ABSTRACT
An excited design student, a new place, unusual forms, experiential pleasures—all are factors in the story. Most likes are deeply embedded in people's social and cultural contexts. Think for a moment about how food preferences develop. Comparable processes of acculturation are at work when people develop likes and dislikes for places. Humans have similarly strong likes or antipathies to specific attributes of environments. A place can influence where a person chooses to spend his or her time through a range of qualities. Social groupings and status connect with place design and what people like. Marcus writes of how Americans of different socio-economic classes make choices that express their status and their aspirations through their houses and their gardens. People like places that support their work and their social life. Friendly spaces attract. They make one comfortable, keep one safe, provide stimulation, and most importantly, include friends and family with whom a person wants to spend time.
