Lighting and Spacial Perception - Exploring Depth and Affordances in Public Interiors

This thesis explores how lighting layers influence spatial depth perception and support affordancesin public interior environments. Using the KTH Library Hall in Stockholm as a case study, thestudy combines luminance mapping across nine predefined image regions with a perceptionbasedquestionnaire to examine the relationship between lighting distribution, spatial legibility,and user experience. The findings indicate that luminance variation significantly shapes spatialcomprehension, particularly along peripheral and vertical axes. Contrasts in brightness appear tocontribute to the perception of volume and directionality, while subtle transitions between lightzones indicate different spatial functions, such as movement, pause, or focus. Responses fromthe questionnaire reinforce the idea that lighting cues are instrumental in how users interpretand navigate space. This research contributes to a broader understanding of lighting as a visualand cognitive tool in architectural design. By integrating perceptual strategies with technicalmetrics, this study introduces layered lighting as an approach to enhance comfort, orientation,and inclusivity in public interiors, thereby supporting Sustainable Development Goals 3.4 and 11.7.