Our senses seek patterns.

What makes us feel safe? Are you familiar with the phrase, “There’s safety in numbers?” When a quantity of similar action, language, or design elements are repeated in increasing numbers, a pattern emerges. We become surrounded by similar activities, messages, or forms. What was once new now grows into the familiar, potentially creating a sense of belonging, familiarity, and even safety.

How might we experience this in the built environment? When you climb up a flight of stairs, you expect each step to rise at the same height. This repetitious pattern is what gives the user the confidence to climb faster or talk to their partner while ascending. When a stair breaks that pattern by just one step at a one-inch difference, our body reacts and suddenly we question the next step. We slow down our pace or interrupt our conversation with our partner.

In design, utilize patterns to create a sense of safety through the familiar.