Using Natural Light is fundamental when designing!

Designers are getting more and more aware of the importance of natural light on the health and well-being, and how to create comfortable environments balancing between natural and artificial light. The visual comfort of a room can be determined by different items such as the rate of blinking or the level of glare. To reach a visual success, colors, low reflection and a clear view on the outside are essentials and must be taken into account in order to influence positively the occupants' general well-being. Which aspects should be considered when designing for visual comfort? First, focus on natural light. More than just a way to save energy when deiminishing the use of artificial light, natural light is essential to our health. In order to maximize the natural light, the designer might use the orientation of the site, and think about the use of each room at different moments. Then, evaluate the quatity and quality of light in each room. The illuminance, which is the luminous power, should be around 500 Lux to avoid any visual discomfort. The luminance measures the brightness of light from a visual perception, and express the contrasts of light and flare in a room. The Window-to-Floor ratio must also be evaliuated: it's obtained by dividing the total area of the best number of openings in each space. Evaluating the amount and quality of light is important, but designers should not forget the qualitative factors, like the view on the outside, the urban and natural landscape and all the elements that can be seen through each glass. If you want to know more, read the complete article, How to design for Visual Comfort Using Natural Light on ArchDaily.