Lighting for educational spaces

What is the topic of your Doctoral Thesis?

This doctoral dissertation focuses on lighting for educational spaces, particularly electric lighting. The project is centered on the design and evaluation of spatial lighting distribution for different learning activities, based on pupils' needs. 

Why did you choose this topic?

This work is part of the Lighting in School Environments (LiSE) project, funded by the Swedish Energy Agency and the Svenssons Foundation. I have been interested in lighting for educational spaces since my master's studies, due to the limited information connecting lighting design choices to pupils' and children's needs. This gap motivated a child-centered and evidence-based approach, explored through direct collaborations with pupils and teachers using workshops and participatory methods, in this dissertation. 

What are the most important results?

The study's results demonstrate that lighting influences cognitive performance, and more specifically, attention-related outcomes. The proposed lighting solution resulted in higher performance scores for 4th-6th-grade pupils in a field study at a Swedish primary school. The research also showed that light on a vertical plane differs for children compared to adults, highlighting the importance of age-specific lighting recommendations. The findings contributed to the development of a framework for child-centered lighting that integrates architectural design, cognitive science, pedagogy, and empirical knowledge from pupils' experiences. 

Did you come across something unexpected during your thesis research?

While not entirely unexpected, it was interesting that although attention was affected by lighting, performance related to creativity did not show significant changes, highlighting the nuanced influence of lighting on different cognitive functions. 

Who will benefit from your results? What kind the impact may it have on surrounding society?

Lighting designers, architects, educational practitioners, and researchers can benefit from this research. The proposed model provides a practical framework for creating child-centered learning environments, and the participatory approach demonstrates how pupils' perspectives can guide design decisions. Throughout the project, there has been an attempt to communicate the design process and findings through various written dissemination outputs and seminars, in order to inform, initiate, and support a dialogue that can benefit both research and practice. 

What will you do next and where can one reach you?

Following the dissertation defense, I envision working at the intersection of lighting research and practice. I can be reached via LinkedIn, and I would be glad to hear your thoughts on this work.