Abstract
Although humans evolved as a primarily outdoor species, most people in the developed world now spend the vast majority of their lives indoors. Despite a growing body of evidence that this is harming our long-term health, the expectation is that future generations are likely to spend an even greater proportion of their lives inside buildings. In response, the Edge project examines ways of using design to encourage those who have to be inside to spend more of their time on the healthier outer edges of indoor spaces, where they can access three key outdoor resources that are essential to our well-being: blue spectrum daylight from the sky, which we need for both daytime alertness and healthy sleep; perceptible natural change, which sustains attention and reduces stress; and visual information about our surroundings, which helps us to feel more at ease. The central strategy proposed to achieve this to accommodate as many everyday domestic activities as possible on the building perimeter. The paper compares the effectiveness of three particular types of perimeter space in achieving these goals—the loggia, the oriel, and the alcove.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—From the Home to the City: Designing Spatial Experiences
KEYWORDS
THE INDOOR/OUTDOOR BOUNDARY, PERIMETER SPACES, OCCUPANT WELL-BEING
