A New Method for Visualizing and Evaluating Views in Architectural Design

Abstract In buildings, good views to the exterior can provide positive psychological benefits and are often one of the most appreciated aspects of an interior space. However, the existing architectural design workflow fails to take view into consideration during the early design stages. This research provides two innovative outputs: first, a method to visualize and quantitatively evaluate real, photographic views from existing or prospective buildings and, second, a window design workflow to help architects evaluate view simultaneously along with the results of daylight and energy simulations. A “View Score” is calculated by the areas of user’s view preferences. The method could also help real estate professionals to show or valuate views for prospective buyers of unbuilt units. The application of this workflow is tested in one case study in Cambridge, MA.