Abstract:
Taste can be identified as a highly personalized part of one’s life. It is perceived in various ways by
different people depending on their socio-cultural and economic backgrounds. The main objective of
the study is to identify the influence of socio-cultural and economic factors on formation of the
architectural taste, and thereby to construct a relationship between such specific factors and
architectural taste in the built environment with reference to Real Estate Development. The
methodology adopted for the study is a comprehensive review of exiting literature of secondary
sources. . A combination of statistical data and qualitative insights from studies already conducted on
aesthetic judgement and user perception was applied. Conclusions were developed through
scrutinizing and critically analysing the gathered data and information. Several factors were
identified as highly influential on architectural taste: socio-cultural factors such as social class,
religion, education, occupation and place of residence; demographical factors such as sex and age,
and economic factors such as financial status, supply and demand related issues. The key aesthetic
properties linked to the judgement of taste in architectural space were Formal Aesthetics and
Symbolic Aesthetics. The specific architectural characteristics considered in built-environment are
Openness-Enclosure, Complexity/Visual Richness, Order/Unity, Nature, Scale, Proportion, Colour,
Light, Function and Cleanliness. Based on the main findings of this study, it can be recommended that
architects and policy makers should consider above socio-cultural, economic factors to achieve
residential satisfaction when constructing and managing Real Estate Development.
