Mental Model-Centered Design for Built Environments

In this contribution, we argue that understanding model preferences in human mental spatial reasoning can eventually help improve both the design and the use of built environments. We present a design support tool prototype that interacts with the designer by checking for model preferences in the spatial instantiation of design constraints and suggests alternative placements where such are appropriate. We then discuss the applicability of the underlying methodology for supporting preferences in the spatial mental models which users of built environments exhibit when conceptualizing these environments. A framework is proposed for systematically evaluating designs with regard to how well users can conceptualize the corresponding built environments. We suggest that integrating this framework into the design process can lead to buildings for which correct mental conceptualizations are comparably easy to construct and maintain. Users may ultimately benefit from better building use and designers from being able to construct more usable buildings.