How does natural light affect our state of mind?
The weather and climatic conditions are closely connected to our mental state, not in exactly the same way for everybody but there is a lot of science behind the phenomenon.
It is perfectly normal to feel energised and animated when the sun is shining, and similarly during more overcast weather most of us are a little more washed out and apathetic, exposure to the sun has an indirect impact on our state of mind, our physical and mental health and also affects the biological processes of our nervous, endocrine and immune systems. Nowadays these factors are more and more being taken into consideration when designing and constructing modern offices.
With all the benefits of sunlight why not use them to our advantage?
How can we best light our office and work spaces?
It’s important to generate a comfortable work ambience, one that is warm and inspiring which the correct lighting scheme can help foster. For open plan type office spaces work desks are always positioned at right angles to the glazed façade of a building. Through this configuration we can take maximum advantage of natural light but limit the glare effect that can hamper visibility of computer screens, many of our interior designs for co-working take into consideration how best to benefit from natural light.
Lighting positioned over work desks can be controlled using a DALI system (Digital Adressable lighting Interface) which allows for an automatic variable intensity control according to the natural light conditions.
This also allows for a much more regulated and comfortable lighting as well as providing significant light consumption savings.As far as meeting rooms are concerned even though they mostly are not provided with natural light, probably because we spend less time there, it’s also interesting to provide them to with natural light. This natural light should always be protected and filtered by screens that prevent glare on days with bright sun shine.For sustainable architecture work spaces are unique in terms of their importance, where we spend most of the day. That’s why it is so critical to create spaces and offices that are well lit using natural light which helps us work in a more comfortable and enjoyable way, as well as helping improve our overall mood.In summary today we are increasingly aware of the human factors that influence the design of modern offices, not just practical and aesthetic considerations, but also the social ones.