Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 14(1), pp. 511 - 523
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140134
Reprint (PDF) (533Kb)

The Relationship Between Gestalt Principles and Environmental Behavior in Interior Design

Luxi Wang , Safial Aqbar Zakaria ^*
School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

This study explores the relationship between Gestalt principles and environmental behavior in interior design, focusing on how spatial perception influences user interaction and emotional response. While Gestalt principles, such as figure-ground, proximity, similarity, continuity, and focal points, are widely applied in design, their direct impact on human behavior in interior spaces remains underexplored. This study explores the relationship between Gestalt principles and environmental behavior in interior design, focusing on how spatial perception influences user interaction and emotional response. While Gestalt principles, such as figure-ground, proximity, similarity, continuity, and focal points, are widely applied in design, their direct impact on human behavior in interior spaces remains underexplored. This research aims to bridge this gap by investigating how interior designers incorporate Gestalt principles into spatial organization, lighting composition, and visual hierarchy, and how users perceive, navigate, and emotionally respond to these design features within real-world settings, such as hotels, museums, and exhibition halls. A qualitative research design was employed, involving 10 non-participant observation sessions (each lasting approximately 90–120 minutes) across diverse interior environments, including hotel lobbies, museums, art galleries, retail stores, offices, shopping malls, resort receptions, exhibition pavilions, and public libraries. These observations were complemented by semi-structured interviews with six interior designers and four users, enabling triangulation of tangible (observed spatial behaviors) and intangible (reported perceptions and emotions) dimensions of spatial experience. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify patterns in spatial perception, navigation, and emotional response. Data were coded and categorized into key themes to provide insights into the alignment between design intent and user experience. The results indicate that Gestalt principles significantly influence spatial navigation, emotional comfort, and cognitive engagement. Users subconsciously follow visual cues, while designers strategically implement Gestalt principles to create intuitive environments. However, discrepancies emerged between designer intentions and user interpretations, highlighting the role of personal and cultural factors in spatial perception. This study contributes to interior design theory by providing empirical insights into the application of Gestalt principles. The findings offer practical recommendations for architects and designers to enhance user experience through strategic spatial design.

KEYWORDS
Gestalt Principles, Interior Design, Environmental Behavior, Spatial Perception, User Experience

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Luxi Wang , Safial Aqbar Zakaria , "The Relationship Between Gestalt Principles and Environmental Behavior in Interior Design," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 511 - 523, 2026. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140134.

(b). APA Format:
Luxi Wang , Safial Aqbar Zakaria (2026). The Relationship Between Gestalt Principles and Environmental Behavior in Interior Design. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 14(1), 511 - 523. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140134.