Exploring view access for biophilic arctic architecture through immersive visualization of integrative lighting

Abstract

This research addresses biophilic design opportunities in Arctic indoor environments through a comprehensive methodology that incorporates architectural features, extreme cold climate conditions, and integrative lighting attributes. The paper presents lighting and thermal conditions of higher latitudes and the potential challenges of biophilic window design in Arctic buildings. It discusses building standards and develops state-of-the-art techniques for analyzing quality views and lighting thresholds that support human health. It moreover proposes an innovative visualization framework to support decision-making in the design of indoor Arctic environments. A visualization process was developed and applied in environmental survey conducted through image-based and sensor-based techniques during an expedition in Iqaluktuuttiaq (Cambridge-Bay, 69°07′02″N 105°03′11″W), Nunavut in March 2020. The surveys combine the visualization of view access ratios in the 360° field of view (FOV), the intensity of melanopic/photopic luminance, and Equivalent Melanopic Lux (EML) through HDR imaging and radiometric measurements from several interior points at the Canadian High Arctic Research Station building. The paper also proposes 360° captures of surface temperatures as a compatible metric for the immersive visualization of physical ambiences in extreme cold climates. It compares view access ratios with human centric lighting potentials for 360° captures for each survey point. Results highlight the method's potential to support biophilic design in Arctic indoor spaces. It demonstrates how 360° FOV visualization of human responses to lighting conditions can provide a biophilic perspective of a space and its architectural properties.