Window Views Research Articles

Impacts of adjacent façades on cognitive performance and psychology of university students in long hours of indoor work

Despite extensive research on window views, those featuring adjacent buildings remain underexplored regarding their impact on window usage habits, cognitive performance, and psychological well-being during long hours of indoor work. To address this gap, we conducted a survey among Chinese university students during Spring 2022 quarantine measures, receiving 502 valid responses. Our study identifies specific characteristics of these views influencing viewing time and satisfaction levels. Furthermore, we find that visual aspects of adjacent façades – transparency, visible activities, brightness, and colour contrast at night – significantly impact academic performance, anxiety, and depression levels, mediated by viewing time and visual memory. Our findings highlight the significance of adjacent-building window views in shaping behaviour, satisfaction, cognitive performance, and psychological well-being indoors, with implications for architectural design and urban planning. We also discuss strategies to enhance satisfaction and mitigate negative effects.

Impact of natural views on mental health during COVID-19 quarantine: A natural experiment

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the daily lives of people, and countries worldwide have implemented public health measures that restricted social contact and interactions. Individuals in isolation displayed increased mental health issues, for whom windows are a crucial means of connecting with the outside world. However, few studies have discussed the effect of having a window view on the mental health of individuals in quarantine. This study uses a natural experiment to address this knowledge gap. Between January 27, 2022 and June 19, 2022, individuals in Taiwan who were assigned to quarantine hotel room with various window views were recruited through Facebook groups. Participants completed a baseline assessment at the beginning of their quarantine period that included room and window conditions and mental health conditions, followed by a posttest assessment of the same mental health measures. Questions related to window conditions included the proportions of natural and urban landscapes viewable from their hotel windows, human activities they could observe (flow of people), and their viewshed broadness. Subsequently, this study investigated how visual access to greenness influenced the positive mental health, depression, and stress of the participants before and during quarantine. In total, 81 participants participated. The results of this study indicated that viewing vegetation and the ratio of windows to walls were associated with improved mental health, reduced symptoms of depression, and reduced stress. Specifically, an open view in the room was associated with lower levels of depression (p < 0.001) and stress (p < 0.000). Additionally, viewing people through windows was associated with reduced depressive symptoms (p < 0.006). The results of this study can inform policies for pandemic containment, but also broadly for health care, hospitals, and other related fields.

Assessing effects of facade characteristics and visual elements on perceived oppressiveness in high-rise window views via virtual reality

In urban environments, high-rise buildings efficiently use vertical space in densely populated areas; however, they may also negatively affect mental health. Despite this, the existing literature lacks sufficient research on how high-rise buildings' exterior features promote citizens' well-being, particularly concerning building facade characteristics like window-to-wall ratio (WWR) and height-to-width ratio (HWR). Therefore, this study employed virtual reality (VR) technology to simulate 27 visual scenes of high-rise window views, presented to 40 participants to assess their subjective impressions of perceived oppressiveness. This research revealed an inverse bivariate correlation between perceived oppressiveness and environmental preference. Facade characteristics of high-rise office buildings emerged as crucial influencers of citizens' mental well-being. Specifically, increasing the window-to-wall ratio tended to diminish oppressiveness while elevating the height-to-width ratio exacerbated feelings of oppressiveness. The variable of floor level exhibited a nonlinear relationship with the perception of oppressiveness. The nonlinear regression model predicts the values of oppressiveness associated with various facade characteristics and observation floors. Quantitative analysis indicated that increasing the ratio of the sky while decreasing the ratio of buildings within window views reduced perceived oppressiveness. This study underscores the significance of facade characteristics and visual elements in urban design for improving mental health, offering valuable insights for designers and policymakers.

