At two kilometres long, the Hofbogenpark will be the longest rooftop park in the Netherlands and is part of the municipality of Rotterdam’s seven urban greening projects. A new icon for the city that not only connects the various neighbourhoods, but also contributes to a solution for climate change.

Plant and animal diversity is under pressure worldwide. Conservation and restoration of biodiversity are therefore essential and cities play an important role in this. All of the different needs/wants of the stakeholders (human/non-human) need to be integrated together in the context of this urban park. Therefore, this project lends itself perfectly to a biophilic design approach.

When looking at biophilic architectural projects, like the Hofbogenpark, they are currently dominated by the use of natural forms/materials, lighting is often still very artificial. This situation presents an opportunity to create and research new lighting strategies and products that make (better) use of the biophilia principles to improve the relationship/interaction between users well-being and energy management in a restorative environment.

This thesis explores the design and development of a light installation for Hofbogenpark in Rotterdam. The main goal was to create a biophilic light(ing) environment within this context, taking into account the desired interaction/experience: reconnecting with each other and with (the surrounding) nature.

Before starting the design process, extensive research was done on the qualities of light, the psychology of light and the perception of light. This research provided a strong foundation for understanding how light influences us and can shape experiences. By exploring how light interacts with different materials and forms and how it affects spatial perception, the project was able to integrate these insights into the design choices. In addition, research on the biophilia theory and forming my own opinion about biophilic design has been an important aspect of the design.

After an analysis of the meaning and influence of public space over time, a qualitative study on values/needs and motivations for Hofbogenpark visitors was conducted. From this research, the most important key drivers were extracted to subsequently form a design vision:

I want to support urbanites reconnecting with both the natural world and each other, by creating a relaxing, nature-inspired break from the city that enhances social connections.

Experimenting and prototyping was essential to the design process because it helped to refine the concept. Every iteration, from preliminary drawings to tangible prototypes, advanced my knowledge of how forms and materials respond to light and motion (caustics/dichroic foils). These practical experiments influenced important design decisions, guaranteeing that the final installation takes into account the desired interaction and experience.

The final design: Illuminate and Elevate, features dichroic plexiglass canopies that respond to the movement of the sun and reflect natural forms and light, and turnable chairs that provide a place to sit down and reconnect with other visitors. The design reinforces the natural phenomenon of the changing colours of the sun/moon due to its position in relation to the earth. In the meantime it gives more colour to the Hofbogenpark and city life.

This project explores the application of the ventriloquism effect in the context of the nightclub, to assess its potential for enhancing audience immersion. The ventriloquism effect is a cross-modal illusion in which a sound is perceived as originating from the location of a simultaneous visual stimulus rather than its actual source. This illusion was integrated into an audio-reactive electroluminescent wire installation that generates visual cues based on live audio produced by DJs during a nightclub event. The installation was evaluated through a controlled user test, supplemented by a questionnaire distributed among event attendees and interviews with user test participants. The user test revealed a statistically significant increase in self-reported immersion during audio-reactive light modes, compared to non-reactive light modes. Additionally, an increase in self-reported spatial specificity in the perceived localisation of auditory cues was observed during audio-reactive light modes, though this effect was not statistically significant. This increased spatial specificity would indicate ventriloquism, as the perceived location of auditory cues shifts to the spatially specific visual cues created by the installation. In addition to the user test, qualitative evaluation methods revealed that the light installation enhanced audience immersion. While statistical significance concerning the presence of ventriloquism was not achieved, findings indicate that cross-modal illusions hold potential for multisensory design in nightclubs, warranting further research.

