Close
Athina Lazaridou | PhD thesis | Three-dimensional spatial navigation in real and virtual museums
Research
Primary and secondary supervisors
Abstract
A key issue in the architectural design of atria museums is the variety of ways users can interact with the three-dimensional layout of space to create emergent patterns of spatial navigation. This issue is addressed in the context of a coherent body of literature which, together with space syntax theory and method, real time observations, agent-based models and virtual reality environments provides a specific rigour in the spatial analysis of the layouts and exploration patterns.
The intention is to evolve an overview of these three-dimensional spatial and navigational aspects; thus enriching the development of the two-dimensional space syntax approach and contributing to a better understanding of the architectural design of museums. Most space syntax studies on human navigation focus on spatial characteristics and route choices in two dimensions and have not yet properly addressed the effect of the third dimension on exploration.
This thesis studies three European atria museums: the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and the Acropolis Museum in Athens, which, taken together, provide a basis for investigating the theoretical and methodological questions of this thesis. The analysis begins from the apparent similarities among the museums, creating a suitable background for exploring critical differences with regards to their spatial layout and visiting patterns. The results deriving from this analysis are then used to create systematic variations in the virtual reality (VR) experiment being conducted at the Ashmolean Museum, examining correspondences between users鈥� experiences in the real and in virtual environments.
Significant analogies are demonstrated between real and virtual behaviour with the findings showing how the museums鈥� three鈥恉imensional architectural design impacts significantly on the navigational processes of visitors. Although the atria in all three buildings are used as compositional devices structuring relationships between exhibition spaces and the three dimensional organisation of buildings, there are significant differences in terms of how this relationship is structured and the differing impacts produced on navigation patterns and gaze directions. The present study ultimately leads to a deeper understanding of architectural design regarding three-dimensional museum environments, and its implications for users鈥� social and cognitive processes.
Biography
She worked as part of the 鈥楽omer鈥檚 Town Cycle to School鈥� Public Engagement project in collaboration with 果冻影院 and the Camden Council, London (2014-15). She has taught as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant (PGTA) at the Bartlett, 果冻影院. During 2011-14, Athina organised and led numerous design workshops in Greece together with the Department of Urban and Spatial Planning, AUTH and Gehl Architects. She worked for Space Syntax Limited in London (2007-09).
She was a Member of the Management Committee for COST Action TU1002 (2007-09). She has won numerous scholarships and awards among which an AHRC Collaborative Skills Development Grant, as a CLASH Fellow in collaboration with 果冻影院, King鈥檚 Cultural Institute and the Royal Festival Hall in London, a Ph.D. Scholarship by the Greek State Scholarship Foundation (I.K.Y), an Erasmus-Socrates Funding for studies at the RWTH Aachen University, Germany and many research project and conference funds by 果冻影院. Athina is a licensed architect (ARB, TEE-TCG) and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, 果冻影院 Arena One, UK.听
- Publications and other work
- Lazaridou, A., Psarra, S. (2017). 鈥楽patial navigation in real and virtual multi-level museums鈥�. Proceedings of the Eleventh International Space Syntax Symposium, Lisbon: University of Lisbon.
听 - Lazaridou, A. (2016). 鈥楽patial navigation in real and virtual museums in two and three dimensions鈥�. Student Showcase, Annual Book, The Bartlett School of Architecture, 果冻影院, London, UK..听
听 - Lazaridou, A. (2016). 鈥楴avigating multi-level complex museum environments鈥�. 1st Interdisciplinary Navigation Symposium (iNAV), Bad Gastein, Austria.听
听 - Lazaridou, A. (2015). 鈥楴avigating three-dimensional museum environments鈥�. Proceedings of the Human mobility, cognition and GISc Conference, Copenhagen: Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management.听
听 - Lazaridou, A., Psarra, S. (2015). 鈥楨xperiencing three-dimensional museum environments: An investigation of the Ashmolean Museum and the Museum of Scotland鈥�. Proceedings of the Tenth International Space Syntax Symposium, London: 果冻影院.听
听 - Lazaridou, A. (2014). 鈥楾he Ashmolean Museum. Analysing atria through Space Syntax鈥�. LOBBY, Un/Spectacle, No1, The Bartlett School of Architecture, 果冻影院.
听 - Lazaridou, A. (2013). 鈥榁isibility and permeability relations in three-dimensional cultural environments: The Ashmolean Museum as a case study鈥�. Proceedings of the Ninth International Space Syntax Symposium, Edited by Y O Kim, H T Park and K W Seo, Seoul: Sejong University.听
听 - Lazaridou, A. (2011). 鈥楽patially and socially interrelated places; How Thessaloniki鈥檚 city centre embodies multidiversity鈥�. 17th European Colloquim on Quantitative and Theoritical Goegraphy (ECQTG2011), Harokopeio University, Athens.听
听 - Lazaridou, A., Karaveli, E., Oikonomou, M., Tsiolaki, F. (2011). 鈥楾hessaloniki Old Harbor Site: Towards a Sustainable Future Development鈥�. Urban Green Conference, Drama, Greece.听
听 - Vandoros, A., Lazaridou, A., Kurpizidou, K., Kondylis, A. (2009). 鈥楢nalysis of the historical building at听Anageniseos Street听and its surrounding area in Thessaloniki.鈥�. Greek Architects website,听
- Lazaridou, A., Psarra, S. (2017). 鈥楽patial navigation in real and virtual multi-level museums鈥�. Proceedings of the Eleventh International Space Syntax Symposium, Lisbon: University of Lisbon.