Evaluation of the relationship between spatial learning and image maintenance through isovist analysis

Abstract

This study presents a method, 3D parametric isovist volumes, to examine the relationship between ‘spatial visibility’ and ‘image maintenance’. The method assesses spatial visibility using 3D isovist analysis and investigates whether people complete a route using the ‘image maintenance’ method in places with limited visibility. The proposed method was applied in a three-phase case study involving ten participants from a design education background. The study employed a questionnaire, a navigation task, and a sketch-map task. Initial results indicate that spatial learning is more effective in areas with high visibility during the navigation process. However, spatial learning in low-visibility areas cannot always be predicted using the ‘image maintenance’ method or the data obtained from ‘spatial cues’.