Beatrice Park
Is it Important for Architects to Understand Proxemic Characteristics in Different Cultures?
May 18, 2011
SoCiology
In this age of globalization, there are many multinational architectural firms, and many
architects design for clients of foreign nations. It is always important for an architect to
understand the lifestyle and culture of the clients. And one branch of study closely related to
people's lifestyle and culture is proxemics.
PROXEMICS
In simple words, proxemics can be described as the
study of physical space between people during
interaction.1 Edward T. Hall defined proxemics as "the
study of man's transactions as he perceives and uses
intimate, personal, social and public space in various
settings while following out of awareness dictates of
cultural paradigms."2 A person permits or prohibits people from entering certain stages of space
surrounding her, depending on the relationship and situation
(See figure 13). For an example, one will allow her family
members to enter her intimate space and hug her. But her
neighbor, a mere acquaintance, will have to stay in the wider
and distant social space. If the neighbor enters her intimate
space, she will be alarmed or even offended. These ranges of
1 Abdul Muati Amad, Arbai'e Sujud, and Hamisah Zaharah Hasa, "Proxemics and its relationship with
Malay Architecture," Britannica, Last modified 2007, http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/
18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-Relationship-with-Malay-Architecture.
2 Edward T. Hall, quoted in "Proxemics and its relationship with Malay Architecture," Britannica, Last
modified 2007, http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-Relationshipwith-
Malay-Architecture.
3 Proximity, JPG, http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2009/03/
Figure 1
interaction spaces differ for individuals. One's social space can be another's personal space. And
according to sociologists and anthropologists, different cultures and nations have different
standards of proxemic spaces.
PROXEMICS IN DIFFERENT CULTURES
Even within the Western World, each nation has its characteristic proxemic standards.
France is a relatively crowded society, and the people experience greater physical
proximity. Compared to Americans, French people make more intense eye contact and physical
interaction.4
Compared to Americans, Germans tend to be more strict
about the range of distance that indicates intrusion. In the US,
sticking one's head or body part into another's house is usually
not considered as territory invasion, as long as one's feet are
outside the house. Yet Germans find such behaviors alarming.
Germans have a close-door pattern business, while the Americans
have a open-door pattern business. Germans generally feel that
having an open door can lead to intrusion, while Americans
generally feel that keeping a door closed leads to ostracism.5 The many websites that guide
Americans how to behave in front of a closed door seem to prove the cultural difference and the
unease when people of different proxemic habits interact.6
4 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 186-191.
5 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 173-180.
6 Simon Tribe, "Come on in, My Door Is Always Closed," Spiegel Online International, http://
www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,412990,00.html
As European nations show very distinct proxemic characteristics, it is not amazing that
Middle Eastern nations differ greatly from the US. Public spaces in Middle Eastern countries
tend to be more crowded and houses tend to be wider. Physical contact in public spaces is more
common in Middle Eastern countries, and this is not because people are rude, but because the
proxemic behavior pattern is different in Middle Eastern countries. Even when in public areas,
Americans keep a distance from other people to protect privacy. Yet in Middle Eastern nations,
public areas are purely public, and a person cannot claim private space. For an example, in an
empty plaza in the US, one will feel uncomfortable when another individual stands right next to
him. But in a Middle Eastern plaza, this is a more natural situation. Overall, Middle Eastern
people do not demand as much physical privacy as Americans do. Thus the distance between
people interacting is much closer. 7
In Malaysia, a visitor's relationship with the owner determines where he is permitted to
enter. A stranger must remain at the landing section, a friend may walk up to the verandah, and a
relative may go as far as the main room. Compared to Americans, Malaysians are more open to
letting other people in their intimate space - when people sit in a circle, they may sit as close as
their knees touch. 8
THE LINK
Then how does proxemics link to architecture? The common types of houses in a country
can reflect the proxemic characteristics of the people.
7 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 199-210.
8 Abdul Muati Amad, Arbai'e Sujud, and Hamisah Zaharah Hasan "Proxemics and its relationship with
Malay Architecture," Britannica, Last modified 2007, http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/
18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-Relationship-with-Malay-Architecture
In the US, quickly built gigantic "McMansions" are becoming increasingly common. The
average single-family house size increased from 983 square feet in 1950 to 2434 square feet in
2005. The number of homes with four or more bedrooms reached 40% in 2004.9
Middle Eastern people tend to dislike closed space more than Americans do. To satisfy
Arabians, a closed space must be wide enough for the occupant to walk around: around a
hundred square meters. The ceiling must be high, and nothing should block the view. Although
both Americans and Middle Easterners like to have big houses, houses in Middle Eastern nations
tend to have fewer walls that divide the rooms.10 This could be linked to the proxemic
characteristics of the two nations. Americans want more physical privacy and less interference.
Thus each member of the family will demand a separate room. Yet in a Middle Eastern
household, the members demand less physical privacy, and many rooms are not needed.
