The impact of architectural and urban patterns on the behaviour of an exhibited angular size-illusion

Abstract

This paper continues a research in which it has been confirmed that the angular size-illusion underpins a contradictory effect related to a seeming size-decrease of focused architectural and urban objects as the observer approaches them. It explores the impact of various architectural and urban patterns on the behavior of an angular size-illusion noticeable during movement. To obtain sustainable conclusions, real locations are selected and simplified. Simplification criteria are defined respecting the preconditions necessary to trigger such an illusion. Also, two groups of parameters are formulated, both as illusion quantifiers and illusion qualifiers (such as descriptors and determinants). By analyzing the illusion quantifier's conduct, the established valorization criteria allowed the methodological investigation of influences of illusion determinants on the descriptor's behavior. The outputs-based conclusions are generalized in a form applicable to contemporary architectural and urban practice, making it possible to estimate and control the behavior of the illusion in reality.