Designing Spaces with Control

Control Theory

Every opportunity that I get, I push to make my personal spaces feel like they are my own. Part of that feeling is being able to change the way that my environment is portrayed. I like change. Being able to see my space laid out in a new way that showcases different parts of my personality found in the space is very appealing to me. I, as a designer, strive to give this control to any client that I work with. The control theory in design is what gives clients this sense of control. There are three parts that make up the entirety of control theory: behavioral control, cognitive control, and decisional control. 

Behavioral Control

Source

My first go to when it comes to controlling my environment is to physically alter the space. This is known as behavioral control. As a designer who understands the need to be able to change the environment around them to best benefit themselves, I find it beneficial to design spaces that allow change. Giving clients this control makes them feel as if the space is truly theirs to own and not just a space that they purchased that has a set blueprint. There are instances where clients will redecorate their homes or orient things differently; this doesn't necessarily mean that they did not like the design. Their lives could have changed in a way that wouldn't allow for the space to continue to be set up the way it was. When clients have this kind of control, they feel less restricted in their own homes/environments. I want to give clients the ability to control the way that memories are created and remembered in their homes. As a child, I remember several different instance where I would rearrange my bedroom because i needed more space for my cousins and I to play. This is just a small example of how people can control their environments to result in certain behaviors.

Cognitive Control

Sketchy by me

There are times where people cannot physically alter their environment, maybe because it is a public space or they may just not have the funds to do so in the way that it would be beneficial. In these instances where people can't alter their environment, they can then choose to change the way that they conceive the space around them. This is known as cognitive control; the definition of cognition is basically the process of acquiring knowledge and understanding things through experiences and senses. In physical environments where people can't change their surroundings, they must resort to other options. One of those options is changing the way you view the environment, whether in a negative or positive way. This can be seen in different environments all around. People waiting at the back of a long line could change the way the environment is affecting them; they could distract themselves by talking to a neighbor or listening to music, or they could view their spot in the line in a way that makes them feel closer to the front. It's all about perception.

Decisional Control

Photo taken by me

When all else fails, leave. This is when decisional control comes into play. People aren't always able to control their environment and can't always choose to conceive it differently. When these two options aren't available, a decision must be made; people can make a decision to decide how the environment will affect them. In a real world situation, people in an environment that is causing them discomfort will likely enforce their decisional control and decide to leave said environment. Making this decision allows the person to be in control of how the environment is affecting them. There are many situations where decisional control can come into play. While I was in New York with my grandparents, we visited the 9/11 Memorial. We walked around for hours viewing the different exhibits; eventually, my Grandpa got hungry, tired, and annoyed with the amount of people in the memorial. He made the decision to leave...through an emergency exit. While this is not an ideal decision to make, (I was embarrassed) it is an example of someone making a decision to control their environment.

All of these theories give control to clients. It allows them to feel like their space is truly theirs or that the space they are in isn't permanent. I plan to design spaces to give people this control; when they have this control, it allows environments to be more inclusive and inviting to everyone. I, as a designer, want to give this inclusive space to everyone that I can, and a major part of making them feel that they belong in a space is giving them the control to change it.

Nussbaumer, L. L. (2018). Human factors in the built environment. New York, NY: Fairchild Books, An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing.

tokols, D. (1991). Handbook of environmental psychology. Retrieved October 18, 2018, from https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.ps.29.020178.001345