Space perception and luminance contrast

Abstract

Pictorial cues are the visual information gathered from 3D scenes; and they provide depth perception in the physical world. Pictorial cues are also used to create the illusion of depth on planar media. Planar media are a common platform for architects to visually examine the spatial qualities of their designs. Therefore, knowledge of pictorial cues can be used as a design strategy to enrich the spatial experience. In this paper, luminance contrast is proposed as an effective depth cue and design strategy. Lighting based perceptual studies are challenged by the dynamics of the luminous environments in physical experimental settings. Computer simulation allows the study of lighting variability throughout the day and year in a systematic manner. This paper utilizes a computational framework to simulate perceptual reality. Psychophysical experiments are conducted in this alternative environment. 3D scenes and the resulting 2D imagery are utilized to investigate the impact of lighting patterns and luminance contrast on depth perception. The results of the study demonstrate that luminance variations within a space impacts the perceived distance as much as they impact the luminance contrast between the task and the background. Application of this pictorial cue is demonstrated through architectural and urban design examples.