Investigating Student’s Perception of Visual Comfort in Architecture Studios and Its Impact on Their Work Output

Daylight plays a crucial role in the educational environment which enables better performance, learning rates and has a significant impact on the visual comfort of the students for which the classroom designs must be carefully considered. In addition to promoting a state of calm contemplation, it also makes large energy savings feasible. Having access to daylight in the buildings is essential but it is critical to control the glare risk it poses. The main objective of this study is to assess the relationship between the daylight conditions in Architecture classrooms and student’s perception about it. This study also analyses the glare and its impact on visual comfort of students while performing various tasks in the design studios of Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture, Pune. Daylight simulation programme “Light Stanza”, Interviews, observations were used to gather the data. According to the survey results, the perception of visual comfort is mostly affected by orientation, distance from windows and varies with various tasks performed at the studios. Given that the intensity and length of light exposure throughout the day affect human health, the presence of glare thus directly correlates with the student's visual discomfort.