This thesis presents a design project that explores the role of visual perception in fostering empathy and addressing affective polarization. The research builds on insights from EyeSeeDifferent, a lighting installation developed for Highlight Delft, which demonstrated how lighting conditions influence perception. Expanding on this concept, the graduation project investigates how altering perception can enhance empathy within polarized societal contexts.
Affective polarization is increasingly prevalent, catalyzed by media coverage societal divisions. This project applies a polarization framework that identifies four distinct roles, with a particular focus on the Silent Middle and the Pushers. The Pushers contribute to polarization by reinforcing division, while the Silent Middle resists choosing a side despite experiencing pressure to do so.
Countering affective polarization requires enhancing empathy among the Pushers toward the Silent Middle.
Empathy is a dynamic and malleable concept, which can be enhanced through perspective-taking tasks. Research indicates that both visual and emotional perspective-taking activate the same brain regions, suggesting that engaging in a structured visual perspective-taking task may also stimulate empathy.
The primary design objective is to develop an installation that challenges polarization by emphasizing the value of the Silent Middle. The resulting installation, Hidden in Plain Sight (dutch: Ik zie wat jij niet ziet), was developed through two major design iterations and two user tests. The experience assigns participants to two roles: the Pushers, who have a limited visual perspective, and the Silent Middle, who integrate these fragmented perspectives to form a complete understanding. The Pushers shine red or blue filtered light through windows, creating opposing, partial views of a masked word due to a depth perception effect. The Silent Middle, located inside, can see both perspectives and decipher the full word: STILLE MIDDEN (English: Silent Middle). As a result, the Pushers leaves the interaction with a sense of dissatisfaction, while the Silent Middle experiences a sense of accomplishment and understanding. A debriefing session follows, where all visitors use a scale model and keyrings to further explore the installation from all perspectives. This step is designed to give meaning to the experienced interaction by connecting it to the polarization framework.
Prototyping and user testing provided critical insights that informed iterative refinements. The findings confirm that the intended emotional differences between roles are successfully conveyed. However, the connection between the interactive experience and the polarization framework requires further refinement.
This research contributes to the development of design strategies that can help reduce affective polarization by highlighting the value of the Silent Middle. By offering a tangible, interactive experience, the project demonstrates the potential of visual perception as a tool for promoting empathy in a divided society.

The museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam is currently closed for restoration. The architect Van der Steur made an extensive study of lighting in museum rooms (1930). This resulted in a pitched roof with glass and a layer of horizontal glass panes (legramen) that form the ceiling of the exhibition rooms. Below the glass panes timber blades (schoepen) are placed under an angle to disperse the light.
The museum board wants to preserve the vision on daylight of Van der Steur and is now considering options for sun shading above the ceiling. This addition will allow them to better control the illumination in the museum and protect the artwork.

This Master thesis describes a method to assess the daylight exposure in the museum Boijmans van Beuningen. It can be used for a combined lighting design (daylight and artificial). The purpose of the method is to compare different sun shading solutions and their effects on the illuminance. A toolbox is made that can be used on other museums.

The method starts with a 3D model of one of the museum rooms. Alterations had to be made to accommodate the temporary renovation state. For the validation of the model, HDR images were made on-site. These results were compared with the calculation made with the 3D model. Iteratively the best possible fit was made.

With the validated model an hourly daylight simulation was done using the EPW climate-based weather data. The resulting illuminance exceeded the desired level at several points in time. Three different types of sunscreens were chosen. These were schematised as a continuous layer on top of the legramen. Based on the behaviour of the sun shading on three specific days, a daylight factor of 2% was found between the illuminance on the wall and the outside illuminance. With this relation and the EPW weather data the desired sun shading states for an entire year are predicted. A control mechanism is designed for the opening and closing of the sun shading based on local measurements. When the sun shading state changes, the illuminance can fall below the desired level of 125 lx. In that case, additional artificial lighting is needed. The calculations show that over an entire year, the total exposure is 469.286 lx·hr, this is a reduction of 82.2 % compared to the museum without any sun shading.

With the developed approach the user can gather building-specific characteristics and geometries, that include some form of ‘device’ that controls the top light entering a room. If the first part of the modelling process is done, and the hourly data is collected, the model behaves within the practically accepted limits that were set. This version can assess what selection of screens is effective, that will reduce the incoming light, without unnecessarily over-reducing it, and so limits the need for additional diffuse artificial lighting.

Light pollution is becoming an issue due to the excessive use of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN). This thesis explores the design potentials of bioluminescent algae to integrate more darkness into our urban nightscapes, with a design exploration on the TU Delft campus. The goal is to find out if bioluminescent algae can be used to design for darkness.

