A significant relation was found between a calm mood and preference for blue.Īlthough color is a ubiquitous property of every architectural surface, evidence-based research on chromatic preference in architecture and psychological effects of color as a function of the architectural design of a space is still sparse. The use of differentiated colors in the six buildings was evaluated to significantly facilitate orienting and wayfinding. Blue as interior color was considered to facilitate studying activity. Room-lightness was significantly affected by the interior color. Gender differences emerged for the preference of blue and violet. A preference bias was found for the specific color in which the student lived. The results showed a preference for blue interiors, followed by green, violet, orange, yellow, and red. Four hundred and forty-three students living in the six buildings for an average of 13.33 months participated in a study that assessed color preference (hue and lightness), lightness preference, and the effects of color on studying and mood. The research exploited a unique architectural setting of a university residence hall composed by six separate buildings that matched for every architectural detail and differed only for the interior color (violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red). 2Department of Surgery, Medical, Molecular, and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

1Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.Marco Costa 1* Sergio Frumento 2 Mattia Nese 1 Iacopo Predieri 1

Room color effect on mood