ABSTRACT
Adaptation One of the most remarkable attributes of human vision is our ability to see in levels of light that vary from the darkness of a moonless night to the vivid glare of a sunlit summer’s day. This phenomenon is known as adaptation and the mechanisms by which it occurs and its implications for building design have been the subject of much study. 1 The construction of a building enclosure inevitably limits the range of illumination that exists under the open sky. The amount of light that enters an interior is determined by the size and position of windows and rooflights and the reflectance of the materials that line internal space. In principle, the range of possibilities is almost infinite, but in common practice empirical conventions impose limits that ensure adequate lighting for practical purposes.
