Symbolic Meaning of Building Style in Small Suburban Offices

This paper reports studies of the connotative meanings inferred from various styles of office exterior. Image capture technology was used to capture in color actual office exteriors of eight different styles and to alter the captured buildings to be alike in other features such as size and siting. 42 adults in Columbus, Ohio, evaluated each building; and 34 adults in Columbus characterized the uses expected in each. The results revealed differences in evaluation and expected use across the styles. For example, Cubist and Tudor styles received the most favorable ratings: simpler modern styles received the most negative ratings. Domestic styles were associated with real estate, Cubist with design professions, and Horizontal modern with diverse uses.