This research was divided into a theoretical study, a research study conducting measurements and user experience, ideation and prototyping, and user evaluations. Literature has shown that people’s perception of light is crucial for a safe and comfortable environment at night. The perception is very subjective and is influenced by various factors. The research also analysed the characteristics of bioluminescent algae and found that they have the potential to offer distinctive textures and patterns that could improve the nighttime environment.

Through measurements and user studies the current lighting environment was defined and a location for the design was chosen. This research led to the insight that a design at the location near the Aula would have the most significant impact in reducing light usage. The location offers space for an interactive and explorative design. The dimensions simple, dim, and safe showed significance and are used as handles for the ideation phase.

Following the design vision, two concepts were selected that went through prototyping, testing processes in the biolab and user evaluations. The testing process resulted in choosing the sturdy transparent container types that created more light output while interacting. Based on the insights of this research the prototype was translated to a final design. The goal of the design is to show how bioluminescent algae can be integrated for design for darkness, which was validated with the user.

In conclusion, the project shows that the material performs well in dark environments and the promise of bioluminescent algae as a means for design for darkness is recognised. Further exploration and applications are encouraged, since there are steps needed to re-introduce darkness. A meaningful application using the material can be made to promote darkness to help people see the positive aspects of darkness and take steps towards darker nightscapes.

This Master’s thesis report contains research about applying textile to the outer housing surface of products. The research was conducted in collaboration with Signify, a company that creates smart home luminaires for the brand Philips Hue. The goal of the project was to create design guidelines which the designers of Signify can use to create textile building blocks for their luminaires.

The project explores suitable textiles, shaping possibilities and fastening methods. The most relevant insights are summarized on “Design Guidelines” pages. A “Design Decision Tree” (DDT) was created to navigate through the Design Guidelines. The DDT can be used by designers who have a housing shape in mind to learn about the relevant insights for applying textile to their specific surface.

Suitable textiles for surface application are researched. It was determined that knitted and woven fabrics are suitable for surface coverage. Non-woven fabrics are not because of their undesired appearance and minimal required thickness which impedes mechanical fastening.

Shaping possibilities were explored for covering surfaces with flat sheets of fabric as well as covering continuous surfaces with tubular textiles. Depending on the properties of a surface, certain fabrics and fastening methods can or cannot be used. The design limitations per surface category are summarized in the Design Guidelines.

Most current textile housings are fabricated by gluing or welding the textiles to the outer surface and inner edges of the part. This method obstructs easy disassembly. An alternative method was created. This “clamping” fastening method is considered more sustainable because it allows the housing to be disassembled with ease and therefor repaired or recycled more efficiently. A clear use cue was added to the inside of the clamping mechanism to inform the user about its disassembly potential.

In addition to the gluing and clamping method, creating a separate sleeve was explored. To fabricate such a sleeve, 3D-knitting can be used. Literature research was conducted to explore the possibilities of knitting three-dimensional shapes on flatbed and circular knitting machines to cover product housings.

A novel product concept for Philips Hue was created. A prototype of the concept was made to demonstrate textile building blocks in the context of a luminaire. This product concept is called the “Rotation Lamp” and it is used as a tool throughout the report for experimenting and validating. The Rotation Lamp is inviting to touch because of its textile parts. It is intended to be kept close to the user and to enhance their well-being by providing them with a lamp that suits their need for ambience and functional light. Three sets of textile housings were created for the prototype to observe the different product aesthetics that these could create.

