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NORDIC LIGHT & COLOUR
97
Anter and Klarén, 2011) how both light and colour design influ-
ence the spatial experience, functionality and energy consump-
tion. This has been a recent research project cared to have
a scientific holistic approach to light and colour. Their pilot
study was made in full scale rooms, and one of the conclu-
sions argued that in a longer test series, with enough time for
modification, that method could lead to more specific conclu-
sions than the ones achieved in the pilot study. Considering
the difficulties and time consuming process that can carry the
modification of colour wall surfaces and lighting design, it may
be suggested a new simulation research method that could
achieve similar results as full scale studies.
The importance of conducting precise and rigorous scientific
research about the interaction of daylight and colour and its
impact on the visual quality of architecture can encounter di-
verse challenges for most researchers. Most of these challeng-
es seem to appear when conducting experimental research
in real rooms. These challenges have their origins in logistics
issues, economic resources availability, consuming time to per-
form experiments, lack of space and different spatial charac-
teristics to which one wishes to investigate. Many researchers
are often not able to do research in the field due the demanding
process of attaining control over these challenges. And if they
do, their findings can be rather limited.
Previous Simulation Research
In order to perform varied architectural research within the
daylighting and colour fields, without encountering the listed
problems, simulation research methods have been used in the
past. Photographs, slides, scaled models, rendered images
and computer simulation software have been used for these
purposes with promising results. Some of these studies are
discussed in the subsequent paragraph.
In the 1970s, basic static simulation methods were developed
and used to study lighting and architecture. Lau started with
the use of scale models to evaluate lighting quality (Lau, 1972)
and Hendrick and others studied the effect of light on visual
impression, using slides (Hendrick
et al
., 1977). Lau (1972)
found results that generally showed a considerable degree of
similarity with former results of Real Environment (RE) experi-
ments. According to lighting research using slides (Hendrick
et
al
., 1977), the comparable results with RE indicated that slides
were a useful simulation tool. If the results obtained using a
simulation method (e.g. slides) were considered promising for
the similarity from experiments in real settings, then we have
reasons to believe that the newest simulation methods like
Virtual Environment Experiments (VE) might be equivalent to
the experiments made in RE.
Having this in consideration, latest technology, more advanced
than slides or scale models, could have the potential to offer
significant results when used as research tools. Virtual envi-
ronments using 3D – High definition imaging may offer a better
approximation to reality than any other simulation method.
And at the same time, it may be possible to retain control over
the different stimuli and variables of an experiment. Other
advantages of simulation methods range from the reduction of
cost for experimental settings construction to the possibility to
reach bigger audiences.
Virtual Environments have been used to carry out lighting
research. While Wienold
et al
. (1998) use virtual reality to study
a method to predict user acceptance of daylighting systems;
Fontoynont
et al
. (2007) used also stereographic images to
find a correlation of lighting quality descriptors with semantic
characterization of luminous scenes. VE have also been tested
for validity in colour appearance research (Billger, 2003, 2004,
Stahre, 2009). Nonetheless, very few research efforts is en-
countered using VEs as an only method to investigate daylight
or colour; and even less so, in the interaction of daylight and
colour on the visual evaluation of a room.
Preliminary discussion
In order to carry out these investigations, different conditions
and experimental rigor should be retained. Taking in consid-
eration the different challenges that both daylight studies and
colour studies face, VE methods to study this interaction should
be studied and developed.
The validity of VE as architectural research method has not
been proven yet. Little research activity is encountered to
compare assessments of real rooms versus virtual rooms.
Most of this research is found in the discipline of environmental
psychology (de Kort
et al
., 2003). Their study discusses a valid
point when testing VE as research tool: A rigorous study of this
kind should start with an unbiased researcher. This means,
there are two premises a researcher should consider when
conducting VE studies: (i) VEs are not substitute for REs, and (ii)
a VE will always be a reduced environment.
Under these premises, it can be stated that in order to in-
vestigate a VE as a research method, this must be evaluated
together with a RE. If the results obtained under VEs are not
significantly different than the results obtained under REs, then
the validity of VEs results may be trusted.
Taking in consideration the previous discussion about the
importance of study the impact that the interaction of daylight
and colour can have over the perceived quality of a room, the