A STUDY ON PERCEPTION OF DAYLIGHT SHADOWS AND VISUAL COMFORT IN LIBRARY READING AREAS

摘要

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) recommends illuminance and uniformity targets (1), which are at times difficult to achieve, especially with daylight only. Assessing visual comfort in daylit environments such as libraries is important, particularly since libraries often have large daylit spaces. The term "daylight shadow" is defined as the shadow produced by daylight and objects as opposed to shadows produced by electric light and objects. Architects and artists widely acclaim that shadows are critical elements that affect the building occupants' emotions and that, consequently, they warrant more empirical research. This study examines the visual comfort related to daylight shadows. The methodology uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the summer of 2012, librarian interviews, pre-tests, and post-test surveys were conducted in three Oregon libraries. Based on survey responses from 93 subjects, the data showed there was a tendency for people to feel more visually comfortable if they had positive perceptions of daylight shadows.