Exploring perceived oppressiveness of high-rise window views: A virtual reality assessment of planning measures and visual elements' influence

Under compact city policies, the dense configuration of buildings surrounding high-rise structures can obstruct window views, increasing perceptions of oppressiveness among occupants. While prior research has primarily focused on the impact of building forms and surrounding environments on perceived oppressiveness, there is limited investigation into how planning measures (such as building layout, building spacing, and surrounding trees) and visual element ratios (such as sky, grass, trees, foreground buildings, and background buildings) affect this perception. To address this gap, we used virtual reality (VR) technology to have 50 participants rate the oppressiveness of 24 visual scenes. Our findings indicated that staggered building layout, increased building spacing, and the presence of surrounding trees significantly reduced perceived oppressiveness. An ordinal logistic regression model was used to predict the impact of specific planning measures and viewing floor levels on perceived oppressiveness. Quantitative analysis revealed that increasing the ratio of sky and trees in window views mitigated perceived oppressiveness. Additionally, the ratio of built elements had a dual effect: enhancing foreground buildings exacerbated the perception of oppressiveness while increasing background buildings helped alleviate it. These results suggest that thoughtful planning and the strategic integration of natural visual elements can effectively reduce the perceived oppressiveness of window views in high-rise residential buildings.

Modeling Bamboo Window Blinds in Classrooms: Assessing Daylighting Performance by Simulation Incorporating BSDF

ABSTRACT The purposes of this study are 1) providing a rating framework, including model layout, simulation settings and method, for assessing the daylighting performance of fenestration systems in typical Chinese classrooms, 2) exploring if fast-growing plant made shade layer could replace polyester fabric in terms of daylight availability and visual comfort. The rating framework was introduced, and the simulation method incorporating Bidirectional Scattering Distribution Function (BSDF) was validated by a sample case of physical model composing bamboo window blinds. Eight sets of bamboo blinds with varied dimensional parameters and four sets of woven fabrics with varied openness factors were compared in the proposed rating framework. The results show that bamboo blinds with expected parameters outperform shading fabrics on daylighting performance. Besides, bamboo blinds offered a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative, providing a connection to nature and enhancing the overall window view. The findings highlight the potential of bamboo blinds in creating comfortable and visually appealing learning environments while promoting sustainability in architectural design. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of the benefits and design considerations of natural material for building applications.

Quantifying environmental characteristics on psychophysiological restorative benefits of campus window views

In recent years, the physical and mental health of college students has received increasing attention. Campus window views have the potential to help college students quickly relieve psychological stress in their studies and daily lives. In the current study, we measured psychological and physiological changes in 42 participants to evaluate 15 campus window views at Shenyang Jianzhu University. The Short Version Revised Restoration Scale and two physiological measures (heart rate variability and skin conductance level) were combined with quantitative environmental characteristic indicators to analyze the impact of window views’ environmental characteristics on restorative benefits. The results revealed the following: (1) Environmental characteristic indicators were significantly correlated with psychological and physiological indicators, but they were not in a monotonic functional relationship. (2) The restorative benefits were greatest under the following conditions: 1.53 ≤ fractal dimension ≤1.57, 0.80 ≤ naturalness index ≤0.88, 0.48 ≤ green view index ≤0.51, 0.78 ≤ dominant color system proportion ≤0.82. When the quantity of the color system was 1, the restorative benefit was relatively low. This study provides insights into the thresholds for the impact of campus window view environmental indicators on stress recovery, and extends the theoretical basis of research on window views.

High-rise window views: Evaluating the physiological and psychological impacts of green, blue, and built environments

A growing body of research indicates that visual exposure to nature can enhance mental well-being. However, the impact of such contact through high-rise building windows remains unclear. To address this significant knowledge gap, we utilized aerial drone-captured videos taken from a height of 90 m to present comprehensive visual panoramas encompassing various scenes observed through high-rise building windows. These scenes included three key elements: built structures, greenery, and water bodies. Forty-five participants were randomly assigned to view six conditions in a laboratory setting. Physio-psychological responses to each condition were measured using a portable electroencephalogram device, which continuously recorded brainwaves, and ErgoLAB, which monitored heart rate variability. Additionally, participants completed anxiety level assessments and subjective feelings questionnaires. Our findings revealed that visual contact with all window views produced significantly greater positive effects compared to viewing control or built environments. Among the window views, those featuring green space with water or green space alone elicited the most beneficial outcomes, including increased alpha brainwave activity, enhanced parasympathetic nervous system activation, heightened levels of relaxation and comfort, and lower anxiety levels. The study's findings indicate that high-rise building residents can benefit from 4-min exposure to greenery, either with water or alone, through window views, in promoting mental health. The study emphasizes the importance of considering window views in urban high-rise planning and design to enhance the mental health and well-being of city dwellers.

