A window view quality assessment framework

TL;DR

This paper proposes a comprehensive framework for assessing window view quality in architecture, integrating content, access, and clarity to guide building design for improved human well-being.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, literature-based framework with a conceptual index for evaluating window view quality in architectural design.

Findings

Framework based on three variables: content, access, and clarity.

Proposed a conceptual index for view quality assessment.

Summarized design recommendations and identified research gaps.

Abstract

The views that windows provide from inside a building affect human health and well-being. Although window view is an important element of architecture, there is no established framework to guide its design. The literature is widely dispersed across different disciplinary fields, and there is a need to coalesce this information into a framework that can be applied into the building design. Based on the literature, we present a framework for what constitutes 'view quality.' At the basis of our framework, we propose three primary variables: View Content (the assessment of visual features seen in the window view), View Access (the measure of how much of the view can be seen through the window from the occupant's position), and View Clarity (the assessment of how clear the view content appears in the window view when seen by an occupant). Each variable was thematically derived from different sources including daylighting standards, green certification systems, and scientific research studies. We describe the most important characteristics of each variable, and from our review of the literature, we propose a conceptual index that can evaluate the quality of a window view. While discussing the index, we summarize design recommendations for integrating these three variables into the building process and identify knowledge gaps for future research.