This project is an exploration of light as a supportive medium for meditation. Light is a mysterious phenomenon and the possibilities are endless, which required a broad exploration of various elements and applications of light. With a design driven approach this exploration took many forms. Ranging from finding inspiration, sketching ideas and building prototypes. 
However, to be able to steer the creative process towards a valuable end result a deep understanding about the experience, needs and requirements of the user had to be formed. This understanding grew over the course of the project by holding interviews and organising a generative session. Results from these activities resulted in a structured overview of how the meditation ritual someone could be supported. 
Research revealed that the user needs help in three areas, the creation of a routine, a formal practice of meditation and the relationship the user has with the ritual. The user is helped by shaping the routine, visualising this routine and by receiving notifications to show it is time to meditate. In terms of practice, the user is supported by getting into the mood of the meditation, through focus support (to avoid being lost in thought too much) and by having a transition between the meditation session and everyday life. Lastly the relationship the user has with the ritual is strengthened by creating a moment of clear awareness during the day. During this intervention the user is able to take a moment out of everyday life and reflect on its state of mind.
Based on the created structure the creative process could be channeled towards a product. With a focus on the interaction and aesthetics it was possible to find a balance between the functionality and appeal of the product. This resulted in Prana, your luminous meditation assistant. A dynamic and interactive wall lamp with a focus on guiding a user in his or her meditation journey. 
An evaluation of the product showed its potential to support a user through the meditation journey while providing an aesthetically pleasing experience that immerses you into the mysterious phenomenon of light. The simplicity of the product provides an intuitive interaction, while the complexity of the light effects take you into the moment.

In the past few years, many companies have made the transition from an office with closed working spaces, towards open offices. The Dutch office of IKEA CBF made the transition to an open office in 2016, to support an activity-based way of working. This new way of working has to lead to an increase in complaints, about noise and distractions within the office. Co-workers commonly related this experience nuisance to auditory stimulation, however, visual or temporal stimuli could contribute to this as well. The experience of the office was researched from a co-worker centered perspective, through interviews and contextmapping session. This revealed that co-workers mainly experience nuisance, when they are being distracted during individual focused work activities. Co-workers identified that they experience nuisance caused by six main sources, both relating to the behavior of co-workers and office facilities. Where most co-workers experienced nuisance from co-workers conversation and movement/foot traffic. The amount of nuisance a co-workers experiences is mainly dependent on their role and the amount of individual work activities they perform. nuisance, than other co-workers. Next to this the individual experiences of co-workers are influenced by factors that influence the presence of specific sources and co-workers general ability to deal with nuisance. Co-workers here most frequently identified that individual needs and a low awareness about their own effect on their surroundings, to affect their general experience of nuisance. Finally co-workers all had an equal access to tools to protect themselves from nuisance. Consequently, co-workers’ general experience of nuisance could most effectively be decreased through a design intervention that improves co-workers’ ability to protect themselves from nuisance during individual work. Next to this Co-creation activities with the Com&In teamshowed that a physical design intervention, that could be applied as an individual solution to protect co-workers from nuisance, would most likely lead to valuable insights for the Com&In team. Following I developed Fridfold, a stimulation barrier aimed at decreasing the amount of nuisance that co-workers experience from auditory and visual stimulation, while working at their desks. This design aimed to make working at an individual deskspace feel ‘fridfull’ or serene, by having a calming effect on co-workers. To achieve this Fridfold was developed to both decrease the amount of stimulation and co-workers perception of stimulation. To achieve this, Fridfold aims to decrease co-workers perception of stimulation by increasing co-workers sense of control, through the interactivity of the design, and the perceived sound damping of materials, through the application of a three-dimensional textured screen. The evaluation of the design with students and co-workers showed that the Fridfold influenced the amount of visual stimulation and improved co-workers sense of control, through the interactivity of the design. Furthermore co-workers envisioned that Fridfold could decrease the nuisance experienced from interruptions. While three dimensional-texture of the screen could not influence the perceived sound damping due to other characteristics of the screen. Therefore, Fridfold should be evaluated within the context of the office to identify how the design can influence coworkers’ general experience of nuisance.

