Thesis Prospectus: Blending by Destroying by ASerfling36

Blending by Destroying: Color, Light, & the Destruction of Form

Andrew Serfling

Wentworth Institute of Technology Master of Architecture - Fall 2013

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Light is not so much something that reveals, as it is itself the revelation.â&#x20AC;? -James Turrell

Abstract The world in which we live is understood and expressed through either the presence of light or the absence of light, brightness or darkness, defined or undefined, which is much like how architecture is also experienced. Through light and shadow form is either revealed or concealed. Color and light also has this same affect in regards to its ability to either reveal or conceal form. However, if light is suppose to reveal the forms and space of architecture, what happens if color and light has the ability to destroy the forms and space of architecture? By destroying form and space it begins to create a new perception between what is the reality of space and what is being perceived as space. This also begins to discuss what is perceived as the positive space oppose to what is perceived as the negative space. From this we can begin to blend these two different realities to create a whole other architectural experience of space. Instead of thinking of form and/or space as being clearly defined, we can begin to think of form and/or space as a blending characteristic that redefines spatial experiences and perceptions by generating a seamless transition between the elements of form and/or space. All of these questions and ideas will be the driving force of my thesis as I seek to explore the architectural possibilities of altering the perceptions of space by this idea of blending by destroying.

Contents Research 08 Thesis Question 09 Key Terms 10 Research Essay 21 Hypothesis Project Methodology 22 Frame I 32 Frame II 50 Design Probe Conclusions and Future Work 64 Methodology and Process Evaluation 64 Project Conclusions, Research Discoveries, and Intentions 66 Future Criteria and Methodology (Spring 2014) 67 Objectives and Timeline Appendix 70 Annotated Bibliography 74 Mind Maps: An Evolution of Thinking

Research: Thesis Question, Key Terms, and Research Essay Thesis Question: How can the perceptions of space be altered by the destruction of form through the presence of color and light?

Key Terms; Color: noun · the property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way the object reflects or emits light · a shade of meaning Light: noun · the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible · the amount or quality of light in a place · an expression in someone’s eyes indicating a particular emotion or mood Form: noun · he visible shape or configuration of something · arrangement of parts; shape · a particular way in which a thing exists or appears; a manifestation Perception: noun · the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses · a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression Blend: verb · put or combine (abstract things) together · merge (a color) with another so that one is not clearly distinguishable from the other · form a harmonious combination Destruction: noun · the action or process of causing so much damage to something that it no longer exists or cannot be repaired · the action or process of killing or being killed 9

Blending by Destroying:

Color, Light, and the Destruction of Form

Introduction The world in which we live is understood and expressed through either the presence of light or the absence of light, brightness or darkness, defined or undefined, which is much like how architecture is also experienced. Through light and shadow form is either revealed or concealed. Color and light also has this same affect in regards to its ability to either reveal or conceal form. Marietta Millet in her book, Light Revealing Architecture, discusses this idea as her main thesis when she says, “Architecture depends on light. As light reveals the forms of architecture and the places made by it, it simultaneously reveals the meaning and the intentions that are released through the process of conceiving, designing, and building.”1 However, the question that remains from all of this is, if light is supposed to reveal the forms and space of architecture, what happens if color and light have the ability to destroy forms and space of architecture? What happens to the architecture under those circumstances? How would we perceive this new type architectural space? This question of color and light being the destroyer of form ultimately serves as the basis of my argument and thesis as I seek to explore how this transforms a person’s perception of space. This creates a disconnect between what is reality and was is being perceived. Before I can do this however, it is important to understand how color and light have already been explored through some of the leading architects and artists and how they implemented color and light into their designs to alter the perception of the viewer.

Color Perception

The expression and perception of color and light have been evolving in the world of architecture and art throughout its

entire history. Within the last century architects such as Le Corbusier, Luis Barragan, and Steven Holl along with artists Josef Albers, James Turrell, and Spencer Finch, have all addressed the use of color and light within their works to alter a viewer’s perception and many of them have devoted their entire lives to this study. What interests me most about each of these individuals is their 1 10

See Millet, Light Revealing Architecture, especially Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 of for further information.

evolutionary approach to color and light that begins to alter the perceptions of not only the viewer’s experiencing the work. To better understand this I will discuss how each architect (Corbusier, Barragan, and Holl) and artist (Albers, Turrell, and Finch) approached their method of using color and light as an important design element within their works and also discuss the perceptions that come with them.

During the Purism phase (1918-1925) of his career, Le Corbusier was primarily focused on light and shadow within his

designs with the very rare usage of color. When color was applied, he strategically placed a particular single hue over the surface of one entire wall. The article, After Purism: Le Corbusier and Color, by Barbara Klinkhammer, describes his caution of using color best when it quotes him as saying, “Color is a perilous agent in the expression of volume; very often it destroys or disorganizes volume because the intrinsic properties of color differ greatly: some are radiant and push forward, other recede, and still others are massive and stay in the real plane of the canvas.” What this means for Corbusier is that during this Purism phase, he was fixated on using the color white for his building designs due to that fact that for him white was the only color that would express the true form of his designs. During this time he referred to the term “whitewash” and wrote the “Law of Ripolin” (1925), which called for all buildings to essentially be painted white.2 While most believe that this meant color

