POLICE STATION FACADES: SEARCHING THE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT APPRECIATE ALL

Abstract

This study proposes a model for measuring the responses of architects (n=32), teachers (n=51) and police officers (n=50) for a set of police station facades in order to diagnose the architectural style characteristics that affect these groups similarly.  Approachability, professional outlook and prestigious outlook were the independent variables as appreciation was the dependent variable of the study.  An expert group (n=5) assessed a large set of images (n=60) and related them with architectural characteristics (n=14).  Images with repeating characteristics were eliminated so a more reliable set of images (n=20) was used in the study.  Via the questionnaire, 11 questions were asked and 133 participants gave response.  Results indicated facades that were / had foursquare, well-defined entrance, massive-transparent, legible, elaborated, humanly-inhumanly scaled, static, traditional-reformer, traditional roof-modern roof, varied in colors, and monotonous in fenestration characteristics were raising positive response of all participants.  The study is important in terms of its potential to assist in decision giving processes of architects for the specific building type facades that has to give a positive image to whole society.  In addition, the study proposes a research model that is more specific to designers rather than psychology related disciplines via combining conventional research methodologies with architectural characteristics.     

Keywords

• Police station design,perception,contemporary architecture,user response,aesthetic appreciation

References

1. O’Neill, M., Marks, M. Singh A.M., (ed.), 2007, Police Occupational Culture, New Debates and Directions, (in Sociology of Crime, Law & Deviance, v.8), JAI Press Inc.
2. Bilir, B.M., 2014, An Experimental Study Oriented Perception Of Police Stations, Unpublished M.Arch. Thesis, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
3. EGM, 2009, Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü, Stratejik Planı, 2009-2013, http://www.egm.gov.tr/Documents/emniyet_genel_mudurlugu_Stratejik_Plani.pdf
4. (access: 05.06.2015)
5. Hershberger, 1969, A Study of Meaning and Architecture. In J.L. Nasar (Ed.), Environmental Aesthetics, Theory, Research and Application, New York, Cambridge University Press, pp.175-194
6. Brown, G., Gifford R., 2001, “Architects Predict Lay Evaluations of Large Contemporary Buildings; Whose Conceptual Properties?”, The Journal of Environmental Psychology, 21, 93-99
7. Wilson, M.A., 1996, “The Socialization of Architectural Preference”, The Journal of Environmental Psychology, 1, 33-44
8. Dinç, P., Yüksel, E.I., 2010, A Lens Model Approach for Analyzing the Judgment Differences of European and Turkish Architectural Students, Arkitekt, 523, 44-59

9. Nasar, J.L., 1989, “Symbolic Meaning in House Styles”, Environment and Behavior, 21, 235-257
10. Gifford R., Hine DW., Muller-Clemm W., Reynolds D. and Shaw K., 2000, “Decoding Modern Architecture, A Lens Model Approach for Understanding the Differences of Architects and Laypersons”, Environment and Behavior, 32(2), 163-187
11. Fawcett W., Ellingham I. and Platt S., 2008, “Reconciling the Architectural Preferences of Architects and the Public”, Environment and Behavior, 40(5), 599-618
12. Stamps, A.E., Nasar, J.L., 1997, Design Review and Public Preferences: Effects of Geographical Location, Public Consensus, Sensation Seeking, And Architectural Styles, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 17, 11-32
13. Nasar, J.L., Stamps, A.E., Hanyu, K., 2005, Form and Function in Public Buildings, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 25, 159-165
14. Herzog, T.R., Shier, R.L., 2000, Complexity, Age and Building Preference, Environment and Behavior, 32(4), 557-575
15. Devlin, A.S., 2008, Judging a Book by Its Cover: Medical Building Facades and Judgments of Care, Environment and Behavior, 40, 307-329
16. Hubbard, P., 1996, Conflicting Interpretations of Architecture: An Empirical Investigation, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 16, 75-92
17. Rapaport, A., 2005, Culture, Architecture, and Design, Locke Science Publishing Company
18. Cao, L., Lai, Y.L., Zhao, R., 2012, Shades of Blue: Confidence in the Police in the World, Journal of Criminal Justice, 40, 40-49
19. Wells, W., 2007, Type of Contact and Evaluations of Police Officers: The Effects of Procedural Justice Across Three Types of Police-Citizen Contacts, Journal of Criminal Justice, 35, 617-621
20. Millie, A., 2012, Police Stations, Architecture and Public Reassurance, British Journal of Criminology, 52, 1092-1112
21. Maass, A., Merici, I., Villafranca, E., et al., 2000, Intimidating Buildings: Can Courthouse Architecture Affect Perceived Likelihood Of Conviction? Environment and Behavior, 32, 674-683
22. Clinton, A., Devlin, A.S., 2011, “Is This Really a Police Station?”: Police Department Exteriors and Judgments of Authority, Professionalism, and Approachability, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 31, 393-406