Designing with light
Finding your way with in- formation: the SOLARIA project
Keywords:
Daylighting Design, Decision Support System, Artificial Intelligence, Sustainable Architecture, Human-Centric Design
Abstract
Daylighting design today represents an essential component of architectural practice, closely linked to environmental, spatial and perceptual objectives. However, despite the growing interest in natural light, significant gaps persist in both architectural education and design practice, often dominated by performance-driven or standardised approaches. The SOLARIA project (Sistema Operativo di supporto alle scelte progettuali per LA progettazione ARchitettonica basata sull’Intelligenza ArtificIAle) was developed to support a more informed and articulated design awareness through a decision support system (DSS) based on non-generative artificial intelligence. The system provides qualitative and context-sensitive information, structured into two main repositories (design strategies and technical devices), and assists architects in the early stages of the process through a query-based interface. Its aim is to re-establish natural light as a design material by promoting a critical and creative use of information, thus contributing to a more sensitive, informed, and sustainable architectural culture.
References
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- Rea, M. S., & Figueiro, M. G. (2018). Light as a circadian stimulus for architectural lighting. Lighting Research & Technology, 50(4), 497–510.
- Reinhart, C. F., & Fitz, A. (2006). Findings from a survey on the current use of daylight simulations in building design. Energy and Buildings, 38(7), 824–835.
- Santos, L., Caetano, I., Leitão, A., & Pereira, I. (2022). Uncertainty in daylight simulations of algorithmically generated complex shading screens. In D. Saelens, J. Laverge, W. Boydens, & L. Helsen (Eds.), BS 2021 – Proceedings of Building Simulation 2021: 17th Conference of IBPSA (pp. 2261–2268). International Building Performance Simulation Association.
- Society of Light and Lighting. (2014). LG10: Daylighting — A guide for designers. Watford, UK: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).
- Wurman, R. S. (1991). L'ansia da informazione. Milano: Leonardo Editore.
- Andersen, M., Gagne, J. M. L., & Kleindienst, S. (2013). Interactive expert support for early stage full-year daylighting design: A user's perspective on Lightsolve. Automation in Construction, 35, 338–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2013.05.014
- Andersen, M., Kleindienst, S., Yi, L., Lee, J., Bodart, M., & Cutler, B. (2008). Informing daylighting design with the Lightsolve approach: Why and how. In Proceedings of the 25th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA) (pp. 1–6). University College Dublin.
- Baker, N., & Steemers, K. (2014). Daylight design of buildings. Routledge.
- Beccali, M., Bonomolo, M., Ciulla, G., & Lo Brano, V. (2018). Assessment of indoor illuminance and study on best photosensors’ position for design and commissioning of daylight linked control systems: A new method based on artificial neural networks. Energy, 154, 466–476.
- Bellia, L., Fragliasso, F., & Stefanizzi, E. (2016). Why are daylight-linked controls (DLCs) not so spread? A literature review. Building and Environment, 106, 301–312.
- Boyce, P. R. (2014). Human factors in lighting (3rd ed.). CRC Press.
- Brembilla, E. (2020). Applicability of climate-based daylight modelling (Doctoral dissertation, Loughborough University).
- Busatto, N., Dalla Mora, T., Peron, F., & Romagnoni, P. (2020). Application of different circadian lighting metrics in a health residence. Journal of Daylighting, 7, 13–24.
- Cama, R., Herbert, C. L., Mare, G. C., & Zimring, C. (2007). Dublin Methodist Hospital: Applying evidence-based design in a race to revolutionise healthcare. Healthcare Design.
- Comité Européen de Normalisation. (2017). Energy performance of buildings – Energy requirements for lighting – Part 1: Specifications, Module M9. Brussels: European Committee for Standardization.
- Comité Européen de Normalisation. (2018). EN 17037:2018 – Daylight in buildings. Brussels: European Committee for Standardization.
- Dubois, M.-C., Bisegna, F., Gentile, N., Knoop, M., Matusiak, B., Osterhaus, W., & Tetri, E. (2015). Retrofitting the electric lighting and daylighting systems to reduce energy use in buildings: A literature review. Energy Research Journal, 6, 25–41.
- Figueiro, M. G., Kalsher, M., Steverson, B. C., Heerwagen, J., Kampschroer, K., & Rea, M. S. (2019). Circadian-effective light and its impact on alertness in office workers. Lighting Research & Technology, 51(2), 171–183.
