The Role of Architectural Boundaries in Shaping Visitors’ Aesthetic Experiences in Virtual Exhibition Environments

Research into exhibition spaces increasingly focuses on visitors’ aesthetic experiences. This study explores how the architectural boundaries of virtual exhibition environments influence visitors’ aesthetic experiences. Twelve virtual exhibition environments were developed in which the architectural boundaries defining the exhibition space, such as ceiling height and curvature, were manipulated through virtual reality. Participants assessed their aesthetic experiences based on three dimensions: familiarity, excitement, and fascination. Participants’ emotional states, education type, and presence level were also measured. The findings indicated that curvature negatively impacts familiarity, whereas ceiling height and curvature positively correlate with excitement and fascination. This study is a pioneering effort to link aesthetic experience dimensions with architectural boundaries in virtual exhibition environments, enhancing our understanding of how visitors perceive these virtual exhibition environments differently.