The Germans demand even greater physical privacy than the Americans and are more
sensitive about intrusion. Thus, in contrast to the lighter doors in the US, doors in Germany tend
to be heavy and to have very sturdy locks. 11
A study on Malay proxemics reveals that even within one nation, the regional
characteristics can affect the housing style. The comparatively close minded easterners -
demanding more privacy - build elevated floors. In the south, where unmarried women must not
approach strangers during feasts and minimize interaction with the guests, houses often have
9 Lisa Smith, "McMansion: A Closer Look At The Big House Trend," Investopedia. http://
www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/07/mcmansion.asp
10 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 199-210.
11 Edward T. Hall, "The Hidden Dimension," trans. Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park. (Seoul: Sejin,
2005), 173-180.
attics for the women to hide. 12 This is a custom uncommon in the US where women may
interact with visitors. Thus the attics in the two nations differ in purpose and feature.
CONCLUSION
An architect must always keep in mind that the goal of any building is to enhance the
inhabitants' life. An office must be suit for working and ideally raise the productivity. A house
must be suit for living, and ideally make the owner comfortable.
When a building's features force people to act against their proxemic habits, people can
be stressed. When an American enters a German office, where all the doors are closed, the
American will think that he is left out and ignored. On the other hand, a German at an American
office might think that the employees must be sloppy for leaving all doors open. An American at
a Malaysian gathering hall will feel offended that strangers are sitting so close up to him.
The features of a building will continuously influence the people's experience in the
building, and the experience must not be distressful ones. Thus, when an architect designs -
especially for a foreign culture - it is important to thoroughly observe and research the proxemic
characteristics of the nation.
ASSESSMENT
The majority of my findings come from scholarly articles. Professor Hall, the author of
The Hidden Dimension, taught communication at the Illinois Institute of Technology and
Northwestern University. He is also a member of the Building Research Advisory Board.13 He is
a reliable source, yet it is unfortunate that his research methods were not explained in the book.
12 Abdul Muati Amad, Arbai'e Sujud, and Hamisah Zaharah Hasan "Proxemics and its relationship with
Malay Architecture," Britannica, Last modified 2007, http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/
18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-Relationship-with-Malay-Architecture
13 Hall, Karin B. "Edward T. Hall." Edward T. Hall. http://www.edwardthall.com/
The report Proxemics and its Relationship with Malay Architecture was written by
communication professors of the Universiti Putra Malaysia. Their report included diagrams to
illustrate the relationship regional proxemics and housing. The sources of information are
reliable, but one potential flaw comes from the fact that the reports, except for the article on
McMansions, are based mainly on observations rather than statistical data.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Amad, Abdul Muati, Arbai'e Sujud, and Hamisah Zaharah Hasan. "Proxemics and its
relationship with Malay Architecture." Britannica. Last modified 2007. http://
www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/27166211/Proxemics-and-its-
Relationship-with-Malay-Architecture
Hall, Edward T. "The Hidden Dimension." Translated by Gwangmoon Kim, Jongpyoung Park.
Seoul: Sejin, 2005.
Hall, Karin B. "Edward T. Hall." Edward T. Hall. http://www.edwardthall.com/
Tribe, Simon. "Come on in, My Door Is Always Closed." Spiegel Online International http://
www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,412990,00.html
Smith, Lisa. "McMansion: A Closer Look At The Big House Trend." Investopedia. http://
www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/07/mcmansion.asp
indegenious architecture means the architecture of a particular place.
Renaissance architecture (14th and 15th centuries), Baroque architecture (16 & 17th centuries) and Neoclassical architecture (18th and 19th centuries) were modeled on Roman architecture.
Gothic and Roman architecture are similar:
Architecture belongs to its own industry, the architecture industry. Architecture is defined as the "art or practice of designing or constructing buildings."
zen architecture
PROXEMICS
Proxemics refers to the study of personal space and how individuals use space in social interactions. An example sentence could be: "Understanding proxemics can help people navigate different cultural norms around personal space."
Proxemics is the study of how space is used between individuals during social interactions. It can help individuals understand cultural norms, personal boundaries, and hierarchy within a given context. By being aware of proxemics, individuals can improve communication, build better relationships, and avoid misunderstandings in various social situations.
Proxemics refers to the study of how people perceive and use space in their interactions. It explores how individuals establish personal boundaries in various social settings and the impact of physical distance on communication and relationships.
No, the "zone of comfort" is not a concept within proxemics. Proxemics refers to the study of how people use and perceive personal space in social interactions, such as the different distances we maintain from others in different contexts. The "zone of comfort" is typically used to describe a person's preference for a certain level of comfort or familiarity in a given situation.
Proxemics is the study of how people perceive and use space in social interactions. It examines how individuals establish and maintain physical distances to communicate messages and convey social norms, such as personal space and territoriality.
Proxemics is primarily studied by environmental psychologists and anthropologists. These researchers explore how individuals perceive and use space in various contexts, including how physical distance and environmental factors impact communication, behavior, and social interactions.
An example of proxemics is how most Americans feel safe and comfortable with keeping people we know at an arm's length away during conversation. This space increases to a couple of feet if the person is a complete stranger or not well known
proxemics. its sociology.
Terrirrality
Proxemics
space is a main component in drama because it shows shapes, levels and proxemics.