Sulla teoria della percezione di Walter Gropius

Michele Sinico

Michele Sinico Università Iuav di Venezia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9807-5072

Keywords: Bauhaus, Walter Gropius, Perception Theory

Abstract

This article examines Walter Gropius’s theory of perception with reference to his publication Is There a Science of Design? written in 1947. The first part of this publication looks at some of the influences deriving from Ganzheitspsychologie and the New Look on Perception. In particular, it discusses a perceptual demonstration by Earl C. Kelley, cited by Gropius. In his paper, Gropius also touches on some principles of phenomenology, with which he lays the theoretical basis of perceptual intersubjectivity. The article also brings to light some of his insights on the scientific study of expressive qualities and the relationship between subject and environment and reveals the influences of Gestalt theory and the spiritualistic psychology upon Gropius’ theory of perception.

Author Biography

Michele Sinico, Università Iuav di Venezia

He trained at the Trieste University, at the University of Portsmouth and at the University of Padua where he received the PhD in Experimental Psychology. He taught Communication Psychology at the University of Bologna and General Psychology at the Ca ’Foscari University. He currently teaches Psychology of perception and Ergonomics at claDIS.
Among the published books: Expressive Design (Mimesis), Scienza degli osservabili (Pitagora) and, together with Mario Zanforlin, he edited in two volumes, I recenti sviluppi della teoria della Gestalt in Italia (Pitagora). He has also published numerous articles in national («GIP», «Theories and Models», «Psychology Research») and international («Perception», «Journal of Experimental Psychology», «Gestalt Theory», «Theory & Psychology», «Axiomates», «Review of Psychology», «Perceptual and Motor Skills», «Behavioral and Brain Sciences»).
His interests in the field of design concern: the application of the science of perception in industrial design, the application of expressive qualities in expressive-emotional design, sensory ergonomics (preference, pleasantness, usability, safety, functionality), tests and methods for the scientific control of the industrial product inherent to the human factor, historiographic research on specific theoretical-methodological themes.

On Walter Gropius’s Theory of Perception

Abstract

Author Biography