Professor Byron Mikellides

Three studies of the psychological and physiological effects on people of colored room interiors are described. Experiment 1 compared a colorful and a gray room, whereas in experiments 2 and 3 red and blue rooms were compared. The results indicate that the color of an interior space will have effects on many different levels. The perception of the room itself was affected, and the colors also had an impact on the emotions and physiology of those who stayed in the rooms. Strong, especially red, colors and patterns put the brain into a more excited state, sometimes to such an extent as to cause a paradoxical slowing of the heart rate. Introvert persons, as well as those already in a negative mood, became more affected than others, which caused severe changes in their performance. The series of experiments described here were among the first to be carried out in full-scale rooms painted or otherwise decorated in various colors. One practical implication is that a moderate use of good color design will serve to improve the overall mood and well-being of people. In future research more emphasis should be placed on color, as just one component in the highly complex real-life situations

The aim of the study was to determine whether indoor lighting and colour would have any systematic impact on the mood of people working indoors. Earlier studies have mostly focused either on light, colour or windows in laboratory settings. The present study was carried out in real work environments at different seasons and in countries with different latitudes. A total of 988 persons completed all parts of the study. In the countries situated far north of the equator there was a significant variation in psychological mood over the year that did not occur in the countries closer to the equator. When all four countries were considered together, it became evident that the light and colour of the workplace itself also had an influence on the mood of persons working there. The workers' mood was at its lowest when the lighting was experienced as much too dark. The mood then improved and reached its highest level when the lighting was experienced as just right, but when it became too bright the mood declined again. On the other hand, the illuminance as measured in objective terms, showed no significant impact on mood at any time of the year. The relationship between mood and the distance to the nearest window was bimodal. The results also indicate that the use of good colour design might contribute to a more positive mood. It is suggested that in future research light and colour should be studied as parts of the more complex system making up a healthy building.

This study investigates the knowledge of architectural students about perceptual and psycho-physiological aspects of color, color nomenclature, existing myths and beliefs, and how color is used in their everyday work in the studios. Data were collected mainly by means of questionnaires, to first- and final-year students in five schools of architecture: three in Sweden and two in the United Kingdom. The results were analyzed for each country and educational level, and comparisons made between them. The findings show there is a severe lack of knowledge about color research in both countries. Reading color literature and attending lectures or conferences was rare. However, most participants reported positive attitudes toward color research, especially studies of color perception and color preferences. Knowledge of the Natural Color System (NCS) and British Standard (BSI) was poor, and only a handful of the respondents knew the theoretical basis of the systems. Most of the students complained about the lack of coverage of the subject area in lectures, seminars, or studio work, with very little theory and only few practical exercises. Because students perceive color design as their own future responsibility and basic design education seems to be the main source of color information, the problem of this deficient knowledge should be seriously addressed by researchers and educators. The results suggest ways of improvement and list the most appropriate and preferred methods of communicating research on color.