Is Virtual Reality an Effective Experimental Tool for Window View Studies with Dynamic Content Involved?

ABSTRACT Dynamic content is a desirable quality in window views. However, most researchers have focused on static window scenes, which are inconsistent with real-world window views. The scarcity of studies involving dynamic view content is exacerbated by the lack of suitable evaluation tools, which this study aims to address. A novel method of displaying dynamic content in the virtual scene was presented. A two-stage experiment with forty-eight subjects was designed to compare subjective responses to a dynamic window scene in physical and virtual environments. Virtual reality’s effectiveness was assessed based on the consistency of their responses regarding level of satisfaction with the window view in both environments. Imaging capability, sense of presence, and sense of comfort were also adopted as evaluation criteria in the virtual environment. Responses concerning satisfaction with different view contents in the physical and virtual environments were found to have no statistically significant difference and they also achieved statistical equivalence. It was also established that the novel method used to display dynamic window scenes could retain the clarity of content and attain good scene integration. The virtual environment offered a sense of presence, although some subjects still paid attention to the physical environment. In relation to sense of comfort, most subjects found the headset’s weight to be bearable and it did not compromise the performance of tasks in the virtual environment. However, visual fatigue was identified as a notable drawback which should be addressed to improve the comfort of subjects and accuracy of results. This study affirms virtual reality’s viability as a convenient and effective tool for evaluating dynamic window views.

The Effects of Natural Window Views in Classrooms on College Students’ Mood and Learning Efficiency

Observing peaceful natural environments has been shown to restore cognitive abilities and reduce stress. As a result, visual access to natural environments is becoming increasingly common in educational settings. However, most current research on classroom window views has examined classroom environments in elementary and secondary schools, and only some university classrooms have been used as study sites. This study investigated the relationship between the naturalness of university classroom window views and physiological and emotional responses and standardized tests of attentional focus (learning efficiency) in university students. Thirty participants (undergraduates 21.16 ± 1.01 years old) viewed architectural window views and natural window views for 3 min each, and physiological measures of EEG, HRV index, and psychometric measures of Semantic Differences Questionnaire and Emotional State Questionnaire generated data. Measurements were generated. The results indicated that the natural window view significantly enhanced theta, alpha, and beta waves of brain activity, provided a sense of comfort, relaxation, and pleasure, and increased learning efficiency compared to the architectural window view. The findings support the beneficial associations between window views on university campuses and students’ mood and learning efficiency, emphasizing the importance of considering natural window views in the planning and designing of university classrooms.

Evaluating the impact of bird collision prevention glazing patterns on window views

Optimal design of bird collisions prevention glazing patterns is pivotal in the protection of avian ecology and provision of quality window views for building occupants. However, a research gap currently exists regarding the impact of different pattern designs on the quality of window views. Therefore, this study evaluates the influence of various bird collision prevention pattern designs on window view clarity. A total of 18 patterns, including dot matrix, vertical stripes, and horizontal stripes, were designed and evaluated. The patterns had varying combinations of coverage rates and spacing ratios. Sixty participants were recruited to participate in an experimental survey using virtual reality (VR) technology. They were asked to rate the level of clarity of window views observed through different glazing pattern designs. The results indicated that the bird collision prevention glazing pattern designs significantly influenced occupants’ perception of visual clarity. Designs featuring horizontal and vertical stripes attained higher visual clarity ratings compared to the dot matrix pattern. Additionally, visual clarity significantly decreased with increasing coverage rates and designs with larger spacing ratios were associated with higher clarity than smaller spacing ratios. Most participants were willing to sacrifice window view quality in order to minimize bird fatalities. These findings can guide the development of window view evaluation criteria in existing green building standards, by accounting for the trade-off between avian conservation and window view clarity.

