SEEK LIGHT...
SURVIVE THE DARK BRAEDEN TOWNSEND || REP2-18 | STRUCTURES OF LIGHT | SURVIVE THE DARK I
BRAEDEN TOWNSEND || REP2-18 | STRUCTURES OF LIGHT
i + ii CONTENTS
01 01 02 03 05
SITE VIEWS AMBIENT LIGHTING VISUAL ANALYSIS SCALE STUDY
17 17 EXTERIOR VIEWS 19 INTERIOR VIEWS 21 PLANS
07 07 LUMINOSITY 07 DEFINITION 08 CASE STUDY
23 23 OPACITY 23 DEFINITION 24 CASE STUDY
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09 09 CONCEPT 1 11 CONCEPT 2 13 CONCEPT 3
25 25 EXPLODED ISO 26 LAYOUT 27 MATERIALS 29 LIGHTING
15 15 REFLECTION 15 DEFINITION 16 CASE STUDY
31 31 FILTRATION 31 DEFINITION 32 CASE STUDY
01 + 02 MATHS LAWNS SITE
SITE PERSPECTIVES
ISOMETRIC VIEWS
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AMBIENT LIGHTING During the day the site is a social hub, with many people walking through the space and using the seating areas to enjoy the sunlight. Therefore, the daytime images document the way sunlight radiates the site through the reflection of the glass from the faรงade of buildings. At night the atmosphere of the site changes, with the only light source coming from light posts and lighting of the faรงades. Therefore, the night time images document the unity between the dullness of night and the visual stimulation of spot and strip lighting illuminating an eerily quiet site.
03 + 04 SITE ANALYSIS
ACCESS + MOVEMENT Building Access Ped. Movement Main Access
USE + SPACES Seating Adaptable Grass Area
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SOCIAL CHARACTER
SUMMER SHADE
9 WINTER SHADE
12
3
The layout of the math lawns at the University of Adelaide allows for a unique outdoor social space. Consisting of the two lawn areas with benches lining them. These spaces are used as meeting and dining areas for students and staff due to the ease of access from the surrounding streets and buildings. This ease of access allows occupants to purchase meals and drinks and consume them outdoors in a open yet sociable space. Due to the sizing of the clear space, the University holds many social events in this adaptable area.
05 + 06 SCALE STUDY 1.5 x A = From roof edge to top of dormer window
1.2 x A =
Hight of glass window
1xA=
Hight of 1st floor ledge
0.8 x B =
Spacing of last columns
1xB=
Spacing of columns
1xB= Width of entrance
BARR SMITH ELEVATION
HUMAN SCALE SITE MEASUREMENTS
Using a 6ft tall man we can see the 1st floor ledge is approximately 2x (2/1) arm span wide and 1.33 (4/3) in height in relationship to man.
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1.5 x C =
From middle of window strip to top of building
1xC=
1.5 strips of windows/floor levels
1xC=
Hight of ceiling
1xD=
Spacing of columns
INGKARNI WARDLI ELEVATION
2.4 x E =
Length of SW lawn
0.5 x E =
Width of path
2xF=
Width of lawns, length of path
MATHS LAWNS PLAN
2.5 x E =
Length of NE lawn
07 + 08 LUMINOSITY LINGUSITIC DEFINITIONS: The word luminosity is derived from the word luminous which is used to describe the brightness of a light source but can also be used to describe clear and intelligible people or works. Luminosity is also used in the field of Astronomy to compare the brightness of extra-terrestrial stars in comparison to our own.
Phaeno Science Center, 2005, Wolfsburg / Germany. © Werner Huthmacher
PHILOSOPHICAL DEFINITION: The term luminosity is comparable to illumination when discussed in a philosophical sense. The concept of illumination or just light has existed within many languages and cultures in our earth’s history. Sourcing from the general associations made from light as being a symbol of life, happiness, healthiness, and in most religions a holy or perfect being, light is usually polarised against darkness as a symbol of evil and death. This belief is shared among many religions through symbolic expression, mythology, worship and iconography. This is seen most noticeably in the Chinese Yin and Yang. Yang being light which reflects positivity and healthiness and Yin being the opposite. But as both light and darkness are seen as complete opposites, light requires darkness for it to illuminate those areas, therefore creating a continual existence and dependence for one other.
Vitra Fire Station, 1993, Weil am Rhein / Germany. © Christian Richters
References: Archdaily, Fluid Luminosity. Availible at https://www.archdaily.com/868157/fluid-luminosity-the-architectural-lighting-of-zaha-hadid [Accessed August 17, 2018] Roger T. Ames, 2002. Yin and Yang in Encyclopedia of Chinese Philosophy. Routledge, pp.847.
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CASE STUDY: Fluid Luminosity: The Architectural Lighting of Zaha Hadid Throughout Zara Hadid’s long and celebrated career as an architect, see had shown a developing involvement of illumination as an essential design element in her works. To gauge the development of Hadid’s use of luminosity, we have to look at her earliest works, one of those being the Vitra Fire Station (1993) in Weil am Rhein, Germany. A harsh in-situ concrete structure, the design strays far from the uniformity of most emergency service buildings. It’s Hadid’s use of light to diffuse the sharpness of the form which gives a second, lighter dimension to the otherwise acute form. Straying away from light being used as a means to absorb the sometimes harshness of exposed concrete, Hadid moved towards using light as a means of reflection through the use of glass. This is seen in her Nordpark Railway Station (2007) in Innsbruck, Austria. A mixture of form and shadow, Hadid’s fluid design is inspired from local ice formations and utilises reflective materials to create visual illusions and mirroring to provide a unique sensorial experience. When illuminated at night, the Nordpark Railway Station glows due to strategic placements of light sources, allowing the form to become a continuous light source itself, as it radiates a glow to the nearby site. This use of reflective materials and surfaces is also evident in the Serpentine Sackler Gallery (2013) in London.
