Room Lighting
An interesting architectural guideline: “Light on two sides of every room.” The observation:
When they have a choice, people will always gravitate to those rooms which have light on two sides, and leave the rooms which are lit only from one side unused and empty.
Delving a bit more into the theory:
The importance of this pattern lies partly in the social atmosphere it creates in the room. Rooms lit on two sides, with natural light, create less glare around people and objects; this lets us see things more intricately; and most important, it allows us to read in detail the minute expressions that flash across people’s faces, the motion of their hands… and thereby understand, more clearly, the meaning they are after. The light on two sides allows people to understand each other.
Most of the rooms in the house where I grew up have windows on two sides… which, come to think of it, was a really nice thing. Interesting stuff.
Comments
Nils
I agree that light on two sides of the room is aesthetically pleasing, but I don’t think it’s necessary for people to understand each other. But my current bedroom only has light coming from one side of the room and it actually is a little annoying. Oh, and it is currently thunderstorming here so it is particularly dark in my room right now. Which reminds me, how is that snowstorm working out for you guys back in Minnesota?