Exploring the impact of windows on musicians’ experience: a neuroarchitecture perspective

ABSTRACT Performing music can be an enjoyable activity or a source of anxiety and discomfort. Previous studies suggest that it is possible to create spaces that promote well-being by applying knowledge from neuroscience to architectural design. However, this application remains unexplored in the context of music practice spaces. In this study, a virtual replica of a real conservatoire classroom was used to investigate the effect of window size and views through windows on the perception of the built environment. A sample of 61 musicians was recruited, and through questionnaires and eye tracking, participants’ responses to environmental changes while playing their instruments were studied. The results of the experiment indicated a clear preference for larger windows, which significantly contributed to a more positive environment, perceived as more open, light, inviting, calming and spacious. In addition, eye tracking data suggested a reduction in anxiety levels, as evidenced by reduced gaze velocity and saccade ratios. These results demonstrate that windows and related variables such as daylight and views can have a significant impact on the experience of musicians during solo performance. This highlights the need to re-evaluate design considerations in music practice spaces, emphasising the crucial role of environmental elements in enhancing musicians’ well-being.

Low-Level Visual Features of Window Views Contribute to Perceived Naturalness and Mental Health Outcomes.

Previous studies have shown that natural window views are beneficial for mental health, but it is still unclear which specific features constitute a 'natural' window view. On the other hand, studies on image analysis found that low-level visual features (LLVFs) are associated with perceived naturalness, but mainly conducted experiments with brief stimulus presentations. In this study, research on the effects of window views on mental health was combined with the detailed analysis of LLVFs. Healthy adults rated window views from their home and sent in photographs of those views for analysis. Content validity of the 'ecological' view assessment was evaluated by checking correlations of LLVFs with window view ratings. Afterwards, it was explored which of the LLVFs best explained variance in perceived percentage of nature and man-made elements, and in ratings of view quality. Criterion validity was tested by investigating which variables were associated with negative affect and impulsive decision-making. The objective and subjective assessments of nature/sky in the view were aligned but objective brightness was unreliable. The perceived percentage of nature was significantly explained by green pixel ratio, while view quality was associated with fractals, saturation, sky pixel ratio and straight edge density. The higher subjective brightness of rooms was associated with a lower negative affect, whereas results for impulsive decision-making were inconsistent. The research highlights the validity to apply LLVFs analysis to ecological window views. For affect, subjective brightness seemed to be more relevant than LLVFs. For impulsive decision-making, performance context needs to be controlled in future studies.

The equigenic potential of green window views for city dwellers’ well-being

Previous studies found smaller differences in well-being between socio-economic status groups in very green urban areas. We argue that the view of greenery from home is the fundamental unit of a green neighborhood and analyze its relationship with residential satisfaction. Drawing on the equigenesis hypothesis, we expect that lower-class citizens benefit more from green window views than upper-class citizens. The data come from a population survey with a random selection of 1,800 respondents in two purposefully chosen German cities that collected extensive information on both perceived neighborhood greening and social background. The results show that green window views are associated with increased residential satisfaction, which is particularly pronounced among lower class citizens. The findings are robust against environmental stressors and further indicators of wealth associated with having green window views. The study provides new insights into the benefits of greenery in compact cities and supports the hypothesis of its equigenic potential.

CIM-WV: A 2D semantic segmentation dataset of rich window view contents in high-rise, high-density Hong Kong based on photorealistic city information models

