Exploring the Relationship between Sense of Presence and Sense of Place in Dematerialized Architectural Spaces: A Multidisciplinary Review

Mousavi, Seyedeh Mastoureh; Shali Amini, Vahid; Khakzand, Mehdi; Rahbar, Morteza; Alimohammadi, Parisa

doi:10.22034/ijumes.2025.2041696.1259

Exploring the Relationship between Sense of Presence and Sense of Place in Dematerialized Architectural Spaces: A Multidisciplinary Review

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Seyedeh Mastoureh Mousavi ¹

Vahid Shali Amini ²

Mehdi Khakzand ³

Morteza Rahbar ⁴

Parisa Alimohammadi ²

¹ Department of architecture, Azad Islamic University Central Branch, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Architecture, Azad Islamic University Central Branch, Tehran, Iran

³ Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Landscape, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

⁴ School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/ijumes.2025.2041696.1259

Abstract

The creation of a sense of place is a fundamental goal in architecture, shaping how individuals perceive and connect with their surroundings. As architectural practices transition into dematerialized spaces, traditional approaches face challenges in defining and fostering this concept. In Human-Computer Interaction, the “sense of presence” describes the user’s experience of being in a virtual environment; however, its relationship to the sense of place remains ambiguous. This review aims to explore and differentiate these concepts within the context of virtual environments by synthesizing insights from architecture, psychology, and cognitive science. A systematic review methodology was employed, drawing from peer-reviewed articles published between 2018 and 2024 across architecture, HCI, and cognitive science databases. Studies were selected based on relevance to multisensory feedback, presence, place-making, and virtual experience design. Data were extracted, thematically analyzed, and synthesized to build a coherent framework linking presence, place, and multisensory interaction. The analysis reveals that multisensory techniques, specifically visual, auditory, and haptic feedback significantly enhance the sense of presence, fostering deeper emotional and cognitive engagement. However, critical gaps persist, including limited cross-sensory integration, a lack of longitudinal studies evaluating the durability of presence, and insufficient inclusivity for diverse user populations. This review provides a conceptual framework advocating for personalized, inclusive, and multisensory approaches to virtual environment design. By bridging architectural theory and HCI, the study highlights the need for sustainable strategies that transform dematerialized spaces into meaningful environments deeply connected to human experience. These findings have significant implications for advancing the use of virtual environments in education, therapy, and entertainment sectors.

Graphical Abstract

Exploring the Relationship between Sense of Presence and Sense of Place in Dematerialized Architectural Spaces: A Multidisciplinary Review

Highlights

Multisensory feedback, including visual, auditory, and haptic stimuli, significantly enhances user immersion, fostering stronger senses of presence and place in virtual environments.
Emotional and narrative-driven designs dynamically adapting to users’ states are crucial for deepening emotional engagement and strengthening place attachment.
Personalized sensory substitution techniques, such as spatial audio and haptic feedback tailored to individual users, markedly increase the authenticity of dematerialized experiences.
Despite advancements, critical gaps remain in cross-sensory integration, long-term impact studies, and inclusive design, underscoring key directions for future virtual environment development.

Keywords

Adaptive systems

Human- computer interaction

multisensory techniques

personalization

sense of place

sense of presence

virtual environments

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