In this issue, we’ve talked about circularity and cycles, so let’s take this opportunity to examine the design preference for circles. That’s right—using rounded lines and circular shapes in your event design can create a better emotional reaction from attendees than sharp, angular shapes.
Author and designer Manuel Lima published a book in 2017 called The Book of Circles: Visualizing Spheres of Knowledge. In an article for the BBC, he breaks down his findings as to why humans prefer round shapes. You may be surprised to learn that studies have found humans are born with a preference for circular shapes.
Studies have also found that sharp-cornered objects cause greater amygdala activation than rounded objects. The amygdala is the part of the brain that processes fear, anxiety, and aggressiveness stimuli.
In other words, angular shapes trigger fear. Round shapes evoke feelings of safety.
One other possible explanation is that, when mapped geometrically, positive human emotions create rounder lines on the human face, while negative emotions create angular lines.
Regardless of reason, time has shown that circles create positive emotions. Keep this in mind as you design your next event and gather inspiration from this roundup of our favorite circular event features!
Feature image is produced by Phenomenon Creative Events, photo courtesy Duncan Barnes
