Luminous Minds
Enhancing Cognitive Performance and Knowledge Acquisition in Future Libraries Through the Lighting Landscape
B.J. Mooren (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
M. Lin – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
A.J. Oxenaar – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
U. Pottgiesser – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
A. Mulder – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
This research explores how lighting landscapes can be strategically designed in future library environments to stimulate user-driven knowledge acquisition and cognitive performance, with a specific focus on the Royal Library in The Hague (KB) as a case study. Throughout history, libraries have evolved from static, exclusive book repositories into dynamic, public learning environments. Central to this transformation is the role of light, which is not just a source of illumination, but also a spatial and neurological stimulant influencing cognition, engagement and user experience.
Despite growing interest in lighting’s psychological effects, its integration as a cognitive tool in library design remains underexplored, particularly in heritage settings such as the KB. This thesis addresses that gap by asking: How can the lighting landscape be designed to stimulate user-driven knowledge acquisition and cognitive performance in the ‘Future Library’?
The study adopts a hybrid theoretical framework informed by neuroscience, architecture, and lighting design. It explores how light affects cogntive performance and knowledge acquisition and how spatial lighting conditions can shape user experience. A mixed-method approach was used, including literature review, empirical research, and design-oriented research.
Findings show that both natural and artificial lighting strongly influence circadian rhythms and cognitive states. Stable light and dark cycles, access to layered views, and lighting systems combining ambient, task, and accent lighting were found to enhance cognitive performance. Other key themes include glare reduction, spatial zoning, and the value of user-controlled lighting.
The outcome of this study is an evidence-based library lighting framework that offers research-informed strategies for designing cognitively responsive library environments. The framework prioritises orientation, spatial form, building openings, daylight controls, artificial lighting quality, and user autonomy.
This thesis ultimately demonstrates that lighting must be treated not merely as a technical or aesthetic feature but as a foundational design element, one that can actively support knowledge acquisition and cognitive performance in the library of the future.