La Tourette, Le Corbusier

could never be implemented, this was indeed not the fact as the article goes on to describe his “Law of Ripolin” further in saying, “white also serves as a background to enhance the reading of colored volumes in space.” As you can see, his views of color during this time was very strategic and he spent many hours selecting a single color to be applied to a surface to create the effect of which he was looking for, which Klinkhammer explains further by stating he was in search for, “…colors to be used only in accordance with their psychological and physiological effects on human beings.”3 2 “Law of Ripolin,” see Klinkhammer, After Purism: Le Corbusier and Color, for further information. 3 See Klinkhammer, After Purism: Le Corbusier and Color, especially section titled, “Development of a Purist Palette: La Grande Gamme,” for more information. 11

For Le Corbusier, the perception becomes about a colored surface or form in contrast to an all white surrounding and

how it begins to either recede in space or push forward in space due to the choice of hue. This perception becomes a strategic design element within his work as it becomes an important architectural expression of volume and form within in a space. The reality of the space however, is regardless of what hue the surface or form was painted, its proximity between the viewer and where it is physically in the space remains the same distance away within the space. An example of this perception and reality can be seen through his work at La Tourette located in Lyon, France with his use of darker hues in contrast with lighter hues and how light is being introduced with these surfaces. The darker hues, which generally receive no direct sunlight, begin to recede back in space and as the lighter hues, which do receive direct sunlight, begin to push forward in space even though this physically might now always be the case in regards to the proximity of the viewer to the surfaces. Luis Barragan was similar to Le Corbusier in his decision of using a color, as he would spend hours, even days, picking out a single color to be applied to a single surface, testing and retesting the color until he got the right effect. This important process is discussed by Daniele Pauly in her book, Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour, when it quotes Barragan Gilardi House, Luis Barragan

as saying, “We must spark emotion in a built work (architecture), for it is emotion that

serves as the essential vehicle for the poetic experience.” This “vehicle for poetic experience” that he speaks of is evoked in his work in the way that light interacts with a colored surface throughout different times of the day as well as the architecture’s overall form.4 The overall form that he speaks of can be expressed through the colors chosen for the different surfaces in order to achieve an affect of certain elements becoming closer or receding in space. Barragan’s inspiration for color, light, and form, all came from linking the environment to built form, as well as providing a stimulating environment for the senses. Barragan’s goal was to provide a stage in which the person experiencing the spaces would become the main character of their own play.5 4 See Pauly, Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour, especially page 7 of for further information. 5 See Pauly, Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour, especially section titled, “Space and Shadow, Walls and Color,” for further information. 12

Color and light would highlight particular forms stimulating the viewer and as their movement progressed, the stimulation would then change as new colors and forms were introduced with how the aspect of light played onto the surfaces.6

For Barragan, the perception becomes about time, place, depth, and dimension. The best example of all these elements

can be seen in his Gilardi House located in Mexico City, Mexico. As the sun moves across the sky throughout the day, the colored surfaces receiving the light ultimately change in angle and intensity, which results in how that particular surface reacts with the architecture and changes the perception of time within the space. As for place, he tries to relate his projects to the environment to evoke a sensual human response and create a new perception of connecting the environment to built form, which generally occurs in courtyard spaces. The aspect of depth and dimension, which is what this project is highly known for, also plays with the perception of these two aspects. Inside the house there is a framed a view at the end of a yellow corridor of a blue wall, a red column that rests in front of that, and what appears to be a sheet of glass that it all rests on. Immediately the warmness of the red column appears to pull forward as the coolness of the blue walls appear to recede further back in space and the contrast of these two colors next to each other also helps with the clarity of form in space in order to help achieve this perception. This is one way that the space plays with perception of depth and dimension. And the detail of what

St Ignatius Chapel, Steven Holl

appears to be a sheet of glass is, in reality, an interior reflecting pool that with the correct lighting in the space offers another dimension as the blue walls and red column appear to drop through the floor creating the perception of a massive void in the ground plane. The reality of these two characteristic is however, regardless of the proximity of the viewer to the blue walls and red column, their relationships to each other all remain the same and the truth behind the reflecting pool is that it is just an extension of the ground plane and is not actually creating a void within it.

Another architect that is particularly inspired by stimulating and provoking the senses is the work done by Steven Holl. This

See Pauly, Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour, especially section titled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Space and Shadow, Walls and Color,â&#x20AC;? for further information. 13

idea is best described in Steven Holl’s book, Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture, when he says, “The senses do not only mediate information for the judgment of the intellect; they are also a means of articulating sensory thought.”7 This concept of the senses is best described by the word “intertwining” which is used by Holl to describe how he is interested in the relationship between the architectural idea and phenomena. He is very much interested in stimulating the senses through the use of materials, color, light, shadow, and form as the primary elements driving his designs. These driving forces are always very much about place, and he uses the word “anchoring” when speaking about this. Place, or “anchoring,” is specifically about the history of the site, the culture of the site, and the future potential of the site. Every design for Holl is site specific and with all of these factors coming into play, he is able to draw up design conclusions about the approaches of design; the details, such as, the materials, color, light, shadow, and form. When it comes to color specifically, Holl takes into account the site for the selection of color and color relationships and then uses this to truly express form through color, light, and shadows, which ultimately evoke an emotion from the viewer of the space, changing their perception and experience of the space.

