Book Review: Places of the Heart by Colin Ellard

As an avid reader myself, I must admit that Places of the Heart by Colin Ellard is not the type of book I would have typically gone for. Its intellectual language and study of how the brain works in its reaction to particular spaces was certainly difficult for me to wrap my head around, however, as I challenged myself to understand the text and interpret Ellard’s arguments, I found myself fascinated by the various elements of architecture that I had never before considered. Through reading Places of the Heart, I was able to learn about how different aspects of architecture impact our mental processes and what the future holds for design in both homes and cityscapes.

As an experimental psychologist, Colin Ellard studies the ways that buildings influence those who use them, and through Places of the Heart, Ellard explains his findings on the topic. In the book, Ellard discusses his belief in the relationship between our experiences and the places that those experiences take place in, as well as the reasons people build things in the way that they do. Architects will often utilize certain design principles to provoke a desired psychological response from those using the space. For example, the design of courthouses makes those in the space more likely to comply and increases one’s willingness to conform. Ellard also emphasizes that while buildings are nearly always a symbol of something, whether that be a political statement, piece of art, cultural artifact, or anything in between, it must also be functional in order for it to be successful. Finally, Ellard discusses the future of both domestic and urban design and provides an idea of what the next several years will look like for architecture.

One of my favorite chapters in the book was “Places of Affection,” which focuses on how we as human beings form connections to the places around us. The chapter explains how our brains are hardwired to have certain reactions to architecture, such as a preference for curves because as infants we avoid sharp edges for our safety. Not only are we hardwired with certain preferences, but we also are hardwired to have a tendency to assign complex emotions to inanimate objects, which was proven in several experiments in the 1900s. This is one of the main elements of our psychological experience that encourages us to form a connection with architecture. The connection that we form with architecture impacts us in numerous ways, even in ways that we may not consciously recognize. To aid in humans forming connections with the architecture around them, designers should recognize that people value control and privacy, so an important design principle to follow is avoiding crowding, as this will likely prevent people from forming a connection to their space. Finally, the chapter discusses the future of technology in domestic spaces, which involves homes that are more environmentally-friendly and responsive to its inhabitants’ behaviors.

One of Ellard’s most prominent arguments in “Places of Affection” focuses on the design principles that builders must consider in order to create a successful building. Specifically, he argues that people feel more calm in less crowded spaces, stating that while observing people in private places, he could “actually see their bodies calm down in response to these empty places” (p. 72). He discusses that humans should be able to have an “individualized domestic space tailored to our own preferences, experiences, and inner psychology” and that these are the kinds of spaces we are able to form connections to (p. 73). To back up his argument, Ellard discusses architect Oscar Newman, who has developed design principles to increase the safety and livability in housing projects with the goal of encouraging “feelings of place attachment in environments where economic challenges act against any desires that the tenant might have to personalize and take ownership of their living environment” (p. 71). Ellard also writes about how those in high-density living spaces need ownership and control as well as privacy, so the element of crowding in high-density living spaces contradicts Newman’s design principles. I agree with Ellard’s argument and believe that it holds true in many instances that all of us experience in our daily life. For instance, it explains why people tend to dislike living in dorms, as they are typically overcrowded and residents have little control over the furniture or design of the space. I believe that Ellard’s arguments are very valid and can be seen in a variety of areas in our lives.

While “Places of Affection” mainly focuses on domestic design, “Places of Anxiety” is a chapter that mostly discusses cityscapes. In this chapter, Ellard argues that those living in urban areas tend to have higher rates of anxiety than those in rural areas. He explains that this is due to environmental factors present in urban areas as well as the economic status of those in cities and the presence of toxins. However, there are ways to combat the increasing rates of mental illness in urban areas. First of all, it has been found that more cohesive neighborhoods tend to have lower mental illness rates, and another study showed that having more natural spaces in urban environments helps prevent anxiety. Both of these findings provide evidence that builders and city planners have the opportunity and responsibility to build urban areas in a way that will help deplete anxiety levels in its inhabitants.

While the future of architectural design is unknown, there are several paths that we seem to be headed towards. First of all, sustainability has become a priority in architecture. Additionally, designs, particularly domestic designs, are headed in the direction of becoming more responsive to its inhabitants' needs by recognizing their behaviors and then adapting its design and functionality accordingly. As for cityscapes, designers are hoping to incorporate more natural spaces within urban areas as well as ensuring city streets are not monotonous, as people should be able to see something new regularly as they walk in order to keep them engaged. While there are certainly various directions that the future of design is headed towards, there is still a lot to learn about how people react to spaces, which is why studies are still being conducted to understand how the design of spaces can be improved. Virtual reality has become increasingly helpful in studying how people react to various domestic places, as it allows for scientists to analyze how people react to unique places without actually taking them there. As for studying cityscapes, geotracking has been an extremely useful tool, as it lets scientists track where a person walks while monitoring their stress levels, therefore they are able to see what exactly impacts inhabitants’ stress levels in urban areas so that they can adjust those elements in the future.

Clearly, there is a lot to learn about how people react to various spaces, and technology is allowing us to study residents more effectively through advances in virtual reality, geotracking, and more. Colin Ellard’s book also helps improve design, as it spreads awareness about what needs to be done to make our cities and homes the best they can be. Through providing various methods to improve connections to our space as well as emphasizing the importance of both aesthetic and functionality, Ellard paves the path to understanding how we can live in the best space possible.