| Abstrakt: |
Communication within retail spaces is determined by several factors ranging from the layout of the furnishings to the establishment' colours, sounds, and even smells. However, particularly following the impact of COVID 19, another main aspect to consider is the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) or the furnishings' free space. The objective of this paper is to show that, despite the influence that the FAR has on the perception of the user at a psychological and communicative level, there is another ratio to take into consideration: personal space occupation, which significantly impacts communication and the consumer's state of mind. A methodology has been designed to ascertain the consumer's psychological and receptive status and, moreover, to gauge the influence of the number of subjects present in the commercial area. The methodology is based on a novel formula that provides a response to the need to incorporate the number of consumers as a variable when understanding space. Our findings show that the FAR plays a key role in the user perceptions. In addition, one of the most relevant conclusions of the study is that it demonstrates the impact of high personal space occupancy on the perception of space and the communication dynamics within these environments. Additionally, by comparing establishments across normal and extreme rates of occupation, the formula for the Personal Area Ratio (PAR) is validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