For Holl, the perception that can be seen through almost all of his projects is that of form, time, and place. One particular

project that achieves these elements of design is at the Chapel of St Ignatius located in Seattle, Washington. Holl describes this project as being of seven bottles of light that all relate to a different orientation in order to filter different kinds of light throughout the day, which speaks about the perception of time. This element of the seven bottles of light also becomes an expression of color and brings clarity to form and space. Through the light filtering into the spaces the perception of form is highly expressed through the color glow that comes from behind the form and starts to make particular objects feel as if they are separate from the structure and almost floating in space. Another interesting design feature of the interior is the use of color as it creates a metaphor and discusses the importance of place for Holl. The detail that occurs is, in every case where two colors are adjacent to each other, they are also complementary to each other, which discusses the church setting in how the pastor and congregation are complementary to each other during a service. 7 14

See Holl, Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture, especially pages 28-36 of for further information.

Shifting from architects to artists, Josef Albers begins the conversation when it comes to discussing color perception in the world of art. Through his own theory of color to his actual paintings, Josef Albers dedicated a lifetime to color and understanding its qualities and characteristics. Albers was mostly interested in color relationships in regards to the interaction of color and with seeing what happens between colors. This aspect of color interaction can be seen in all of his paintings from exploring the different saturations of the same color within a painting to exploring a collection of different hues in seeking a relationship between them within a painting. Within his paintings it is very evident that Albers is concerned with form and placement of these colors to speak about the end result of which he seeks such as an object appearing to be close or far away on a twodimensional surface, which speaks about the perception of depth within his paintings. All of his works were essentially an attempt to gain experience through trial and error and gain newly found knowledge about color relationships. This is discussed in Josef Albers’ book, Interaction of Color, when it says, “Experience teaches that in visual perception there is a discrepancy between physical fact and psychic effect.”8 Through these experiments Albers was able to achieve a lifetime of studies that speaks to how a viewer’s perception of the painting changes due to the colors and form that Albers decides to transmit onto a blank canvas. Some of the strategies to achieve these visual effects included Albers working under different lighting

Ten Variants, Josef Albers

conditions, as this would change his own perception when mixing up the color of the paint that would be applied to the canvas. This variation in light spoke to the mood that was trying to be achieved and ultimately this spoke about the mood of the color that was mixed together.

For Albers, the perception becomes about color relationships and their depth in relationship to one another on the two-

dimensional surface of a canvas. The characteristics of a lot of his painting deal with this aspect of depth and one of the ways he was able to achieve this was through his lifetime of experiments that lead to his own color theory. One of the aspects of 8

See Albers, Interaction of Color, chapters 1-5 for further information. 15

this color theory discusses how warmer colors begin to draw forward on the canvas in comparison to cooler colors that begin to recede back on the canvas. An example of this can be seen through one of his paintings in the series called “Ten Variants” and is the one where he uses a couple shades of red, a couple shades of blue, and one shade of purple to create this effect of depth on a two-dimensional surface. Here form relationship becomes just as important as color relationship in regards to scale and clarity to ultimately create a better effect of how the blues, being the cooler colors, begin to recede back in space, while the reds, being the warmer colors, begin to pull forward in space. Of course the reality aspect here is, they are all on the same plane of the canvas, but it is how the eye and brain interpret certain hues together that begin to create this perception. Now moving from the two-dimensional paintings of Albers to the three-dimensional spaces of James Turrell as he uses color and light in a spaces to alter a person’s experience and perception of space. He does this through installation and fluorescent lights, where he will carefully prepare the quality of the space that he would like to evoke onto the viewer by changing their perception of that space through color and light. Turrell is able to achieve this in various ways but mostly through changing the quality of light in regards to its luminosity, hue, and saturation to allow for the light to play with the surface in order to achieve the designs Akhob, James Turrell

intent, which is always about the light quality itself. All of Turrell’s installations revolve

around capturing a quality of light and a quality of color in order to enhance the space. This idea is expressed in Jeffrey Kosky’s article, Contemplative Recovery: The Artwork of James Turrell, when the article quotes Turrell himself as saying, “Light is not so much something that reveals, as it is itself the revelation.” What Turrell is trying to say here is something I have touched upon earlier in regards to light revealing architecture, form, details, etc. it is not about that for Turrell.9 He never has an object in his pieces of work, therefore light is not involved with revealing anything of specifics, but instead it is the light and color that speaks to the space and becomes the revelation in itself, it is the focal point, it is what is being revealed, which is an interesting outlook 9 See Kosky, Contemplative Recovery: The Artwork of James Turrell, especially section titled, “Seeing the Light: Light as Revelation,” for further information. 16

ultimately relating back to changing a person’s perception of a space when it comes to color and light. For Turrell, the perception becomes about this “revelation” of light in space and how the use of color and light begins to distort the boundaries of form, which speaks to what is physical and what is not. One example of this idea can be seen in his project titled, “Akhob,” which is apart of the series, “Lightness of Being,” portrays a series of black steps that leads up a blank white wall to what appears to be a pinkish-purple toned sphere. What is amazing about this piece is the sphere’s ability to simply look two-dimensional as if it is simply a canvas hanging on the wall. However, once the viewer approaches the sphere, this illusion of a flat canvas transforms to the reality of a three-dimensional inhabitable space. Here the perception of space is that of the canvas hanging on the way with steps leading up to it when the reality of it is actually physically being able to walk into the space to experience the strong presence of color and light within the form. Spencer Finch is another leading artist who employs color and light within spaces to change the viewer’s perception. Much like James Turrell, Finch a lot of times will use fluorescent lights in his installations, but in a very different way. While Turrell concerns himself around what light can do to a surface, Finch concerns himself a lot of times about measuring the light of another place and measuring the light throughout different times of day to compare the qualities of color and light that a particular space receives.

