Multi-domain environmental interventions for restoration and human well-being in windowless environments: A systematic review

Windowless environments can compromise occupant well-being by limiting daylight, views, and perceived connection to the outside. A growing body of research has tested varied sensory interventions, including artificial windows, artificial skylights, adaptive lighting, indoor greenery, soundscapes, olfactory cues, and combined strategies, as potential restorative measures. This systematic review synthesizes findings from 47 screened studies to critically evaluate the efficacy of different interventions in windowless settings. Results indicate that while most interventions generally improve subjective indicators of mental well-being, their impact on cognitive performance remains inconclusive. This is partly because studies differ in spatial context and intervention paradigm. These factors appear to modulate human responses interactively, leading to non-linear and dynamic patterns of enhancement or attenuation. The review also identifies a critical lack of standardized psychophysiological metrics to support consistent evaluation across intervention types. In response, we advocate quantifying stimulus intensity, exposure duration, ecological validity and multimodal coherence as key dimensions of intervention quality, coupled with longitudinal measurement of physiological, psychological, and cognitive responses. ... mehrBuilding on this basis, we propose a dynamic occupant-response framework that links intervention quality to the cumulative environmental impacts and dynamic needs of occupants. This approach can support more adaptive, context-sensitive design strategies for restoration and well-being in windowless and other restricted environments.