Date of Award
8-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Architecture
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dongwoo (Jason) Yeom
Committee Member
Vincent Blouin
Committee Member
Anjali Joseph
Committee Member
Mina Johnson
Abstract
This dissertation investigates how indoor environmental and spatial design conditions influence human experience and productivity, focusing on thermal conditions, lighting conditions, and spatial configuration. Because people spend most of their time indoors, environmental design plays an important role in comfort, emotional well-being, and cognitive functioning. Although previous studies have shown that temperature, lighting, and architectural features influence human responses, many have examined these variables separately. In addition, relatively few studies have integrated perceptual, emotional, cognitive, and physiological outcomes within a single framework.
Study 1 examined the combined effects of indoor temperature, lighting intensity, and correlated color temperature on cognitive performance and physiological responses in a controlled physical environment. Seventy-two participants were assigned to eight environmental conditions defined by two temperature levels, two lighting intensity levels, and two correlated color temperatures. Working memory and sustained attention were assessed using Operation Span and Vigilance tasks, while physiological responses included heart rate, pupil size, and skin temperature. Results showed that cognitive performance differed across combinations of environmental conditions. Working memory was generally enhanced under cooler temperatures and higher lighting intensity, while sustained attention was stronger under warmer temperatures and lower lighting intensity. A Random Forest predictive model using physiological and environmental variables achieved an accuracy of 80.4% for working memory prediction and 61.6% for sustained attention prediction.
Study 2 investigated how spatial configuration and lighting conditions influence human experience in immersive virtual reality. Forty-two participants completed eight virtual conditions defined by four room configurations and two lighting conditions. Measures included perceptual responses, emotional experience, physiological signals, cognitive performance, and perceived workload. The results showed that spatial and lighting conditions produced different response patterns across these outcomes. Vertically expanded spaces often reduced spatial comfort and emotional ease, while deeper spaces and warm lighting generally supported more positive perceptual and emotional responses.
Study 3 extended these findings by developing a domain-level evaluation framework that integrated multiple outcomes into four domains: perceptual comfort, positive emotional experience, cognitive performance, and workload relief. The results showed that spatial configuration and lighting significantly influenced perceptual comfort, emotional experience, and cognitive performance, while workload relief depended on their interaction. Cross-domain comparisons revealed that no single spatial-lighting condition optimized all outcomes simultaneously, indicating trade-offs across different response domains.
Overall, this dissertation demonstrates that human responses to indoor environments are multidimensional and shaped by the combined effects of environmental and spatial design conditions. The findings highlight the importance of evaluating indoor environments across multiple response domains and provide insights for designing indoor spaces that better support human comfort, well-being, and performance.
Recommended Citation
Son, Seonghyuk, "Exploring Optimal Indoor Environmental and Spatial Conditions in Virtual Reality: Implications for Human Experience and Productivity" (2026). All Dissertations. 4348.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4348