Color and light in Man-Made Environments Frank H. Mahnke Rudolf H. Mahnke Color and light play key-though generally unrecognized-roles in our lives. Despite the decades of research on the subject, we are often unaware that anxiety, stress, visual disorders, and a host of other problems may actually be caused by a poorly designed environment. The gap between color research and design application has been so wide that the use, for example, of white in interiors reached epidemic proportions from the 1950s to the 1970s-though research has shown white walls to be an optic strain and a psychological hazard. Color is now experiencing a renaissance in design. To guide architects, designers, and others using color, Frank and Rudolf Mahnke-two internationally recognized color consultants-have written a concise reference guide to understanding the importance of this phenomenon in our lives and applying environmental color effectively. The text synthesizes the essential principles of color and light, including their psychophysiological effects, the characteristics of the major hues, vision and light, bioenergetics, and more. The authors also provide much useful and practical advice on using color and light in a variety of facilities: schools mental hospitals offices industry restaurants medical centers Special attention is given to desktop computer workstations and the needs of VDT operators. In addition, detailed color specification tables are provided, in both Glidden and Munsell notation, as well as color charts showing successful color combinations. Used correctly, color and light can improve productivity at the workplace; increase the safety of industrial facilities; foster greater attention spans in students; create more appetizing food-service establishments; and bolster the spirits of hospital patients. Architects, designers, administrators, planners-anyone interested in creating beneficial, glare-free surroundings-will find all the information they need to promote physical, visual, and psychological well-being with color and light.

Written for architects, interior designers, and color consultants, this ambitious study explores the psychological and physiological effects of color in the man-made environment. Scientific findings and industry-by-industry examples are furnished to help professionals specify colors that will create healthful environments in hospitals, schools, restaurants, and other public facilities.

"COLOR is literally the 'wavelength' medicine of the future. Itcalls to us and asks us to recognize its value as an alternativemedicine that the environment can provide." --from The Power ofColor THE FIRST PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CREATING HEALTHY INTERIORS WITHCOLOR Working from the scientifically based premise that the use offull-spectrum color on finishes and surfaces is essential tocreating a healthy man-made environment, Sara O. Marberry andLaurie Zagon arm design professionals with: * A complete methodology and clear, easy-to-follow guidelines todesigning with full-spectrum color without compromising style orclient preferences * A concise refresher course in color theory * Detailed analyses of more than 20 projects for a wide range ofpublic and private spaces, including healthcare facilities,schools, day-care centers, hotels, and offices * Color charts that break down proportions of hue, value, andchroma for each project discussed * A project showcase featuring more than 40 full-color photographs,bringing vividly to life all of the examples discussed Thanks to the efforts of a handful of visionaries working in avariety of disciplines, our knowledge of the role of light andcolor in human health has taken a quantum leap during the pastdecade. For instance, clear links have been established betweencolor and academic performance among grade-schoolers, and medicaljournals now routinely feature reports of color being usedsuccessfully to assist in the treatment of everything fromdepression to AIDS. Now, in a book that is as inspiring as it is instructive, designprofessionals can learn how to use color to create interior spacesthat support the health and well-being of all who live and work inthem. The first and only practical guide to creating healthyinterior design using color, The Power of Color provides a simplemethodology and set of guidelines that can easily be integratedinto professional practice. The book begins with a concise, accessible refresher course incolor theory. From there, the authors embark on a fascinatingexploration of the healing properties of color as documented in thescientific literature. This is followed by in-depth, practicaldiscussions of surface colors and lighting, the importance of usingfull-spectrum color in interior design, and techniques for usingfull-spectrum color without compromising the design professional'sunique sense of style or the demands of his or her clients. The remainder of The Power of Color is devoted to the detailedanalyses of more than 20 projects executed in the United States andEurope. Chosen for their use of a full-spectrum color palette, theexamples include designs for many different types of public andprivate spaces--from healthcare facilities and schools to hotelsand offices. Each project is accompanied by color charts that breakdown proportions of hue, value, and chroma. A project showcasecontaining more than 40 full-color photographs vividly brings tolife all of the examples discussed. The most complete, practical guide to the use of color to createhealthy interior spaces, The Power of Color is an indispensableresource for interior designers, architects, and all other designprofessionals.

Color and light in Man-Made Environments Frank H. Mahnke Rudolf H. Mahnke Color and light play key--though generally unrecognized--roles in our lives. Despite the decades of research on the subject, we are often unaware that anxiety, stress, visual disorders, and a host of other problems may actually be caused by a poorly designed environment. The gap between color research and design application has been so wide that the use, for example, of white in interiors reached epidemic proportions from the 1950s to the 1970s--though research has shown white walls to be an optic strain and a psychological hazard. Color is now experiencing a renaissance in design. To guide architects, designers, and others using color, Frank and Rudolf Mahnke--two internationally recognized color consultants--have written a concise reference guide to understanding the importance of this phenomenon in our lives and applying environmental color effectively. The text synthesizes the essential principles of color and light, including their psychophysiological effects, the characteristics of the major hues, vision and light, bioenergetics, and more. The authors also provide much useful and practical advice on using color and light in a variety of facilities: * schools * mental hospitals * offices * industry * restaurants * medical centers Special attention is given to desktop computer workstations and the needs of VDT operators. In addition, detailed color specification tables are provided, in both Glidden and Munsell notation, as well as color charts showing successful color combinations. Used correctly, color and light can improve productivity at the workplace; increase the safety of industrial facilities; foster greater attention spans in students; create more appetizing food-service establishments; and bolster the spirits of hospital patients. Architects, designers, administrators, planners--anyone interested in creating beneficial, glare-free surroundings--will find all the information they need to promote physical, visual, and psychological well-being with color and light.

Colors are an element of both the natural and the man-made environments. They convey messages of all kinds and perform a wide variety of functions, informing, organizing, warning. But they also serve an aesthetic purpose, affecting the statement, effect, and acceptance of objects and spaces. While people’s reactions to color vary widely, in design questions it is still possible to establish generally valid color concepts to match the expectations of the various groups of users. This book offers a guide based on a wide range of scientific findings and may be consulted as an authoritative reference by the architecture student and the professional alike. The three editors, Dr. B. Rodeck, Prof. G. Meerwein, and F. H. Mahnke have taught for many years at the Salzburger Seminare für Farbe und Umwelt der IACC.