Colour perception between designers and laypublic on constructed landmarks in Malaysian cities

Abstract

For more than a century, the psychology of colour in relation to emotion and behaviour has been studied and throughout history colour has always fascinated humankind. It facilitates us with an aesthetic and postulates with colour experience. Despite such understanding, little is known about the relationship of colour shades with colour experience in urban environment. This study explores the various schemes of colour perception or interpretation of the urban environment and aims to discover their potential part in interactions in terms of familiarity between designers and the laypublic as users. It is also of equal importance to identify the differences and similarities in perception between the two respondent groups, associated with colour perception on constructed landmark. Theoretical framework of the study was grounded by the perceptual theories linked to colour experience or perception, familiarity, surfacial and emotional descriptor of the designers and laypublic. Data were gathered in a mixed-method approach involving three strategies: explorative survey questionnaire, pilot survey and final survey with surrogate method and structured interview. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were used to analyse the data that were triangulated to examine the relationships. The findings suggest that there are similarities and differences in colour perception, familiarity, surfacial evaluations and emotional values between designers and laypublic. The surfacial attributes suggest that different types of landmarks indicate different level of familiarities and noticeable factors. Hence, the respondents’ background and experience with the attributes suggest the different types of perceptual evaluations and meanings.