Following Nature, Spencer Finch

This study is interesting to Finch in the way that a person’s perception of space in regards to color and light ultimately changes drastically within the same space due to the different times of day that the place sees. In another study Finch analyzes the color and light qualities of a particular place and then tries to recreate those same qualities in another, introducing the effect of changing a person’s perception of space and time with the use of color and light in the newly designed environment. This effect is discussed in the article, Spencer Finch: Measures and Pleasures, by Mark Godfrey when it says that Finch’s work is of, “other time and place,” and that Finch is concerned with the, “pleasures of looking at colored light.”10 10

See Godfrey, Spencer Finch: Measures and Pleasures, especially pages 15-19 for more information. 17

For Finch, the perception becomes about recreating the color and light conditions of another time of another place. An example of this can be seen in one of his projects titled, “Following Nature,” which is drawn from his fascination of how Claude Monet would paint the same environment during different times of day to capture the transformations of color and light that the same environment experienced throughout the day. Ultimately this installation is in response to a series of Monet’s own paintings and how he captured these color and light qualities that are constantly changing in an environment, which can especially be found in the reflection of a pond, which is the subject in a lot of Monet’s paintings. The installation itself is comprised with a series of hanging glass panels dangling and spinning in an atrium that is adjacent to a curtain wall of different colored stained glass panels. The stained glass panels represent the different colors of an environment while the dangling glass panels act as the pond. With glass having the ability to be both reflective and transparent, the colors of the curtain wall with the play of light begin to influence how the glass panels receive the color and light, which constantly changes the experience of this space and on a deeper level changes perception of time and place within the space.

Conclusions Through this discussion I have brought up the points of how specific architects and artists have used this common denominator of color and light within their designs to play with this idea of perception. We have seen how color and light becomes an expression of form, depth, dimension, time, and/or place from the specific case studies that I have looked at. We have also seen how architects and artists are constantly changing over time their own perceptions regarding the language or expression that color and light can provide in their own projects, which has lead to a constant color and light evolution. Researching and analyzing this evolution has lead me to my own opinions and conclusions about color and light as I seek to create my own identity in this vast playing field. This research has informed my thesis, which is about color and light have the ability to alter a person’s experience and perception of space through the destruction of form. As the idea begins to formulate itself, an important initial question arises in this discussion which is, what is the reality in the space and what is being perceived in the space, as there becomes a disconnect 18

between the two? This begins to discuss what your eye is seeing and what your brain is ultimately interpreting. In regards to design, if something is familiar to the brain, such as a clearly defined form, the brain will interpret it for what it truly is. If there is a change in the physical identity of form from what is suppose to be familiar, this is when the brain starts to interpret aspects of form in a different way, which leads to an alternative perception of that form and of that space. The book, Light: The Shape of Space – Designing with Space and Light, by Lou Michel, discusses this idea and states how psychologists have proven that, “in object perception, edges and outlines of a form are seen first, then the eye scans the surfaces within the outer contours.”11 Since this is how we normally perceive form and objects in space, I am interested in is what happens if the edges and outlines, or form and space, that the eye sees and the brain interprets, become destroyed? What is now the reality and perception of positive spaces and negative spaces? How would we perceive this new type of architectural space? Finally, what is gained through this type of experience? These questions I seek to explore and bring clarity to through my thesis. Currently I have begun to explore some of these questions as I seek for design opportunities regarding the main thesis of color and light having the ability to destroy form and space. A series of light boxes have been created using different colored forms and colored light filters that generate a language with how color and light expresses form or destroys it. Another part of this experiment has to do with experimenting with white surfaces, black surfaces, and/or color surfaces to begin to understand how these different aspects begin to react with color and light. One of the outcomes of these experiments is that the light boxes with the white walls began to express form and bring more of spatial clarity, while the black walls began to destroy form more and became much more two-dimensional as form and space were not as clear. Another outcome of the experiments is that of light intensity, in other words, light that diffuses into a space oppose to a light that is very strict and rigid in a space. I found that a softer light that diffuses into a space has the ability to express form, bring clarity 11

See Michel, Light: The Shape of Space – Designing with Space and Light, especially page 11 for further information. 19

to form, and an overall clarity to a space in regards to its depth and other spatial qualities. Opposite of that, the more intense and strict light has the ability to destroy form more in the sense that it destroys the corner of a room or the edge of a form, which begins to destroy a sense of depth between where the room starts and ends or how the form within a space is shaped and expressed. These ideas go back to this understanding of what the eye sees and what the brain interprets, which also goes back to recognizing what is familiar and unfamiliar. In these experiments the eye is reading certain spatial qualities, either defined or less defined, which then is interpreted by the brain. If something is defined and familiar, this leads to a normal perception of the space, however if something is less defined and less familiar, this leads to an altered perception of the space. Moving from the experiments conducted thus far onto a more in depth architectural discussion about the impact that these experiments may have in thinking about design, ultimately has to do with redefining space. As discussed, color and light has been used to express form and bring clarity to form and space, which brings a comfort and clarity to people experiencing space. However, if destroying form and space alters this experience, what does this do for architecture? It begins to create a new perception, as previously stated, between what is the reality of space and what is being perceived as space. This also begins to discuss what is perceived as the positive space oppose to what is perceived as the negative space. From this we can begin to blend these two different realities to create a whole other architectural experience of space. Instead of thinking of form and/or space as being clearly defined, we can begin to think of form and/or space as a blending characteristic that redefines spatial experiences and perceptions by generating a seamless transition between the elements of form and/or space. All of these questions and ideas will be the driving force of my thesis as I seek to explore the architectural possibilities of altering the perceptions of space by blending through destroying.

