Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. Ecclesiastes 11:7
Resources:
- The Undercover Architect podcast Season 1 (listen especially to her episodes “north”, “east”, “south”, and “west”, keeping in mind that you have to reverse north and south in your mind from what she’s saying, since she is in Australia).
- Deep Dive (Technical / Scientific)
- The Benefits of Natural Light
- Want to Kill Dangerous Bacteria? Open Your Blinds
- Impact of Windows and Daylight Exposure on Overall Health and Sleep Quality of Office Workers
- Get Morning Sunlight and You’ll Sleep Better
- View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery
- Circadian Rhythms Control Immune Cells That Clear Away Alzheimer’s Disease Protein
- Cultural
- Pattern Language (remember you have to subscribe and log in to read)
See how this was applied in “A cozy ranch among the pines“.
My brother also died, far too early, of lung cancer. He spent his final weeks resting at home, his favorite spot sitting out on his front porch, nodding to the neighbors as they walked by, and especially keeping an eye out for the local wild bunnies. When I asked him what else he would like to do during his final days, he answered “spend more time dreaming.” At first, I thought that was an odd activity, not ‘something you do,’ but then I realized that as a professional artist, he had a very rich visual imagination and just loved watching the images his own mind would create . My brother spent his very last days in the intensive care unit of a local hospital. I lived there too, sleeping in the chair by his side, next to a window, that looked out onto a tree and a patch of lawn. I bless the designers of that hospital for that window and tree every time I think of the experience, because they provided solace when there was none available elsewhere.
From “Visual Delight in Architecture” by Lisa Heschong