Eye trackers in evaluation of transformation of historical monuments. Revitalisation of the Dresden arsenal

Departament of history of architecture, art and technology Faculty of Architecture, Wrocław University of Science and Technology str. Bolesława Prusa 53/55, 50-377 Wrocław, Poland

^* Corresponding author: martajaszcz@wp.pl

Abstract

The paper concentrates on the application of an eye tracker as a tool used to evaluate the successfulness of transformations of various historic monuments for modern purposes. An eye tracker as a device capable of registering the path of one’s gaze makes it possible to analyze the way in which people perceive a given architectural object - in the case of this paper it is the former Dresden Arsenal, now known as the Bundeswehr Military History Museum. Since Daniel Libeskind, the architect behind the transformation, clearly defined the impression he what to achieve and the building provokes significant controversies, it was decided that it would be a suitable object for such a study. The survey was meant to find out whether the changes introduced by Libeskind actually helped him achieve the intended goal. The participants of the survey were shown images of the Arsenal’s façade from before the transformation, after the transformation in the daytime and after the transformation, but at night, with the illumination turned on. The paper not only shows and analyzes differences in the way people perceive these three images, but also raises a question as to the potential of eye trackers as tools used in architectural research.