Hypothesis The perceived world is expressed in regards to object relationships that are clearly defined by an edge situated in space. This edge is what the eye is drawn to first in order to help the viewer understand the environment that surrounds them. However, if this edge is destroyed through the use of color and light, it changes the perceptions of space dramatically by creating a disconnect between what is reality and what is being perceived. This begins to alter the perceptions of space through the destruction of object relationships by blending the boundaries between form and space.

Project Methodology: Frame One Frame One seeks to explore the qualities of color and light in a space in regards to its expression of form and spatial qualities. Through this experiment a series of light boxes have been created using different colored forms and colored light filters that generate a language with how color and light expresses form or destroys it. Another part of this experiment has to do with experimenting with white surfaces, black surfaces, and/or color surfaces to begin to understand how these different aspects begin to react with color and light. One of the outcomes of this experiments is that the light boxes with the white walls began to express form and bring more of spatial clarity, while the black walls began to destroy form more and became much more two-dimensional as form and space was not as clear. Another outcome of the experiments is that of light intensity, in other words, light that diffuses into a space oppose to a light that is very strict and rigid in a space. I found that a softer light that diffuses into a space has the ability to express form, bring clarity to form, and an overall clarity to a space in regards to its depth and other spatial qualities. Opposite of that, the more intense and strict light has the ability to destroy form more in the sense that it destroys the corner of a room or the edge of a form, which begins to destroy a sense of depth between where the room starts and ends or how the form within a space is shaped and expressed. These ideas go back to this understanding of what the eye sees and what the brain interprets, which also goes back to recognizing what is familiar and unfamiliar. In these experiments the eye is reading certain spatial qualities, either defined or less defined, which then is interpreted by the brain. If something is defined and familiar, this leads to a normal perception of the space, however if something is less defined and less familiar, this leads to an altered perception of the space.

Project Methodology: Frame Two Frame Two seeks to explore the qualities of light that are found in an urban environment that are dramatically changing throughout the due to the movement of the sun as well as the materials found in the area, such as being reflective or absorbing of light. To start this experiment I found a time lapse video of an urban environment, picked out a series of scenes from different times of the day where I found dramatic changes in the light qualities, and then began to pixelate the images in order to bring out the different color palettes of the space during the different times of day. Through this approach, I was able to abstract the image in a series of four different images, starting from a very abstract condition of the image and finishing to a much more literal condition of the image, which allowed me to dive deeper into pulling out the different color and light qualities from each scene of the day. Upon the conclusion of this exercise I was able to conclude how a space transforms dramatically throughout the day by the way the light plays off of the building materials and through that different colors of the same material transforms as well. Another interesting characteristic is how the city transforms from day to night and with that glazing goes from a reflective surface to a more transparent surface, which begins to speak about an entirely different perception of the space. After this analysis was complete I began to create abstract models to represent these different conditions of reflective surfaces, different opacities within those reflective surfaces, and experimented with different lighting strategies as well to recreate this affect of going from the daytime qualities of a space to the nighttime qualities of a space.

Project Methodology: Design Probe The Design Probe seeks to explore how color and light has the ability to transform the spatial qualities within a room. Through this experiment I wanted to find a relationship between color, light, form, and space and their abilities to begin to either define space or begin to blend space. Another outcome of the experiments is that of light intensity, in other words, light that diffuses into a space oppose to a light that is very strict and rigid in a space. I found that a softer light that diffuses into a space has the ability to express form, bring clarity to form, and an overall clarity to a space in regards to its depth and other spatial qualities. Opposite of that, the more intense and strict light has the ability to destroy form more in the sense that it destroys the corner of a room or the edge of a form, which begins to destroy a sense of depth between where the room starts and ends or how the form within a space is shaped and expressed. This ultimately leads back to my main thesis as I also explored how color and light has the ability to alter the perception of space through the destruction of form and space. These models also begin to test the idea of what the reality of the spaces are in contrast to what the perceived spaces are. Through this quality of space I am able to begin discussion on what is perceived as the positive spaces in contrast to what is the negative spaces, which then leads to the discussion of the blending of these two different ideas. Through this blending, form and space is not expressed through strict edges and boundaries, but instead is able to be expressed through blending together. This technique is achieved through a strong light source that is very concentrated on a particular form(s) and surface(s), which begins to play with the affect of becoming either expressed or blended within the space itself.

Conclusions and Future Work Methodology and Process Evaluation Project Conclusions, Research Discoveries, and Intentions Future Criteria and Methodology (Spring 2014) Objectives and Timeline

Methodology and Process Evaluation:

Project Conclusions, Research Discoveries, and Intentions:

Throughout the semester I have established a very specific methodology that has lead me to all of my discoveries, which has been done through model making and photography. The process has consisted of using color, light, and form to create three-dimensional spaces in order to begin to understand the different relationships that all three of those elements have together. The more specific focus was on how form and space can either be expressed through different qualities of color and light as well as how form and space can be destroyed through different qualities of color and light. This methodology of making and photography has lead me to many dynamic discoveries such as how different intensities of light begin to either express form or destroy form as well as how different colored surfaces begin to accept or deny the color and light qualities it is receiving. Working three-dimensionally by creating a large series of light boxes has proven to be very beneficial in my understanding of space and how these elements of color and light react in space. I do not think I would have been able to obtain as much information, or any information for that matter, if I tried to do these same experiments in a series of two-dimensional drawings. I feel this way because a large part of the process has been through discovery and through drawing there are fewer discoveries able to happen due to the fact that drawing accurately recreates an envision inside your head. However, through the light boxes and working three-dimensionally, what I envisioned inside my head not always came through in the end, which lead to some great discoveries, such as my thesis. If I had worked in any other way other than three-dimensionally I am not sure I would have arrived to the spot where I am today with my thesis. If I could change one thing throughout my process I would have liked to explore with different types of forms oppose to all rectilinear forms, so perhaps begin to explore curved surfaces, angled surfaces, and so on.

