Spacing size

"Old buildings can carry a certain comfort that new buildings frequently don’t, I don’t know what makes them feel more comfortable but there’s not enough glass, not enough metal, more brick, more wood" says an interviewee I met with in discussing the move of the Seminary Co-op and the Chicago Theological Seminary. I really do think it has to do more with the space in between walls, doors and aisles as well as the ceiling height in the building than the material used to create the space. Currently I'm in what could be the cafeteria in the Harry Potter films, but is actually the Harper Library at the University of Chicago. This space to me doesn't feel comfortable, the ceilings are too high to really make that comfort feeling. Plus there is that constant nagging of ... maybe the electricity in the room? or the air? I'm not sure what it is but it is very annoying and causes people like myself to keep our headphones on all the time so as not to get a headache. Yet I still study in here. Anyways, going back to the quote. I really am curious how much changing the width between spaces to make them larger so they fit ADA compliance makes one feel less "comfortable" while at the same time allowing it to physically be less cramped at times.