Let’s bring this Party to the Kitchen: A Preferred
Environment
Have you ever noticed that every
time someone hosts a party, whether it be with friends or with family, the chattering
mass of people always seems to find their way into the kitchen? Placed at the
heart of your home, the kitchen is a hub of activity. All kitchen consists of the same basic
elements; counters, a sink, a fridge, an oven, a stove, storage, utensils, and
most importantly, food. To many it would
seem odd that we are drawn away from a space specifically designed for
socializing to a space designed for cooking but it is no coincidence, it is preference.
We are not drawn to the kitchen solely on the fact that it’s a space many of us
find familiar, it’s a result of distinct features and designs that makes it so
attractive.
Preference is different than you preferring
something. Preference in the context of
this class is immediate, innate and universal, it is evolutionary not developed
overtime. It is dependent on both high
exploration and high understanding. For
something to be a preferred environment it must satisfy present and future
understanding and exploration. This is
made possible when an environment is equally high in coherence, legibility,
mystery and complexity.
Coherence takes in to consideration
your present understanding of the space while legibility takes into effect one’s
ability to navigate a space without getting lost. Because kitchens are a space designated
for cooking and preparing food, the materials found within the space will all
hang together and make sense next to each other. You will find the basic necessity to prepare a
meal; cook books, utensils, ovens, stoves, fridges, food, ect.. Since kitchens
are not vast spaces, you will not physically get lost within it. Additionally, as a result of our well
developed mental models of kitchens, our familiarity will provide us with the
basic understanding of the layout. Landmarks such as a stove or a fridge or a
garbage can will allow us to have a simplified outline of the space before even
exploring. We will have a basic idea of
where silverware is stored, where to find the garbage can, where to find other staple
objects based off the ones visible to us.
Be aware that this familiarity only enhances your ability to navigate an
already easily understood place. This is
a good example of how preferred environments can have some overlap with familiar
environments and provided us with a sense of comfort that encourages us to
expand our mental models without being on edge, or uncomfortable.
An example of how various kitchens have different layouts but still foster similar navigational patterns.
Another aspect that is important to
a spaces preferability is its complexity and mystery; whether there is enough
elements and diversity to make the space worth exploring as well as the promise
of more information in the future. The
purpose of a preferred environment is to be the most effective place to learn
and expand your mental models. This is
where the kitchen thrives. All of your
appliances and endless drawers and containers provide a great promise of
information for you to explore and discover.
Every time you open a cabinet, an abundance of new knowledge is revealed,
every time you turn a page in a cookbook, the possibility to learn a new baking
technique or a new recipe arises. The
amount of information in a kitchen that you can explore and build models of is
huge, yet it is not overwhelming because it is so well organized. You can open cabinet
by cabinet, ensuring you will not overwhelm yourself.
In class we
discussed that if two places with equal complexity are presented to an
individual they will innately prefer the more natural one over the more man
made one. The typical design of kitchen
draws on this observation by placing a window directly in front of the
sink. This integrates natural objects such
as trees and lighting into the kitchen, making you feel more in touch with the
outdoors while also appealing to the prospect refugee theory. The theory states that one of preferences is
a place where we can see without being seen, and a window is a perfect way to
do that. You can watch and learn without
placing yourself in danger and/or in an unfamiliar environment.
So the next
time you plan for a party, don’t even bother attempting to corral everyone into
your living room because inevitably they will find their way back to your
kitchen. Not as a result of your “amazing”
cooking but because we are simply programed to.
No comments:
Post a Comment