An analysis on the effective use of natural light in design studios

In contemporary times, with a growing emphasis on energy efficiency across various domains of life, the utilization of natural light sources, often referred to as clean energy, remains limited in indoor design. Therefore, a judicious approach involves actively integrating natural lighting during daylight and sunlight to effectively enhance indoor spaces. This integration not only maximizes the benefits of daylight/sunlight but also mitigates the consumption costs associated with artificial lighting. Consequently, this research focuses on educational structures, with a specific analysis of design studios, known for their frequent occupancy throughout the day. Design studios represent highly utilized spaces within university departments, including Interior Design, Architecture, Visual Communication, and Industrial Product Design. This research critically examines the significance of natural light, encompassing daylight, sunlight, and reflected light, as foundational elements of indoor design, followed by an extensive literature review of design decisions and criteria related to these aspects. A detailed description of the physical and functional attributes of design studios helps to contextualize the research area. In the first section of the research, the significance, purpose, scope, methodology, and structure of the topic are presented. The second section comprehensively examines daylight, sunlight, and reflected light design decisions and criteria based on the fundamental concept of natural light, forming the basis of the thesis. The third section describes design studios to better understand the physical and functional characteristics of the research area. In the fourth section, the chosen research area, TOBB ETÜ design studios, is analyzed in terms of daylight/sunlight design criteria and evaluated using simulation programs. The fifth and final section presents the results of the obtained data and provides recommendations based on these findings.