Nordic Daylight in 360°

This paper presents experiments with rendered and photographed 360° panoramas for daylight evaluation and representation in virtual reality (VR), representing visually perceived daylight quality. Northern daylight, with its great yearly variations in daylight hours, forms the basis of the daylight investigations. A full-scale daylight studio, its digital twin, and a 1:10 scale model of the daylight studio were used in the research, and their VR representations were compared. The conclusion is clear: 360° photographic captures or renders allow for a bodily experience of the daylight-illuminated space in VR suitable for daylight decisions in early design phases, as well as for presentation purposes.