Through my discussion I have brought up the points of how specific architects and artists have used this common denominator of color and light within their designs to play with this idea of perception. We have seen how color and light becomes an expression of form, depth, dimension, time, and/ or place from the specific case studies that I have looked at. We have also seen how architects and artists are constantly changing over time their own perceptions regarding the language or expression that color and light can provide in their own projects, which has lead to a constant color and light evolution. Researching and analyzing this evolution has lead me to my own opinions and conclusions about color and light as I seek to create my own identity in this vast playing field. This identity has formulated my thesis, which is how color and light has the ability to alter a person’s experience and perception of space through the destruction of form. As the idea begins to formulate itself, an important initial question arises in this discussion which is, what is the reality in the space and what is being perceived in the space, as there becomes a disconnect between the two? This begins to have conversation between what your eye is seeing and what your brain is ultimately interpreting. In regards to design, if something is familiar to the brain, such as a clearly defined form, the brain will interpret it for what it truly is. If there is a change in the physical identity of form from what is suppose to be familiar, this is when the brain starts to interpret aspects of form in a different way, which leads to an alternative perception of that form and of that space. The book, Light: The Shape of Space – Designing with Space and Light, by Lou Michel, discusses this idea and states how psychologists have proven that, “in object perception, edges and outlines of a form are seen first, then the eye scans the surfaces within the outer contours.” Since this is how we normally perceive form and objects in space, what I am interested in is what happens if the edges and outlines, or form and space, that the eye sees and the brain

interprets, become destroyed? What is now the reality and perception of positive spaces and negative spaces? How would we perceive this new type of architectural space? Finally, what is gained through this type of experience? These questions I seek to explore and bring clarity to through my thesis next semester, Spring 2014. Currently I have begun to explore some of these questions as I seek for design opportunities regarding the main thesis of color and light having the ability to destroy form and space. A series of light boxes have been created using different colored forms and colored light filters that generate a language with how color and light expresses form or destroys it. Another part of this experiment has to do with experimenting with white surfaces, black surfaces, and/or color surfaces to begin to understand how these different aspects begin to react with color and light. One of the outcomes of this experiments is that the light boxes with the white walls began to express form and bring more of spatial clarity, while the black walls began to destroy form more and became much more two-dimensional as form and space was not as clear. Another outcome of the experiments is that of light intensity, in other words, light that diffuses into a space oppose to a light that is very strict and rigid in a space. I found that a softer light that diffuses into a space has the ability to express form, bring clarity to form, and an overall clarity to a space in regards to its depth and other spatial qualities. Opposite of that, the more intense and strict light has the ability to destroy form more in the sense that it destroys the corner of a room or the edge of a form, which begins to destroy a sense of depth between where the room starts and ends or how the form within a space is shaped and expressed. These ideas go back to this understanding of what the eye sees and what the brain interprets, which also goes back to recognizing what is familiar and unfamiliar. In these experiments the eye is reading certain spatial qualities, either defined or less defined, which then is

interpreted by the brain. If something is defined and familiar, this leads to a normal perception of the space, however if something is less defined and less familiar, this leads to an altered perception of the space. Moving from the experiments conducted thus far onto a more in depth architectural discussion about the impact that these experiments may have in thinking about design, ultimately has to do with redefining space. As discussed, color and light has been used to express form and bring clarity to form and space, which brings a comfort and clarity to people experiencing space. However, if destroying form and space alters this experience, what does this do for architecture? It begins to create a new perception, as previously stated, between what is the reality of space and what is being perceived as space. This also begins to discuss what is perceived as the positive space oppose to what is perceived as the negative space. From this we can begin to blend these two different realities to create a whole other architectural experience of space. Instead of thinking of form and/or space as being clearly defined, we can begin to think of form and/ or space as a blending characteristic that redefines spatial experiences and perceptions by generating a seamless transition between the elements of form and/or space. All of these questions and ideas will be the driving force of my thesis as I seek to explore the architectural possibilities of altering the perceptions of space by this idea of blending by destroying.

Future Criteria and Methodology (Spring 2014): My future criteria would begin with continuing this exploration of color and light in regards to form and space. I would like to continue to explore how different types of surfaces and forms begin to react with color and light. These surfaces would consist of curved surfaces, angled surfaces, and so on in order to have a dynamic evaluation of how these different surfaces can be expressed or destroyed through color and light. Up to this point I have been dealing with primarily rectilinear surfaces and spaces so this type of further exploration will only benefit my project and potentially bring more dynamics to it as surface types react differently than others. Also with this exploration I may be able to begin to explore how these different surface types begin to blend together and read differently, which changes the perception of form and space, as they become less defined and more destroyed through color and light. Ultimately in the end all of this will help me bring through a final design that will answer the questions I put forth and will bring an understanding to how color and light has the ability to alter the perception of form and space by the destruction of form and space. My future criterion also continues my methodology of experimenting with color, light, and form through making and photography. Working three-dimensionally in order to create scaled spaces is a great way to work in order to truly understand how a space will feel and it will let you know whether your design intentions are working or not working right away by photographing the conditions and analyzing them. What also comes through in this process is the ability to stumble upon great discoveries, or bad ones, because what you envision doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always come through in the final product. These discoveries have the ability to contain breakthroughs in your thinking and can benefit your project greatly or you learn from them by understanding what not to do for the next design experiment. It will also be very beneficial to continue exploring different lighting conditions in order to achieve different affects 66

