Zhuofei Ren

People with defective color vision have difficulty distinguishing colors, which is at times problematic as colors are presented in nature and are commonly applied to public areas for navigation. This thesis aims to convey the impact of light on people with defective color vision, explore lighting solutions that enable these individuals to differentiate colors, and enlighten society on color vision deficiencies. I chose Whole Foods in Union Square as the site of my research. The grocery display allows me to explore the lighting solutions that reveals the unique character of products. The staircase connecting the first floor to the second floor dining area presents a space to demonstrate the visual experience of people with two common types of colorblindness and educate the public on the visual world of color vision deficiencies.The thesis demonstrates that, though many cases of color deficiencies cannot be cured, appropriate lighting techniques can be applied to enable the color-deficient to understand the environment with complementary sensibilities, and to allow the public to comprehend and appreciate the perspectives of people with defective color vision.