Study of the luminous environment in architecture design studios of Bangladesh

Abstract

In the architecture design studios of Bangladesh, most of the time studios are experiencing poor lighting state, even though there is an abundant resource of natural light in the tropics. Though the importance of an appropriate visual environment for learning tasks deserves careful consideration, no standard has yet been set for studio lighting in the context of Bangladesh. Despite the fact that people work and live better under natural lighting condition, preliminary observations show that studios are often lit by artificial means. This not only fails to provide a stimulating environment for better learning but also at the same time creates pressure on the overall national energy demand. As natural lighting contributes significantly to the psychological, physiological and aesthetic character of a learning space and also reduces energy consumption in buildings, strategies for increasing daylight should be established for incorporation in the design process. This thesis aims to identify various architectural features that affect the luminous environment and are presently being used in studios and also to give some indicative suggestions that can help to improve the luminous environment with special emphasis on daylight inclusion in studios. To begin with, a literature study was conducted to get a knowledge base and direction for the study. This was followed by a field survey where selected studios were grouped according to their areas and were surveyed to identify typical design features and factors that affect the luminous environment. From the findings, a model was established for simulation study to examine variables affecting the luminous environment. If .' ~: . i: . It is expected that the simulations will generate some indicative suggestions for improving the luminous environment of architecture design studios of Bangladesh.