Effect of a Microalgae Facade on Design Behaviors: A Pilot Study with Architecture Students
The influence of nature on occupant well-being and performance has been proved in office, hospital, and educational settings. There is evidence that plants and green colors affect creative and psychological responses. The microalgae facade in the study integrated spirulina, blue-green microalgae, wh...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/3/611 |
| _version_ | 1797613095102709760 |
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| author | Kathryn Warren Julie Milovanovic Kyoung Hee Kim |
| author_facet | Kathryn Warren Julie Milovanovic Kyoung Hee Kim |
| author_sort | Kathryn Warren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The influence of nature on occupant well-being and performance has been proved in office, hospital, and educational settings. There is evidence that plants and green colors affect creative and psychological responses. The microalgae facade in the study integrated spirulina, blue-green microalgae, which were cultivated using natural daylight and room air. While a good body of research explores nature’s impact on people, research on microalgae systems has not been linked to creative performance. This pilot study, therefore, focused on how the microalgae facade influences occupant mood and creativity. Forty architecture students were randomly assigned to the control and experimental rooms. The control group was surveyed in a room with a traditional window, whereas the experimental group was surveyed in a room with a biochromic window. Research design for the two conditions remained the same under IEQ-controlled environments except for the inclusion of the microalgae facade. Forty architecture students completed two creativity tasks—alternative use test (AUT) and remote association test (RAT)—and brainstorming for sustainable design in control and experimental settings. Our preliminary findings indicate that the microalgae facade did not affect divergent ideas and convergent thinking during tasks, but participants in the microalgae façade developed more design solutions that included greenery than students in the control space. This research is a preliminary investigation into the human impact of a microalgae façade and represents a new focus for scientific research. More work is needed to better grasp to what extent implementing a microalgae façade will impact human behavior in space. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:51:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e556be1de8ed43728ebac0d0c517ea21 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:51:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj.art-e556be1de8ed43728ebac0d0c517ea212023-11-17T10:01:39ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092023-02-0113361110.3390/buildings13030611Effect of a Microalgae Facade on Design Behaviors: A Pilot Study with Architecture StudentsKathryn Warren0Julie Milovanovic1Kyoung Hee Kim2School of Architecture, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USASchool of Architecture, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USASchool of Architecture, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USAThe influence of nature on occupant well-being and performance has been proved in office, hospital, and educational settings. There is evidence that plants and green colors affect creative and psychological responses. The microalgae facade in the study integrated spirulina, blue-green microalgae, which were cultivated using natural daylight and room air. While a good body of research explores nature’s impact on people, research on microalgae systems has not been linked to creative performance. This pilot study, therefore, focused on how the microalgae facade influences occupant mood and creativity. Forty architecture students were randomly assigned to the control and experimental rooms. The control group was surveyed in a room with a traditional window, whereas the experimental group was surveyed in a room with a biochromic window. Research design for the two conditions remained the same under IEQ-controlled environments except for the inclusion of the microalgae facade. Forty architecture students completed two creativity tasks—alternative use test (AUT) and remote association test (RAT)—and brainstorming for sustainable design in control and experimental settings. Our preliminary findings indicate that the microalgae facade did not affect divergent ideas and convergent thinking during tasks, but participants in the microalgae façade developed more design solutions that included greenery than students in the control space. This research is a preliminary investigation into the human impact of a microalgae façade and represents a new focus for scientific research. More work is needed to better grasp to what extent implementing a microalgae façade will impact human behavior in space.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/3/611nature positive design and microalgae facadeindoor environment qualityarchitecture design creativityhealth and wellbeingalternative use test (AUT) and remote association test (RAT) |
| spellingShingle | Kathryn Warren Julie Milovanovic Kyoung Hee Kim Effect of a Microalgae Facade on Design Behaviors: A Pilot Study with Architecture Students Buildings nature positive design and microalgae facade indoor environment quality architecture design creativity health and wellbeing alternative use test (AUT) and remote association test (RAT) |
| title | Effect of a Microalgae Facade on Design Behaviors: A Pilot Study with Architecture Students |
| title_full | Effect of a Microalgae Facade on Design Behaviors: A Pilot Study with Architecture Students |
| title_fullStr | Effect of a Microalgae Facade on Design Behaviors: A Pilot Study with Architecture Students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of a Microalgae Facade on Design Behaviors: A Pilot Study with Architecture Students |
| title_short | Effect of a Microalgae Facade on Design Behaviors: A Pilot Study with Architecture Students |
| title_sort | effect of a microalgae facade on design behaviors a pilot study with architecture students |
| topic | nature positive design and microalgae facade indoor environment quality architecture design creativity health and wellbeing alternative use test (AUT) and remote association test (RAT) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/3/611 |
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