within the space, so begin to seek out ways to explore different light intensities as this evokes a language of expression or destruction of form and/or space. One thing I would like to begin to address next semester through this methodology that I have not already done is this notion of scale. Thus far I have been working within the confines of rather small models and then begin to put the camera inside of them in order to capture the space, which is extremely beneficial in order to produce and capture a large variety of different space rather quickly. The next step I would like to explore as design intentions become more concise and clear would be to move to a larger scale to begin to really be able to put myself within the spaces created, which will bring a new experience to how I view the spaces I am designing and ultimately lead to new understanding and new design solutions.

Objectives and Timeline: - Design a space(s) that color and light becomes the destruction of form and space creating a new experience and language in architecture. - Design a space in which form and space become blended by skewing the perceptions of edges, which creates the distinction between the two. - Alter the experience of a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perception in space by creating a disconnect of what is reality and what is being perceived. - Achieve an alternative perspective of how color and light can be implemented in design. - Create my own identity amongst the world of color and light in design. November Design Probe: - Color Studies - Light Intensity - Form Destruction Write Research Essay

December Prospectus Due Special Topics Review

January

February

Begin to Define Ways in Which my Methodology can be Implemented in Robâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Making Class

Mid Review: - Assess Progress - Implement New Goals and/or Any Changes in Design/Methodology

Update Portfolio and Resume

March Final Design Work

April Final Review

Start Final Presentation Requirements

Project Conclusions Define Future Work Continue Making and Exploring: - Color Studies - Light Intensity - Surfaces - Form Destruction

Define What the Exhibition Space Will Be: - Scale - One Space or Series of Spaces - Intended Experience - Overall Goal

Design Development: - Scale - Colors and Light - Forms and Spaces - Overall Goal

Continue Making and Exploring: - Color Studies - Light Intensity - Surfaces - Form Destruction Begin Applying For Jobs

Appendix Annotated Bibliography Mind Maps: An Evolution of Thinking

Albers, Josef. Interaction of Color. New Haven [Conn.: Yale UP, 2006. Print. Albers’ book offers the exploration of his own thesis, being color theory and color relationships. Dedicating his entire life towards the study of color relationships, this book acts as a teaching archive of his experiments. This aspect of color interaction can be seen in all of his paintings from exploring the different saturations of the same color within a single painting to exploring a collection of different hues in seeking a relationship between them in a single painting. This approach to his work is documented throughout the book, which discusses the design outcomes and conclusions learned through each experiment of color. The book also discusses how Albers would work under different lighting conditions as that would change his perception of a particular color in regards to its brightness or darkness, which ultimately lead to a different color relationship as well as achieve a different mood for the painting. These experiments and relationships of color can be seen throughout the entire book as it gives different examples and color relationships to achieve different perceptions. Bahamón, Alejandro, and Ana María Álvarez. Light Color Sound: Sensory Effects in Contemporary Architecture. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2010. Print. Bahamón’s and Álvarez’s book offers the concept that light, color, and sound are the primary elements of an architectural expression that speak most to a person’s senses. With this comes the idea of using these three elements as a way of dramatically changing a person’s perception and experience of a space to play with the overall concept of the architecture itself. The book then goes into explaining in great detail the strategies of thirty projects, all from the modern and contemporary era and are located all over the world, that really focus on light, color, and sound as their primary concepts to really achieve this notion of changing the experience that one would have by playing with their perception of a space.

Blaszczyk, Regina Lee. The Color Revolution. Cambridge, MA: MIT in Association with the Lemelson Center, Smithsonian Institution, 2012. Print. Blaszczyk’s book offers the history of how color got its start, how color developed over time, and how colors evolution over time changed marketing in the consumer world. Germany and the United States were at the forefront for developing new dyes and pigments to make the color world amongst consumer products possible. With this evolution came new jobs; jobs for people to help companies understand the benefits of color. The men who started filling these jobs for the first time were coming out of World War I, where they served as “camoufleurs,” which were the men responsible for perfecting the art of hiding soldiers and weapons. These new professional colorists began a revolution showing corporations the art of color illusion as well as the psychological effects of color and how these ideas can help their product and marketing. The book then goes into detail how exactly companies used strategies of color to benefit their company and products. Godfrey, Mark. “Spencer Finch: Measures and Pleasures.” Parkett June (2007): 14-19. Web. Oct. 2013. <http://prod-images.exhibit-e. com/www_jamescohan_com/Parkett_Godfrey_June_2007.pdf>. Godfrey’s article offers insight on the work done by Spencer Finch. The article goes into explaining the work done by Finch, which varies from drawings and paintings to working with fluorescent lights and stained glass. It also covers how Finch’s overarching goal, or thesis, is generally always very similar throughout all of his works, which is studying the color and light of a particular place. The places of interest for Finch are generally of places he has experience first hand throughout his travels and it is his goal to come up with a design strategy to replicate the color and light qualities of that particular place in another location. To express these ideas in greater detail the article goes into specific works done by Finch by discussing the inspiration and design intent behind each one.

