Comparative analysis of daylight and visual quality across school plan typologies: a spatial layout perspective

Designing daylight-based spaces has gained increasing attention due to its numerous benefits and alignment with global sustainability standards. However, limited research has focused on how architectural layouts affect daylight distribution and visual quality, particularly in educational environments. This research aims to address this gap by integrating spatial layout analysis with daylighting and visual quality metrics to enhance daylight benefits across seven school plan layouts as case studies. Using a systematic review and simulation-based methodology, daylight performance is evaluated with Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI up, UDI, UDI low) and Daylight Autonomy (DA) using the Honeybee plugin and Radiance engine in Rhinoceros software. Visual quality is also explored through Isovist and Depth Map analysis, focusing on metrics including connectivity (C), Isovist area (A), drift angle (DA), Maximum radial line (RL(L)), Minimum radial line (RL(S)), and Visual Mean Depth. Simulation validation is conducted through a lux meter in a real classroom in Tehran, Iran, along with SPSS analysis to explore the accuracy and correlations between the results. Findings reveal that well-designed interior layouts significantly enhance both daylight distribution and visual quality. School with layout C, by higher Drift Angle (DA) and longer visual range (Max radial) can provide a dynamic and open environment, outperforming other layouts in both daylighting (DA = 52.93%, UDI = 68.17%) and visual quality metrics (Drift Angle ≈ 220, Connectivity ≈ 600). Layouts F and E also perform well, while Models D and G show less daylight performance (UDI-low ≈ 31–34%). The outcomes emphasize the importance of an integrated design approach including DA, UDI, Isovist metrics, and plan layouts, offering a new framework to enhance daylight benefits in educational spaces. It also provides valuable insights to improve architectural schools’ designs, contributing to more sustainable, visually enriched, and energy-efficient learning environments.