- Galasiu, A. D., & Reinhart, C. F. (2008). Current daylighting design practice: A survey. Building Research & Information, 36(2), 159–174.
- Gentile, N., Giuliani, F., Khanie, M. S., & Sokół, N. (2022). A shared curriculum for daylighting education to meet the educational needs of society. In PLEA 2022 Santiago de Chile: Will Cities Survive?. Santiago de Chile.
- Giuliani, F., Filieri, J., Zingoni, A., & Calabrò, G. (2025). AI-aided creativity for technological innovation and sustainability: Proof of concept of a digital platform to support decisions in the field of daylighting design. In F. Ricciardi, G. De Vita, & M. Presenza (Eds.), Advanced Perspectives and Trends in Digital Transformation of Firms, Networks, and Society , Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80692-6
- Giuliani, F., Sokol, N., Lo Verso, V. R. M., & Caffaro, F. (2021). A study about daylighting knowledge and education in Europe: Results from the first phase of the DAYKE project. Architectural Science Review, 64(1–2), 169–181.
- Giuliani, F., Sokół, N., Gentile, N., Sarey Khanie, M., Lo Verso, V. R. M., & Caffaro, F. (2022). NLITED – New level of integrated techniques for daylighting education: Preliminary data on the use of an e-learning platform. In Proceedings of LUX Europa 2022 (pp. 138–146). Prague, Czech Republic.
- Jakubiec, J. A., & Reinhart, C. F. (2011). DIVA 2.0: Integrating daylight and thermal simulations using Rhinoceros 3D, DAYSIM and EnergyPlus. Proceedings of Building Simulation 2011: 12th Conference of International Building Performance Simulation Association, 2202–2209. Sydney, Australia.
- Lo Verso, V. R. M., & Pellegrino, A. (2019). Energy saving generated through automatic lighting control systems according to the estimation method of the standard EN 15193-1. Journal of Daylighting, 6, 131–147.
- Lo Verso, V. R. M., Giuliani, F., Caffaro, F., Basile, F., Peron, F., Dalla Mora, T., Bellia, L., Fragliasso, F., Beccali, M., Bonomolo, M., Nocera, F., & Costanzo, V. (2021). Questionnaires and simulations to assess daylighting in Italian university classrooms for IEQ and energy issues. Energy and Buildings, 252, 111433.
- Marrone, P., & Morabito, G. (2008). La tecnologia che serve agli architetti (Vol. 1). Firenze: Alinea Editrice.
- Morabito, G. (2004). Scienza e arte per progettare l’innovazione in architettura: saggio su un processo progettuale alla Leonardo da Vinci. Torino: UTET Libreria.
- Morabito, G., Giuliani, F., Marrone, P., & Zacchei, V. (2010). Design training and education using an evolutionary process: Training experiences in technological design. In Proceedings of the EAAE Conference (pp. 439–452). Istanbul, Turkey.
- Morabito, G., Marrone, P., & Zacchei, V. (2013). Designing safer buildings: Towards evidence-based decisions. In Proceedings of the CIB World Building Congress.
- Nesi, A. (2009). Progettare con l'informazione: Percorsi e gestione delle informazioni tecniche per la promozione e il controllo dell'innovazione nei materiali e nel progetto di Architettura. Roma: Gangemi Editore.
- Rea, M. S., & Figueiro, M. G. (2018). Light as a circadian stimulus for architectural lighting. Lighting Research & Technology, 50(4), 497–510.
- Reinhart, C. F., & Fitz, A. (2006). Findings from a survey on the current use of daylight simulations in building design. Energy and Buildings, 38(7), 824–835.
- Santos, L., Caetano, I., Leitão, A., & Pereira, I. (2022). Uncertainty in daylight simulations of algorithmically generated complex shading screens. In D. Saelens, J. Laverge, W. Boydens, & L. Helsen (Eds.), BS 2021 – Proceedings of Building Simulation 2021: 17th Conference of IBPSA (pp. 2261–2268). International Building Performance Simulation Association.
- Society of Light and Lighting. (2014). LG10: Daylighting — A guide for designers. Watford, UK: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).
- Wurman, R. S. (1991). L'ansia da informazione. Milano: Leonardo Editore.
Published
2025-06-30
How to Cite
Giuliani, F., & Filieri, J. (2025). Designing with light: Finding your way with in- formation: the SOLARIA project. AND Journal of Architecture, Cities and Architects, 1(47), 58-65. Retrieved from https://www.and-architettura.it/index.php/and/article/view/685
Section
Articles
Copyright (c) 2025 Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