Large-scale assessment of window views is demanded for precise housing valuation and quantified evidence for improving the built environment, especially in high-rise, high-density cities. However, the absence of a semantic segmentation dataset of window views forbids an accurate pixel-level assessment. This paper presents a City Information Model (CIM)-generated Window View (CIM-WV) dataset comprising 2,000 annotated images collected in the high-rise, high-density urban areas of Hong Kong. The CIM-WV includes seven semantic labels, i.e., building, sky, vegetation, road, waterbody, vehicle, and terrain. Experimental results of training a well-known deep learning (DL) model, DeepLab V3+ , on CIM-WV, achieved a high performance (per-class Intersection over Union (IoU) ≥ 86.23%) on segmenting major landscape elements, i.e., building, sky, vegetation, and waterbody, and consistently outperformed the transfer learning on a popular real-world street view dataset, Cityscapes. The DeepLab V3+ model trained on CIM-WV was robust (mIoU ≥ 72.09%) in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula, and enhanced the semantic segmentation accuracy of real-world and Google Earth CIM-generated window view images. The contribution of this paper is three-fold. CIM-WV is the first public CIM-generated photorealistic window view dataset with rich semantics. Secondly, comparative analysis shows a more accurate window view assessment using DL from CIM-WV than deep transfer learning from ground-level views. Last, for urban researchers and practitioners, our publicly accessible DL models trained on CIM-WV enable novel multi-source window view-based urban applications including precise real estate valuation, improvement of built environment, and window view-related urban analytics.

The green window view index: automated multi-source visibility analysis for a multi-scale assessment of green window views

ContextProviding accessible urban green spaces is crucial for planning and ensuring healthy, resilient, and sustainable cities. The importance of visually accessible urban green spaces increases due to inner urban development processes.ObjectivesThis article proposes a new index, the Green Window View Index (GWVI) for analyzing and assessing visible vegetation, that promotes an integrated planning of urban green spaces and buildings at different scales and levels. It is defined as the proportion of visible vegetation area in a field of view when looking out of a specific window with a defined distance to the window.MethodsThe method for estimating GWVI consists of three steps: (a) the modeling of the three-dimensional environment, (b) the simulation of the two-dimensional window views using modern rendering engines for three-dimensional graphics, (c) the computation of the GWVI. The method is proposed and tested through a case study of the urban area of Bonn, Germany, using a Digital Terrain Model (DTM), CityGML-based semantic 3D City Model at level of detail (LoD) 2, airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, and 2D land use data from the official German property cadaster information system (ALKIS).ResultsWith an average processing time of 0.05 s per window view, an average GWVI of 26.00% could be calculated for the entire study area and visualized in both 2D and 3D.ConclusionThe proposed engine generates multi-scale visibility values for various vegetation shapes. These values are intended for use in participatory citizenship and decision-making processes for analysis by architects, real-estate appraisers, investors, and urban as well as landscape planners.

Exposure to urban green spaces and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from two low and lower-middle-income countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health globally, with limited access to mental health care affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) the most. In response, alternative strategies to support mental health have been necessary, with access to green spaces being a potential solution. While studies have highlighted the role of green spaces in promoting mental health during pandemic lockdowns, few studies have focused on the role of green spaces in mental health recovery after lockdowns. This study investigated changes in green space access and associations with mental health recovery in Bangladesh and Egypt across the pandemic. An online survey was conducted between January and April 2021 after the first lockdown was lifted in Bangladesh (n = 556) and Egypt (n = 660). We evaluated indoor and outdoor greenery, including the number of household plants, window views, and duration of outdoor visits. The quantity of greenness was estimated using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). This index was estimated using satellite images with a resolution of 10x10m during the survey period (January-April 2021) with Sentinel-2 satellite in the Google Earth Engine platform. We calculated averages within 250m, 300m, 500m and 1000m buffers of the survey check-in locations using ArcGIS 10.3. Multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate relationships between changes in natural exposure and changes in mental health. The results showed that mental health improved in both countries after the lockdown period. People in both countries increased their time spent outdoors in green spaces after the lockdown period, and these increases in time outdoors were associated with improved mental health. Unexpectedly, changes in the number of indoor plants after the lockdown period were associated with contrasting mental health outcomes; more plants translated to increased anxiety and decreased depression. Refocusing lives after the pandemic on areas other than maintaining indoor plants may assist with worrying and feeling panicked. Still, indoor plants may assist with depressive symptoms for people remaining isolated. These findings have important implications for policymakers and urban planners in LMICs, highlighting the need to increase access to natural environments in urban areas to improve mental health and well-being in public health emergencies.

