Effect of Technology Driven Built Environments on Mental Health: Assessing Human Attitudes Towards Virtual Realities in Architecture

Abstract

The model and quality of housing, the neighborhood in which one lives, and community social structures all affect one’s physical and mental health. The exploratory research conducts a quantitative evaluation of surroundings’ preferences to different individuals following two models the current reality and Virtual reality Grounded on semi- structured interviews with 29 number of complete
responses, the researcher assessed which model contributed further to individuals’ sense of home and overall well- being. Areas of thematic analysis included three themes: (1) Attitude towards current reality 2) Attitude towards Environment Effect on Wellbeing and Quality of life; (3) Attitude towards Futuristic and Virtual Reality where respondents answered how the emerging terrain whether real or virtual affected their productivity, mental health, physical health and overall wellbeing. This study questions whether the way to human evolution and wellbeing is to proceed in the road of virtuality and artificial intelligences.