The experiment was targeted to develop design strategies and methods by testing the complex interplay between the dynamics of daylight and electrical lighting in an office. The double dynamic lighting design concept is based on the idea of adding task lighting, with a directionality referring to the daylight inflow and a variation on direct/diffuse lighting and respective changes in colour temperature respond to sky conditions and daylight levels. The experiment was conducted in an office space at Aalborg University in Copenhagen from September to December 2019. Four participants moved in and worked in the office with four-week periods of respective standard static lighting as a baseline, and dynamic lighting. In a parallel mixed method approach with interviews and questionnaires, the dynamic lighting was compared to the baseline and to a control group. The results indicate that the dynamic lighting periods had a positive effect on visual comfort, perceived atmosphere and work engagement. The studies helped to develop the definition of five dynamic light settings. Seasonal changes, time of day, dynamic sunscreens and individual needs for task lighting can be implemented in future field experiments as additional dynamic parameters to meet individual needs and circadian potentials for double dynamic light.

A holistic approach to daylight dynamics in our built environment can have beneficial outcomes for both physiological and visual effects on humans. Simulations of how daylight variables affect light levels on the horizontal work plane are compared to their physiological effects, measured as melanopic EDI (Melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminance) on a vertical plane. The melanopic EDI levels were calculated in a simulated office space in ALFA software (Adaptive Lighting for Alertness) employing the daylight variables of orientation, time of day, season, sky conditions and spatial orientation. Results were analyzed for how daylight design can contribute to the physiological effects of dynamic light in office buildings. Daylight is shown to be a sufficient light source in the majority of cases to meet the recommended values of EDI and provide the suggested horizontal lx level according to the Danish Standards. A mapping of daylight conditions, focusing on the specific factors presented here, can provide guidelines in the design process and future smart building systems. The complex interrelationship between these parameters is important to acknowledge when working with daylight dynamics as a sustainable element in architecture and lighting design.

L’article expose les résultats d’une expérience spatiale examinant le potentiel de l’ambiance d’illuminations colorées dans l’architecture. L’expérience s’est déroulée sur deux semaines dans un contexte de semi-laboratoire sous forme d’une installation de type performance artistique. L’approche méthodologique qualitative est inspirée par l’ethnographie sensorielle et les sondes culturelles. Ces méthodes ont permis d’explorer les effets des illuminations colorées sur l’expérience du corps et de l’espace des participants pour ainsi saisir pleinement l’originalité des sentiments corporels humains liées aux illuminations colorées. Les participants ont été interviewés sur leurs sensations corporelles et leur perception de l’espace pendant l’expérience en portant un bandeau sur les yeux et exposés à trois différentes teintes de couleurs ; rouge, bleu et ambre. Les résultats de l’expérience montrent que les participants, yeux bandés ou non, ont ressenti leurs corps et ont perçu l’espace autour d’eux de façon relativement différente selon les couleurs d’éclairement. L’article contribue donc à l’innovation spatiale considérée à la lumière de sensations et d’émotions de l’ambiance façonnant ainsi une nouvelle compréhension multisensorielle de la manière dont les illuminations de couleurs peuvent affecter les expériences sensibles du corps et de l’espace. Les auteurs recommandent une intégration consciente des illuminations de couleurs comme élément essentiel de design dans l’architecture.

Human perception and vision have evolved in response to dynamic daylight, a combination of radiation from direct sunlight and diffuse skylight, which has created a flow of variations in light, in terms of direct:diffuse distribution, intensities and spectrum. This study investigates the qualities of the flow of light in an office after adding ceiling-mounted spotlights (32° tilt angle) to traditional diffuse ceiling panels. The intention is to create a flow of task light – a light-zone at each work-plane – complementing the directionality of the natural daylight inflow from the windows. An experiment was carried out in an office, in two parts. Four ratios of direct:diffuse light were tested by 30 people. Then one ratio was tested in five combinations of high, neutral and low color temperatures by 15 people in two daylight situations: overcast and clear sky. The visual light quality and perceived atmosphere of the office environment was tested through questionnaires, reaction cards and semi-structured interviews. The direct flow of light is recommended to be more than 15% of the total illuminance at the work-plane to provide the distinct visual appearance of modeling and a cozier atmosphere, which is preferable for socializing, and less than 45% to avoid glare and high contrast for visual tasks. Direct warm and diffuse cool lighting were perceived as the most natural but were not always preferred. There is an indication of slight preference for cooler ambient lighting in clear sky situations and warmer ambient lighting in overcast situations. Especially the preference in relation to sky conditions needs to be further investigated. A field study will implement these findings in a double dynamic lighting concept responding to daylight level and sky character. Strong individual preferences for combinations of color temperatures was identified, this open up new research areas for personalized flows of light in future dynamic lighting designs.