The progressive gallery paradox: : neuroscience and morphology applied to behavior analysis in an art gallery typology

• Autor(a) principal: Rolim, Ana Luisa
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Amorim, Luiz
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.47235/rmu.v10i2.264

Focusing on visitors’ spatial behavior we investigate an exhibition space typology with sequential arrangement of rooms, called “progressive gallery” (GP). Resulting from a doctoral thesis, the interface between neuroscience and spatial syntax is proposed. The impact of GPs on the attentional function is evaluated by measuring the focus response in visitors navigating virtual galleries. Initial hypotheses about GPs were: visual fields are highly intelligible; deterministic layouts lead to more focused visitation and the space has great impact on the visit, especially when routes are limited. Simple hypothetical matrices of layouts, historical examples and two modern GPs, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Museum of Unlimited Growth, were analyzed. Subsequently, the analysis of complex variations occurs followed by the evaluation of visitor paths and focus during virtual navigation in the galleries, our main concern. The “Degree of Progression” and the “Index of Variation of Focus Peaks” are introduced, establishing a close relationship between spatial geometry and neural responses, which can provide valuable data for curatorial and architectural projects. Results revealed that the coexistence of intelligibility, good intervisibility and route-defining geometry, unlike the hypothesis, did not lead to more focused responses, pointing towards the paradox in question.