Windowscapes, dreamscapes and screen texts: train travel as performative practice in experimental film

ABSTRACT Echoing the current research on mobilities, performative practice and the performative documentary, railway journey in screen texts is increasingly seen as a complex embodied, experiential and performative practice. However, although train films have received some attention in film criticism, little is known about the performative potential of train travel in experimental film. To fill this gap, I take a phenomenological stance on railway journeying to demonstrate how several stylistically distinct and rarely screened experimental films stage passengering through the display of window views or larger sections of trainspace, turning it into productive site of contemplation, creative activity and artistic expression.

Natural or balanced? The physiological and psychological benefits of window views with different proportions of sky, green space, and buildings

Window views are an important landscape that affect human health in the urban built environment, but the impacts and health-benefit differences of window view elements have not been studied in depth. Previously, window views have been categorized as only natural or unnatural; in contrast, we propose a more differentiated classification involving three elements (sky, buildings, and green space). A total of 160 subjects were recruited and divided into 8 groups; these groups were shown window views (7 groups with different element ratio combinations and 1 control group), and the effects on 27 physiological and psychological indicators were assessed. This is the first study to provide evidence of the benefits of window views for restoring attention, reducing negative emotions, and lowering stress according to multiple indicators. More importantly, we conducted a comprehensive comparison of the benefits of window views composed of different element ratios using ternary phase diagrams and matrix diagrams. Overall, window views with a higher percentage of sky elements or green space elements, as well as window views with a balance of the three elements, had a better comprehensive effect. The results of this study can inform urban landscape planning and architectural design to improve human health.

Subjective evaluation of home environment and levels of self-reported depression in middle to old age: Results from the HCHS study.

The immediate living environment might, like other lifestyle factors, be significantly related to mental well-being. The current study addresses the question whether five relevant subjective home environment variables (i.e., protection from disturbing nightlight, daylight entering the home, safety at home, quality of window views, and noise disturbance) are associated with levels of self-reported depression over and above well-known sociodemographic and common lifestyle variables. Data from the Hamburg City Health Study (HCHS) were analyzed. In N = 8757 with available PHQ-9 depression data, multiple linear regression models were computed, with demographic data, lifestyle variables, and variables describing the subjective evaluation of the home environment. The model explained 15% of variance in depression levels, with ratings for the subjective evaluation of home environment accounting for 6%. Better protection from disturbing light at night, more daylight entering the home, feeling safer, and perceived quality of the window views, were all significantly associated with lower, while more annoyance by noise was associated with higher levels of self-reported depression. Results did not differ if examining a sample of the youngest (middle-aged participants: 46-50 years) versus oldest (70-78 years) participants within HCHS. Beyond studying the role of lifestyle factors related to self-reported depression, people's homes may be important for subclinical levels of depression in middle and older age, albeit the direction of effects or causality cannot be inferred from the present study. The development of a consensus and tools for a standardized home environment assessment is needed.

My home-my castle? Self-reported anxiety varies in relation to the subjective evaluation of home environment.

Although people spend most of the day in their home environment, the focus of research in environmental psychology to date has been on factors outside the home. However, it stands to reason that indoor quality likewise has an impact on psychological well-being. Therefore, the present study addresses the question of whether the subjective evaluation of home environmental parameters are related to self-reported anxiety and whether they can additionally explain variance beyond the usual sociodemographic and general lifestyle variables. Data from the Hamburg City Health Study (first 10,000 participants) was analyzed. A subsample of N = 8,886 with available GAD-7 anxiety data was selected, and hierarchical regression models were computed, with demographic data entered first, followed by variables concerning lifestyle/habits and finally variables of the subjective evaluation of home environment. Using the integrated model, we were able to explain about 13% of the variance in self-reported anxiety scores. This included both the demographic, lifestyle, and subjective evaluation of home environment variables. Protection from disturbing night lights, a greater sense of security, less disturbing noises, brighter accommodations, and a satisfactory window view explained almost 6% of the variance and was significantly associated with lower anxiety scores. The home as a place of refuge plays an increasingly important role as home office hours rise. It is therefore crucial to identify domestic factors contributing to people's mental well-being. The subjective evaluation of one's home environment has proven influential over and above modifiable lifestyle variables.