Hear from Dawn Scott, a Senior Colour Designer at Dulux Trade, discussing the significance of hues in promoting inclusive design:
Exploring the Impact of Colours on Architecture:
Consult an expert: Hues and Equitable Graphics Design
Colors can profoundly shape our experiences within buildings and architectural spaces by triggering emotions, setting moods, and altering our perception of scale and space. Warm colors like reds, yellows, and oranges create an inviting and intimate atmosphere, while cooler tones such as blues, greens, and purples offer a sense of tranquility and expansiveness.
The Role of Color in Architecture:
Color goes beyond aesthetics; it serves as a potent tool that boosts functionality and enhances user experience. Carefully chosen colors can aid wayfinding, promote inclusivity, and even impact productivity and well-being. For instance, warm colors in office settings can foster focus and creativity, while cooler shades in healthcare facilities may inspire calmness and independence. While respecting cultural context, colors can also help areas feel more relatable and meaningful to their users.
Strategies for Employing Color Effectively:
Architects should approach color specification by understanding the building's purpose and intended use. By working closely with key stakeholders throughout the project's lifecycle, architects can identify how people should feel within each space. Furthermore, implementing the 60/30/10 rule (60% dominant color for large walls or flooring, 30% secondary color for items such as upholstery or curtains, and 10% accent color for pops of interest) can help maintain a harmonious and balanced color scheme.
Championing Inclusive Design Through Color:
Inclusive design is about creating spaces that are welcoming and accessible to all – regardless of age, ability, or background. Inclusive design encompasses sensory and cognitive accessibility, rather than just focusing on physical accessibility. To accomplish this, architects should pay attention to biophilic design (including natural elements and colors to improve overall well-being), light reflectance value (LRV), and critical surfaces (walls and floors) for improved navigation and user comfort.
Enhancing Wayfinding and Safety:
The use of contrasting colors on essential surfaces like doors, walls, and ceilings facilitates seamless movement through spaces. By adhering to guidelines such as Building Regulations Approved Document M, volume 2, and the British Code of Practice: BS8300-2:2018, which align with the Equality Act 2010, architects can implement suitable color choices that contribute to effective wayfinding and building safety. Dulux Trade provides tools like color guides, contrast design guides, and the Colour Schemer to assist architects in selecting appropriate colors.
Addressing the Needs of Neurodivergent Students:
For neurodivergent students, color plays a crucial role in fostering focus and comfort. Schools and universities should offer an array of color options to cater to individual preferences, ranging from chaotic and energetic settings to calmer spaces designed to promote focus and reduce anxiety.
Resources for Architects:
To help architects in their color choices, Dulux Trade provides valuable tools such as the Colour and Contrast Design Guide, and the Colour Schemer. These resources ensure that architects' choices not only look aesthetically pleasing but also meet accessibility standards and reinforce inclusivity in design.
- Incorporating the right hues into home-and-garden designs can help create a sensory and comfortable environment for neurodivergent individuals, aiding their focus and reducing anxiety.
- Ensuring the education sector understands the impact of colors on learning, architects can design classrooms that promote concentration and positively influence students' well-being.
- By considering the influence of colors on well-being, interior-design professionals can contribute to a healthier and more balanced lifestyle by creating interiors that equally cater to tranquility and productivity.
