Impact on visual comfort and well-being: Integration of wood coating in the space.

Abstract

Daylight and lighting comfort may improve indoor environments. While white coatings have the capability to better distribute natural light, the use of wood could provide additional features. According to the biophilia theory, the integration of wood has positive psychological impacts on human beings and changes the appreciation of indoor spaces. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the relationship between the luminous ambiance and the degree of visual satisfaction, considering three spatial configurations, varying wood types and proportions. The relationship between a quantitative and a qualitative analysis with scale models (1:10 – 1:20), high dynamic range photographs, CIELab system and surveys, reveal that the use of wood triggers favourable responses compared with rooms that use white coatings only.