Measuring Overall Architectural Quality

Abstract

Using data from a post-occupancy evaluation of an award-winning federal office building, asthetic or architectural quality and the factors associated with it are considered. Various measures of quality are derived from responses to questionnaires administered to three user groups: the office workers, public visitors, and the community at large. Findings show that, on average, the public is likely to agree the building is worthy of its architectural awards. The office workers on the other hand, tend to rate the architectural quality of the building poorly. The analysis demonstrates that views on architectural quality are significantly related to the way workers assess the building as a place to work and the general ambience of their particular agency. Agency ambience is seen as having both asthetic components and functional components such as noise levels, temperature, and people movement. It is suggested that linkages exist in the minds of occupants between the quality of the workplace including its nonaesthetic components and assessments of overall architectural quality.