Window View to the Sky as a Restorative Resource for Residents in Densely Populated Cities

Abstract

We investigated the extent to which the amount of sky and other contents affect expectations that window views will support psychological restoration in an urban context. The study involved 102 digital view images across which the amount of sky and other contents were varied systematically through manipulation of variables relevant to urban densification. University students ( N = 212) rated images on restorative quality (being away, fascination), restoration likelihood, or preference. We aggregated the ratings for each variable for each image and used the images as cases in analyses. Amount of sky and presence of a window box with greenery had direct positive effects on restoration likelihood judgments, as well as indirect effects mediated by being away and fascination. Ground-level views with people and street trees evoked ratings similar to those for some views with sky, but the views judged most restorative and most liked were those with the most sky.

Design Moderators of Perceived Residential Crowding and Chronic Physiological Stress Among Children

“…Evidence from a few studies has suggested that natural light and views provided by windows, affected by window size, can influence perceptions of both room size and crowding (Butler & Steuerwald, 1991;Ne'eman & Hopkinson, 1970;Schiffenbauer et al, 1977). Any window view is preferred over no view (Collins, 1975), and expanded window views afforded by higher floor level were found to reduce perceptions of crowding (Schiffenbauer et al, 1977) and result in higher restorative quality ratings (Masoudinejad & Hartig, 2018). College students perceived dormitory rooms that received more natural light as less crowded than darker rooms (Baum & Davis, 1976;Schiffenbauer et al, 1977).…”

Mental Health, Greenness, and Nature Related Behaviors in the Adult Population of Stockholm County during COVID-19-Related Restrictions

“…Several studies have indicated that seeing greenness though windows may promote health and well-being by providing micro-restorative episodes that promote healing [31][32][33][34], facilitate psychological restoration [35], increase recovery from stressful events [36], and improve affective and functional well-being [37]. Furthermore, being able to enjoy green window views has been seen to positively affect an individual's cognitive capacity [38] increase life- [39] and jobsatisfaction [40], and promote fascination and a sense of being away from everyday life [41]. In a recent study, Dzhambov et al (2020) [9] reported that university students in Bulgaria, who were forced to self-isolate at home because of the COVID-19 restrictions, but had abundant greenery visible from their home windows or in the neighborhood, showed both reduced symptoms and rates of depression and anxiety.…”

More green, less lonely? A longitudinal cohort study

“…Some psychological benefits have been shown to occur simply through a pleasant view of a park from a window. 31 , 32 Furthermore, loneliness may also be reduced for a person who is housebound (e.g. due to disability or a long-term health condition) as a result of potentially greater collective levels of efficacy, cohesion and optimism spilling over from positive neighbourly interactions supported by green space.…”