Effect of visual elements on indoor soundscape perception in open-plan office

Abstract

This study examined the effect of changes in visual elements on spatial comfort and work productivity in the aspect of indoor soundscape perception in the open-plan office sound environment. Various open-plan offices visual stimuli were simulated using computer software (Unity 3D engine) to change the visual environment by varying variables such as 4 different types of open-plan offices and 2 different kinds of view. An interactive virtual reality environment was implemented to perform a specific task while experiencing the audio-visual stimuli combining the general open-plan office noise stimulus and the simulated open-plan office visual stimulus. Subjective evaluation was performed on a total of 34 subjects to evaluate satisfaction preference, privacy, and working aspects such as willingness to work and task performance for each stimulus. Based on the results of this study, a pleasant open-plan office design guideline was proposed and one interesting finding shows that visual wide has a positive effect on willingness to work, but a negative effect on task performance, and also acoustic stable has a positive effect on willingness to work, but a negative effect on task performance.