In this thesis, a luminaire is developed for the public space. The main purpose of this luminaire is to positively influence the state of mind of bystanders and improve the residential quality of the city centre. It does this by creating distinct atmospheres with adaptive light features, based on the use of public space. To determine all the preconditions of such a design, an extensive analysis was carried out on all facets that are related to light. This covers both the physics concerning light and the (psychological) perception of that light. After an analysis of the current role of light in the public space, the interests of all stakeholders have been framed. Based on this, a design vision has been drawn up; ‘‘DEVELOP A PROGRAMMABLE LUMINAIRE WHICH HAS THE MAIN FUNCTION OF POSITIVELY INFLUENCING THE STATE OF MIND OF BYSTANDERS BY USING ITS ADAPTIVE LIGHT PROPERTIES TO CREATE DESIRED ATMOSPHERES’,’ Within this vision, after several brainstorms, four concepts have been developed. The concept with the most viability has been used as the basis. The “iterative design” method has been applied within the thesis, with multiple models/prototypes being made; at first simple models (spuugmodellen), later more detailed scale models. Hereby, making prototypes has always been seen as a means, not as a goal. Physical models have been used to explore design areas and to validate design choices. Because designing with light context is very important, a case study has been developed within this thesis; the centre of Tilburg. By dividing the city centre of Tilburg into three areas “residential area, shopping area and catering area”, light scripts have been developed that respond to the (subconscious) needs of residents and visitors of city districts with their unique specific functions. These light scripts are based on the adaptive (programmable) light properties of the developed luminaire. A hierarchical system has been developed for this that can determine light properties based on several external factors. These light properties are converted to a numerical system, which is used as input for programming the luminaire. The impact of the different light properties on the atmospheric perception of the light was determined in a test setup, for which a scale model of the final design was used. In this study, the prototype also functions as a proof of concept. Based on the results of the research, a conceptual model has been drawn up, in which the light properties of the luminaire can be determined on the basis of the desired atmosphere. The thesis concludes with a feedback on the established preconditions, whereby a proposal is made for future research.

This is a thesis report in Integrated Product Design, along with STG Aerospace in Cwmbran, Wales. It is a design project centered around the entry lighting of an aircraft galley. The analysis provided possibilities to reduce stress using light. These are showing information from trusted and authoritative sources, enlarging the perception of galley optically and physically to negate the feel of claustrophobia and using dynamic lighting as calming effects and asa means of communication.

The embodiment design used requirements and translated them into a lighting plan, which is created from lighting-based design solutions. This lighting plan details the functions the light will fulfil, and how the psychological requirements are addressed within the architecture of the aircraft galley.

Four elements compose this lighting plan; 1) a central luminaire, 2) spotlights, 3) a dynamic lighting component, and 4) a projection of information. The duration of this project was too short to fully elaborate upon every aspect of the lighting plan, so the focus for the final design is on a central luminaire with integrated dynamic lighting, as it showed the most potential of having an effect on passengers.

The final design proposal is a luminaire with a LED print-circuit board as light source and a diffuser made by thermoforming a diffuse sheet of polycarbonate, selected for its impact resistance and fire classification, making it the go-to material for light diffusers in the aircraft industry. The luminaire has a flowing character and curved design that matches the current trend in aviation, welcoming passengers and guiding them in the right direction.

Light is dynamically as pulsing LEDs moving along the edge of the luminaire with streaks of blue, mirroring clouds that pass by while also guiding passengers along. The larger luminaire provides cabin crew and passengers with improved lighting conditions that match required lighting values while creating the perception that the galley is enlarged optically by shining light along the ceiling.

The evaluation of the design was conducted in the DUT Aircraft Lab by recreating stress and having participants re-enact the boarding experience. The first iteration shows only general lighting, the second includes the full effect of the luminaire with dynamic lighting. The results, that compare the evaluated atmospheres in the galley, indicate that the addition of the dynamic lighting has a positive effect on the experienced atmosphere in the galley, suggesting a reduction of stress.

The qualitative feedback from participants shows that the effect of the luminaire design and the dynamic lighting do help to create a more relaxed atmosphere, positively influencing the boarding experience. The design is associated by several participants with clouds passing through a clear sky and people find the design calming and intriguing.

The lighting plan functions as envisioned and should help to reduce stress among passengers using dynamic light to evoke a calmer atmosphere while simultaneously capturing the attention with its design. STG Aerospace will benefit from the research supporting these conclusions and now have a direction in which the galley lighting can be developed further.

