Designing For Daylight: An Exploration of Origami-Inspired Interior Shading Screens

Indoor daylight significantly impacts human quality of life. Research has focused on exterior shading devices, building skins and blinds to enhance light quality indoors, overlooking individual preferences and restricting access to daylight and views. Exterior solutions control glare and heat but may not cater to individual needs, while interior blinds offer customization at the expense of daylight and views. This study introduces a foldable interior shading screen in the Miura origami style, aiming to balance daylight access and views without excessive exposure. Using a translucent material, the screen's geometry was optimized through parametric design and multi-objective optimization, enhancing daylight conditions across origami shades. Among the 600 generated screens, about 43% achieved Spatial Daylight Autonomy of over 55% and Annual Sunlight Exposure under 10%, signifying 15% reduction from the baseline with no shading. This study presents an effective daylight management solution preserving views, embodying a user-centric approach to indoor lighting improvement.