Interdisciplinary analysis of lived space: architecture, urban planning and environmental psychology

Presentation of Prohabit a the 2nd OIKONET Postgraduate Seminar ISCTE – IUL Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, 15 February 2018 PROHABIT research explores how people interact with and assign meaning to their living environments by examining the use of public, domestic, and transitional spaces and how their design relates to everyday activities. It also investigates how inhabitants create symbolic meanings through territorial practices, shared landmarks, and varying levels of community participation. In addition, it looks at how a sense of place shapes collective identity, including feelings of belonging, resistance to changes that may threaten neighborhood character, and the actions taken to preserve or redefine that identity. The theoretical premises of this research draw on environmental psychology, which studies the dynamic relationship between people and their surroundings, emphasizing how environments influence behavior, perception, and well-being while also being shaped by human experience. This perspective is closely linked to the intersection of architecture and environmental psychology, highlighting that built environments are not only functional structures but also lived and socially meaningful settings that should respond to users’ needs and cultural contexts. A key conceptual distinction is made between space and place, where space is understood as a physical and abstract entity, while place emerges when meaning, memory, and emotion are attached to it. Similarly, the difference between house and home underscores how a dwelling goes beyond its material form to become a site of identity, comfort, and symbolic value. Finally, participation plays a central role, referring to the ways in which inhabitants engage with and shape their environments, from everyday practices to collective action, contributing to a stronger sense of belonging and shared identity.