Hesselgren, Sven. Man’s Perception of Man-made Environment: An Architectural Theory. Lund: Studentlitt., 1975. Print. Hesselgren’s book offers not only the straightforward approach to understanding perception by the way of examples, but also offers a more scientific approach to this idea of perception within the designed environment that we all occupy on an every day basis. While the book offers plenty of examples from an endless list of artists, architects, and other designers, it does not simply tell just the strategy of how the perception was achieved, but goes into exactly how it was achieved in a much more detailed fashion by breaking down all of the elements, much like a scientist doing an experiment, and offers up exactly why it makes a person perceive what it is that they do. Holl, Steven, Juhani Pallasmaa, and Gómez Alberto Pérez. Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture. San Francisco, CA: William Stout, 2006. Print. Holl, Pallasmaa, and Perez’s book offers the thesis behind all of Steven Holl’s work, which is of human perception and phenomenological experiences in architecture. The book goes on to explain human perception as being experienced through the senses, which for Holl is made up of seven different elements; eye, ear, nose, skin, tongue, skeleton, and muscle. The book continues on to discuss these different elements more in depth and offers different design strategies for these particular senses such as light, shadow, material, and much more. The book also explores different projects and the aspects within those projects that speak to Holl’s overall thesis of human perception in space.

Klinkhammer, Barbara. “After Purism: Le Corbusier and Color.” Preservation, Education & Research 4 (2011): 19-35. Web. 16 Sept. 2013. Klinkhammer’s article offers the exploration of Le Corbusier and his evolution of color usage in his architecture and paintings throughout his career; starting with his design work from his Purism days to his work from his Post-Purism days. The article leads off by discussing Le Corbusier’s Purism work, which was generally defined by white walls and the rare usage of very soft and very specific colors. During this phase of his work, he deemed the term “whitewash” and from that came his “Law of Ripolin” which for him called for all buildings to be covered in white, because for him white was the only color that expressed architecture’s true form. Following this phase, during his Post-Purism phase, these ideas of white changed dramatically as he moved towards using much more color and much more vibrant colors, especially when it came to the use of primary colors. Kosky, Jeffrey L. “Contemplative Recover: The Artwork of James Turrell.” Cross Currents March (2013): 44-61. Web. Oct. 2013. <http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxywit.flo.org/ehost/pdfviewer/ pdfviewer?sid=cdb7c959-07e0-4507-a5b5-7ca65199536d%40session mgr12&vid=3&hid=16>. Kosky’s article offers exploration of the work done by James Turrell, a “pioneer of the use of light in modern art.” The main focus of the article is how for Turrell, light is not simply an element of design that is used to reveal an object, but instead, light actually becomes the “revelation” in itself. This idea is seen throughout all of his works as there is no specific object or image in his works, but instead an idea of light being the expression. The further explain and explore this thesis of Turrell, the article goes into greater detail about some of his specifics works discussing the design intent behind the works as well as how they were achieved.

Mahnke, Frank H., and Rudolf H. Mahnke. Color and Light in Manmade Environments. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1987. Print.

Millet, Marietta S., and Catherine Jean. Barrett. Light Revealing Architecture. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1996. Print.

Frank and Rudolf Mahnke’s book offers the exploration of color and light within the designed environment of which we all occupy. Their main area of focus is the study of how exactly colors and light affects the viewer both from the psychological and physiological standpoint. They support this study by introducing the hue effects, positive and negative impressions or associations, character, and symbolism of a spectrum of colors including, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, brown, gray, black, and white. The main intent behind this study is to inform designers, from architects, interior designers, and so on, the positive and/or negative affects that color and light play on the environments in which we inhabit on an every day basis. Towards the end of the book, following the color study, the authors go into great detail about what colors fit certain types of environments such as schools, hospitals, offices, industry, and restaurants.

Millet’s book offers a discussion on the topic of light being an important design element amongst the world of design professions today, especially for architects. She also discusses how light has a strong emotional and physiological response for people experiencing a space designed with important light qualities and uses specific projects to give examples of these types of responses. To get into more of the specifics of light, the book covers aspects of qualitative and quantitative aspects of lighting, the complementary use of daylighting and electric lighting, and the use of poetic and practical approaches to lighting.

Michel, Lou. Light: The Shape of Space: Designing with Space and Light. New York, NY u.a.: Wiley, 1996. Print. Michel’s book offers the main concept that light is the most essential aspect of architectural design due to its ability to magnify the performance and function of a building as well as have sensory affects on the people experiencing the space. As the book says, “It is in illuminated spaces that people live, and that is where architecture is experienced most directly.” With this as the main claim, the entire book is devoted to breaking down all of the different strategies of light design to enhance space and the effects that light will have on those spaces as well as the effect it will have on the people occupying them.

Pauly, Danièle, Luis Barragán, and Jérôme Habersetzer. Barragan: Space and Shadow, Walls and Colour. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2002. Print. Pauly’s book offers a story about the life and work of architect Luis Barragan. Starting with the early years of Barragan’s life the book introduces his Mexican roots, which ultimately leads to a lot of his inspiration in his works. The book also speaks about his travels around the world and how that too highly influenced his work, especially from his trips around the Mediterranean. All of these influences essentially lead to Barragan having an amazing interest of color and how color is able to change a viewer’s perception of space. These ideas are expressed by digging deep into individual projects of Barragan by discussing the inspirations of the color and light in his projects, which ultimately leads to a change of perception in regards to time and the environment.

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