Page 186 - The Power of Light, Colour and Sound for Health and Wellness draft

LIGHT ERGONOMICS Daily light
Everyday illumination from natural and artifcial sources is our most pronounced form of phototherapy. Within fractions of seconds light beams activate instincts and feelings – daytime rhythms and spatial navigation are mainly guided by coloured light. Perception is a holographic emotional sensation with innumerable complex variables. Laboratory experiments may measure a few of these and artifcial lamps are not always suited to human biology. A naturally adapted lighting design is quite intricate and involves both artistic and social dimensions. Organic designs will have to balance this as a collective form of applied chromotherapy. The psychology of light and colour forms the very basis when planning functional life spaces for active individuals. Let us look at the fundamental dimensions of light within this highly creative science.
Quantity of light
The most elementary light variable is the general level of illumination observed as the plain quantity or strength of incident light. A common measure of this infow is lux or lumen per m2 – indicating the amount of light striking a given surface. Rooms in a family home will typically have a luminous density of 50 lux while a well-lit bright offce may exhibit as much as 400 lux. The seemingly intense light levels in many modern offces barely equal natural outdoor illumination during the twilight hours of dawn or dusk. The light densities of a hot midday sun on a cloudless day will easily reach 100.000 lux. Refections from sand or sea will boost this even further. Modern humans spend 90% of their lives indoors and consequently get starved on the sheer volume of light.
Geometry of light
In complex buildings and townscapes it is essential to get an informed overview and a sweeping glance should ideally suffce. Good illumination will inform about the general layout of the room space and facilitate navigation. The light will emphasize correct geometrical proportions and make the visual perspective easier to understand. Physical parameters like height or volume or distance are quickly clarifed and collective movement patterns automatically enter a natural fow. The dynamic distribution of light coupled with graded shadows and facade refections are key factors in decoding urban space.
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