CPE Reading and Use of English Part 5
You are going to read an extract from a book about architecture and society. For questions 31-36 choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Architecture, Space and Psychology
We navigate cities with a presumption of neutrality, assuming that walls, doors, and layouts are only functional and there is nothing beyond that functionality. This is a profound misconception. Historically, architecture has never been a silent stage but an active narrator, employing a vocabulary of form, material, and light to script our behaviour, shape our emotions, and reinforce social order. Its influence is omnipresent yet subtle, bypassing our conscious critique to speak directly to our instincts and ingrained social reflexes. To understand a society, therefore, one must learn to read its buildings not as aesthetic statements, but as behavioural blueprints.
This power operates most effectively at the scale of the civic institution. Consider the deliberate intimidation of a courthouse facade, its heavy stone and grand steps calculated to instil reverence for the law. Contrast this with the transparent glass walls of a modern parliament, ostensibly broadcasting ideals of openness and accountability. Even the disorienting, windowless corridors of certain bureaucratic or institutional buildings are seldom accidents; they can serve to dissolve individuality and reinforce a sense of powerless navigation within an immutable system — a Kafkaesque bewilderment with its grand design. All of these are psychological tools rendered in concrete and steel.
The science of ‘space syntax’ provides empirical weight to these observations. By analysing spatial configurations—measuring connectivity, depth from an entrance, visibility—researchers can predict with remarkable accuracy patterns of natural movement, social encounter, and even rates of crime or interaction. A park path that curves out of sight will foster different behaviours than a straight, open promenade; a housing estate with a single entrance creates a different social dynamic from one with multiple permeable routes. This research moves the discussion from poetic metaphor to demonstrable cause and effect, proving that spatial design is a form of social engineering.
This psychological power extends insidiously into the domestic sphere. The post-war shift from segregated, formal rooms to open-plan living areas did not merely reflect changing family aesthetics; it actively facilitated and normalised a more informal, integrated family life. The ‘kitchen island’ became not just a work surface but a stage for continuous interaction, subtly dictating a social dynamic of togetherness. Conversely, the now-standard proliferation of en-suite bathrooms represents a powerful architectural push towards the privatisation of experience, reflecting and facilitating a broader cultural turn towards individualism. Our homes, far from being neutral shelters, are training grounds for specific ways of being.
Faced with such analysis, a reasonable objection arises: does this not verge on determinism, painting humans as puppets of their environment, devoid of free will? The objection is valid but incomplete. To acknowledge the power of design is not to claim we lack agency. Humans are ingenious at adaptation, resistance, and repurposing. The grand, sterile plaza intended for orderly civic ceremony is reclaimed by skateboarders for athletic play; the park bench designed for contemplation becomes a lunch spot for office workers. Yet, this very act of resistance pays tacit homage to the script’s original power; we are defining ourselves in reaction to an intended use.
The ultimate takeway here, therefore, is not that we are controlled, but that we have to be aware of this control and contest it. This leads to the hopeful frontier of participatory design—a process where end-users co-author their environments. When communities partake in planning housing, parks, or public buildings, architecture begins to shed its historically authoritarian role. It can transition from being a force that imposes order from above to becoming a framework that fosters genuine well-being, nurtures community, and cultivates a democratic sense of place. The end goal is not to live in a world without architectural influence, but to build a world whose silent counsel speaks for the many, not just the powerful few.
31 What is the author’s main purpose in the first paragraph?
A To contrast ancient and modern architectural principles.
B To introduce the idea that buildings actively shape human behaviour.
C To argue that functionality is the only true measure of good design.
D To trace the diminishing importance of aesthetics in architecture.
32 What point does the author make about the architecture of civic buildings like courthouses and parliaments?
A It is made intentionally frightening.
B It can be overly confusing.
C It produces specific psychological effects.
D It reflects the purpose of the institution.
33 The author refers to ‘space syntax’ (paragraph three) in order to
A propose a new method for architectural training.
B commend its ‘function over style’ approach.
C provide scientific support for the claims about design’s social impact.
D criticise the over-reliance on technology in urban planning.
34 Why does the author discuss open-plan living and en-suite bathrooms?
A To show how home design follows fleeting fashion trends.
B To illustrate how domestic architecture guides private behaviour and values.
C To argue that modern homes are less comfortable than traditional ones.
D To contrast two different approaches to house planning.
35 What is the author’s response to the charge of ‘determinism’?
A They concede it is a weakness in their argument.
B They argue that human adaptability proves the initial influence of design.
C They dismiss it as irrelevant to the discussion of public spaces.
D They redefine the term to fit their architectural theory.
36 Which of the following best expresses the author’s conclusion about the future of architecture?
A Its unseen influence will gradually grow weaker.
B The public is more likely to be acceptive of it.
C People’s involvement in it can be transformative.
D The psychological effects of buildings are too deeply ingrained to change.
For this task: Answers with explanations :: Vocabulary
