INFLUENCE OF INTERIOR DESIGN ON OCCUPANTS’

WELLBEING IN SELECTED RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

BADIRU BOLUWATIFE KENNETH

ARC/2016/013

A PROJECT DISSERTION SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF

ARCHITECTURE, FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND
MANAGEMENT, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, IFE, OSUN
SATE, NIGERIA

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD

OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE(B.SC) IN ARCHITECTURE.

AUGUST, 2021

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 INFLUENCE OF INTERIOR DESIGN ON OCCUPANTS’
WELLBEING IN SELECTED RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

submitted by:
BADIRU BOLUWATIFE KENNETH
ARC/2016/013
A PROJECT DISSERTION SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
ARCHITECTURE, FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND
MANAGEMENT, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, IFE, OSUN
SATE, NIGERIA

to:
ARC. AYOMIDE ADEDIRAN

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD

OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE(B.SC) IN ARCHITECTURE.

AUGUST, 2021

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 CERTIFICATION

This is certify that this dissertion was researched and compiled by BADIRU

BOLUWATIFE KENNETH, ARC/2016/013 of the Department of Architecture, Obafemi

Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State as a partial requirement for the award of the Bachelor

of Science (B.Sc) degree in Architecture and was done under my guidance and supervision.

______________________ ______________________

Head of Department, Arc. Ayomide Adediran

Department of Architecture Project Supervisor

______________________

Badiru Boluwatie
ARC/2016/030

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 DEDICATION

This project is dedicated to God Almighty

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 BADIRU BOLUWATIFE KENNETH , ARC/2016/013
INFLUENCE OF INTERIOR DESIGN ON WELL BEING IN SELECTED
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

CHAPTER ONE:

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND STUDY

Wellbeing is a dynamic state in humans, constituted by ‘a sense of individual vitality’,

a need ‘to undertake activities which are meaningful, engaging, and which make them feel

competent and autonomous’, and an ability ‘to cope when things go wrong and be resilient to

changes beyond their immediate control’; it depends in part on ‘the degree to which they have

supportive relationships and a sense of connection to others’ (National Accounts of Wellbeing,

n.d.). Environments that people inhabit and experience have the power to enhance the wellbeing

of individuals and their communities.

Interior design is often used interchangeably with interior architecture and although they

are similar, they can be defined differently. Interior design is the art and science of enhancing

the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for

the people using the space. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordinates,

and manages such enhancement projects. Interior design is a multifaceted profession that

includes conceptual development, space planning, site inspections, programming, research,

communicating with the stakeholders of a project, construction management, and execution

of the design. while interior architecture is the design of a building or shelter from inside out,

or the design of a new interior for a type of home that can be fixed. It is the art and science of

designing and erecting buildings and their interiors, along with other related physical features,

by a licensed architect.

Historically, wellbeing and interior design have been linked through the creation of

hospitals, doctors’ surgeries and other related facilities for health care and treatment of illness.

Recent trends in interior architecture have broadened the scope beyond the medical model of

treating the sick, aged and disabled to the wellbeing of all people in their everyday environments

(Smith, 2011). However, interior architecture often goes unnoticed in discussions concerning

wellbeing. Interior design/interior architecture can also be applied to situations in which people

are marginalised and where social justice is neglected or challenged.

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 Traditionally, healthcare settings (e.g., hospitals) were conceived bearing in mind

functionality and sterilization issues primarily. While failing to comply with such requisites

leads to poor solutions, with obvious consequences on the quality of the health care services,

however, their satisfaction does not necessarily mean that an environment has a positive effect

on patients’ feelings. A clear understanding of the effect of specific features of the environment

on the patients’ health and well-being may help the design of more effective healthcare

environments. Studies on restorative environments have pointed out the importance of the

hospital environment on patients’ health and well-being. Some studies suggest that the quality

of the environment’s aesthetics affects the patients’ perceptions and can have an important

effect on their well-being and recovery. Other investigators have identified nature as an element

which has a positive impact on the visual aesthetics of the hospital’s design and has stress-

reducing properties which can influence the healing process as well as the patients’ tolerance

to pain. As a result, many hospitals are now privileging sights for gardens, or more commonly,

are incorporating nature in the form of artwork or posters depicting the so-called “therapeutic

landscapes”. Such a positive effect is also extended to indoor plants, which were found to reduce

the patients’ feelings of stress through the perceived attractiveness of the room Furthermore,

because most people associate medical devices and sterile look to “feeling unwell”, home-like

environments of healthcare were also found to ease psychological stress and positively affect
the healing and well-being of patients.

Human beings have endeavoured to create indoor environments in which they can feel

comfortable. Human health is foremost when it comes to assessing the overall comfort of the

environment. If for any reason the built environment is leading to sickness or negative impact

on occupant health then it is a matter of concern and could point to some design or technical

flaw in the building system. As ASHRAE guidelines stated (ASHRAE, 2010), since people

spend about 80–90% of their time indoors and studies have indicated that a range of comfort

and health related effects are linked to characteristics of the building, there has been a growth

in interest in both academic and practitioner literature on occupant health and building design.

There are studies to suggest that a few symptoms of discomfort from indoor environment lead

to significant reduction in work performance of occupants (EPA, 2000). New building regulations/

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legislations and green building guidelines have highlighted the past idea of sustainability that

often ignored psychological, cultural and sociological dimensions (ASHRAE, 2004). Research

has clearly established that problems with indoor environmental quality (IEQ) (thermal, acoustic,

visual and air quality) of a building has a direct effect on the comfort, health and productivity

of the occupants (De Giuli et al., 2012). Performance of occupants in office buildings has

also been a big area of focus for researchers and practitioners (Bluyssen et al., 1995). Interior

design features (e.g., artwork, indoor plants, furniture) stand out among the features of the

environment that have the power to affect the health and well-being (e.g., architectural features:

layout, dimensions; ambient features: lighting, temperature) because they are a relatively easy

and inexpensive way to change the environment, specially for interventions on built facilities

(e.g., renovations, use changes).

For this reason this study is concerned with the ability of interior design elements to elicit

positive emotions on wellbeing in residential buildings

1.2 STUDY AREA

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1.3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

a) How residents perceive the nterior decor of their current residents?

b) How does the interior design of the selected buildings affect it’s occupant’s wellbeing?

1.5 AIM AND OBJECTIVES

Aim

The aim of this study is to analyze the selected residential buildings and explore the interior

design of the said buildings and how it affects the wellbeing of its occupants with a view to

better understanding the effect of interior design on the wellbeing o occupants in residential

buildings

Objectives
The specific objectives of this study are to:

a) identify and examine the various interior design in the selected residential buildings

b) analyze response of respondents to satisfaction level with the interior decor of the

selected buildings

c) analyze the relationship between respondents’ wellbeing, socio-economic characteristics,

and the interior design o the selected buildings

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