Luminous environment perception and sense of place within a coffee shop context

Abstract

Coffee shops function as quasi-public third places, where atmospheric attributes foster hospitable environments and enhance user satisfaction. Lighting, in particular, shapes perception, experience, and, ultimately, the sense of place (SOP). However, its role within the tripartite SOP model, comprising place identity, place attachment, and place dependence, remains insufficiently examined. This study addresses this gap by investigating the relationship between luminous environment perception and SOP in a digitally modeled coffee shop. The study employed six scenarios combining three lighting layouts (general lighting, zonal pendants, and zonal track spotlights) with two correlated color temperatures (CCTs: 3000 K and 4000 K). 93 participants evaluated rendered scenarios through a three-part survey, including preliminary questions, lighting assessments, and SOP measures. The results demonstrate (1) participants prioritized adequate illuminance and accurate color perception, followed by glare control and uniformity, with seating areas identified as the most critical zone for lighting quality; (2) SOP analysis showed that warm CCT consistently enhanced SOP relative to intermediate CCT, with no layout differences under warm CCT, while zonal schemes outperformed general lighting under intermediate CCT. The study highlights the importance of measuring SOP through the three indicators and introduces a pre-implementation method linking luminous perception to SOP for hospitality lighting design.