This master thesis takes two concepts - light content and biophilic design - together into a design approach for designing biophilic light texture. Light content entails the design of digital content for LED lighting products, taking human experience of light as the main design objective; light texture is one of the lighting effects within the framework of light content as defined by Signify (Philips lighting). Biophilic design is an architectural design framework that takes the concept of biophilia as its premise. Biophilia is the human inclination to affiliate with natural features, like water, forests, wildlife, etc. Biophilic design aims to re-integrate this inherent affiliation with nature into the built environment.
The human experience of light, the visual qualities of light texture and the basic design principles of biophilic design are put together to arrive at a design approach for biophilic light texture. This approach entails a basic design principle, focusing on integration with both the architecture and its geographical, social and cultural context; and a set of practical guidelines on how to achieve this integration through the design of light textures.


This design approach was applied in a design project for Beersnielsen lighting designers. This project involved the interior lighting design of a newly designed visitor center for a nature reserve park. The central element of this lighting design is a chandelier that projects a light texture (light shadow projections) onto the arched ceiling of the interior. The dynamic and style of the light texture create an integration with the natural environment, while at the same time the graphic style, the scale and the structure of the texture make it an integral part of the architecture as well. It continues the character and atmosphere of the nature reserve park, to the indoor environment of the visitor center. A prototype was created to show a proof of concept for creating the desired lighting effect, and to be able to experience the effect on a full architectural scale.

The guidelines of the design approach as outlined in this thesis are specifically focused on light texture as a lighting effect, as showcased in the design project. However, the basic design principle of the approach can also be applied to lighting design in general. It is encouraged to explore this principle of integrated design for other lighting effects within the light content framework as well, potentially arriving at a comprehensive biophilic design framework for lighting design in general.

In June 2015, MX3D announced that they were planning on building a fully functional 3D printed stainless steel bridge. The bridge will be placed on the Oudezijds Achterbrugwal located in the red light district. Because the bridge is pushing construction and modelling techniques, the bridge will also be fitted with a sensor network. The sensors will monitor the structural health and use of the bridge to ensure the bridge’s lasting integrity. MX3D wants to know how the data that the bridge collects can become meaningful to a public audience. The design challenge of this graduati-on project is to develop a data driven lighting design for MX3D's sensor equipped 3D printed bridge, to engage a public audience with the bridge and to convey the smartness of the bridge. Through the exploration of the bridge, the location, the data and lighting technologies, multiple concepts were found using side emitting optical fibres. The final concept led from the results of a user test: A lighting design from side emitting optical fibres, that conveys the amount of people through the amount of lines that are turned on. The lighting design glows in a constant motion to convey that the bridge is a living and breathing entity, that is aware of its surroundings. The colour of the lighting design is light blue, the colour of smart technology.

This graduation project describes the research and design process of taking on several challenges that arise in the context of blind people in the museum. Research showed that blind people are interested in going to museums and exhibitions in general. But most museums do not provide enough information for them to enjoy a museum experience.
This project, in collaboration with the Van Abbemuseum, started with an extensive literature study and field research to gain a deeper understanding of meaningful museum experiences for blind people and how blind and sighted visitors can be connected to each other. This research revealed five main challenges concerning the topics social inclusion, power balance, embedding interpretative resources in interaction, hasty sighted visitors and dialogue. A design, Art Valise, has been developed that empowers blind and sighted visitors to experience art independently together in the museum. Their different perspectives on artworks will enhance each other’s experience. This design exists of a wooden suitcase that presents three artworks within a theme of a collection in the Van Abbemuseum. Translation material in the form of a booklet and 3D objects per artwork are embedded in interaction, in which dialogue leads to complementation between the blind and sighted ones. The evaluation of Art Valise with the intended target group consisted of two parts. In the first evaluation the design was tested in what way design features can be improved in relation to the design goal. After the first evaluation the design has been optimized and a new prototype has been built. The second evaluation consisted of two tests with the intended target group to see in what way Art Valise fits the qualities of the design goal. In the end the design is based upon conveying two key-components. The first one is going beyond social inclusion, by bringing the blind truly in the museum, they can be recognized as visitors, being part of the museum crowd, who are independent meaning makers who use the museum to fulfil their identity-related needs.The second one is emphasizing the multimodal experience of art, in which a meaningful connection is created between the visitor and artist rather than only seeing the artwork. A change of understanding between the different communities can be reached, which could have a positive effect on the self-esteem of blind people and the ability to take greater control of their lives.