buildings for five minutes while measuring skin conductance – a measure of physiological arousal - along with standard questionnaires. Our results showed that façade complexity significantly impacted people’s physiological states. Low complexity buildings were associated with a significant decrease in skin conductance over time, compared to high complexity buildings. Low complexity buildings were perceived to be highly boring and unattractive, while high complexity buildings were rated as being interesting and attractive. Our findings demonstrate that boring, low complexity buildings are not merely an aesthetic concern – they can affect people at a raw, physiological level.