Lighting in real and pictorial spaces: a computational framework to investigate the scene-based lighting distributions and their impact on depth perception

Architects often use two-dimensional media to represent, visualise, and study the three-dimensional qualities of un-built spaces. Knowledge of pictorial cues is a powerful design tool that can be used to enhance the spatial qualities of built environments. This paper draws from the recent developments in computer graphics (physically based renderings and perceptually based tone mapping techniques) and demonstrates the utilisation of a computational framework to generate pictorial spaces that can mimic perceptual reality. Computer simulation and psychophysical research methodologies are employed to examine the relationship between the lighting patterns introduced by architectural configurations and their impacts on depth perception. The research demonstrates that physically and perceptually based renderings can be used to study depth perception, and luminance contrast in an architectural scene is an effective pictorial cue that increases the perceived spatial depth.