Port House, 2016, Antwerp / Belgium. © Hufton + Crow
After the design of the Nordpark Railway Station, there was a turning point in the design strategy of Hadid. The themes of fluidity and continuity led her to explore a deconstructivism and fragmentation approach. This is seen in the design of the fragmented, floating glass façade of the Port House (2016) in Antwerp, Belgium. The design has a very adaptable exterior, altering itself with the evolving daylight. We see here a shift to a new language of light, as the matt façade of her older work is replaced by reflective and transparent materials. Focusing mostly on form and reflectance, Hadid’s later designs opposed the diffusing luminous light lines of her earlier work, opting for more continuous spaces illuminated through reflective exteriors and materials through both by day and night.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza, 2013, Seoul / South Korea. © Virgile Simon Bertrand
09 + 10 CONCEPT 1
SURVIVAL AS IMAGE
“TO SEEK LIGHT IS TO SURVIVE... ...TO SURVIVE YOU NEED TO REACH ENLIGHTENMENT.”
SURVIVAL AS LAYOUT
SURVIVAL AS FORM
ENTRANCE PERSPECTIVE
SEEKING THE SOURCE
EXIT PERSPECTIVE
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REACHING ENLIGHTENMENT
NORTH-WEST FACING EXIT SECTION
To find the exit of this light pavilion, you must reach the area of enlightenment. After entering the light pavilion, survivors must venture into the winding maze, only guided by the light from the area of enlightenment and the multiple lookouts that assist in finding the light source. Turning back at any point or traversing the opposite way through the pavilion would prove difficult as there will be no light to guide you. The lookout areas provide survivors with views above ground level in case they become disorientated in the darkness. This allows for interaction from those not “stuck� in the pavilion to assist those in the lookout in reaching the area of enlightenment. When nearing the area of enlightenment, survivors will reach a clearing, signifying they have escaped the disorientation of the maze and have reached enlightenment. As the light passes through the barrier that surrounds the area of enlightenment, survivors will know they have reached safety, and can enjoy the sensorial experience of standing inside the cylinder. A ramp which surrounds the cylinder releases you back to ground level. This area of enlightenment can be artificially illuminated at night to provide a similar experience.
SOUTH-EAST FACING ENTRANCE SECTION
N
SITE PLAN
11 + 12 CONCEPT 2
SURVIVAL AS IMAGE
“TO SEEK LIGHT IS TO SURVIVE... ...TO SURVIVE YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE LIGHT.”
SURVIVAL AS LAYOUT
SURVIVAL AS FORM
ENTRANCE PERSPECTIVE
INTERIOR GUIDANCE
EXIT PERSPECTIVE
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FOLLOWING THE LIGHT
NORTH-EAST FACING EXIT SECTION
To find the exit of this light pavilion, you must follow the light. Survivors are trapped once visitors enter the entrance by sliding down the fireman’s pole. The entrance itself becoming the cause of entrapment, leaving innocent visitors at the mercy of the pavilion. The survivors are then subjected to a barrage of pathways, each leading to different fates. If survivors choose to follow the light, they will be rewarded with safe passage through the entanglement of walls. Those who choose to venture off the illuminated path will be subject to confusion and disorientation of the darkness, a deadly mix. To guide the survivors to freedom, bastions of light funnel the sunlight from the surface to illuminate the passages. But these bastions do not provide an immediate escape, the survivors must be persistent in following the light to reach the exit. The exit itself being one of these bastions that will need to be scaled to reach the light. The bastions themselves are translucent, allowing them to not only spread the light inside of the underground pavilion, but to also project light out at night, acting like a lens for the internal light.
SOUTH-EAST FACING ENTRANCE SECTION
N
SITE PLAN
13 + 14 CONCEPT 3
SURVIVAL AS IMAGE
ESCAPE AREA
“TO SEEK LIGHT IS TO SURVIVE... ...TO SURVIVE YOU NEED TO ESCAPE THE DARK.”
SURVIVAL AS LAYOUT
SURVIVAL AS FORM
EXIT PERSPECTIVE
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ESCAPING THE DARK To escape the darkness of this light pavilion, visitors are lured into a false sense of security through the two entrances and tunnels leading to the area of enlightenment. Along the way, escape will be just out of reach for the visitors, with the grate-like ceiling of the tunnel acting like metal bars on a cell. Forcing the visitors to choose either to continue along the path further to reach enlightenment, or retreat back to the safety of the entrance. If choosing to continue, the now surviving visitors will be rewarded with an exit in the open area of enlightenment.
NORTH-EAST FACING EXIT SECTION
But they are not safe yet, the pit of light acts like a transparent coffin with the framework teasing survivors with freedom and light. Teamwork from friends or complete strangers may be needed to finally escape this state of limbo through scaling the walls of the light pavilion. Much like how the net dome of the pavilion lays an outline of itself onto the ground bellow, at night internal lighting can be used to project this net shadow onto the facades of the surrounding buildings.
SOUTH-EAST FACING ENTRANCE SECTION
N
SITE PLAN
15 + 16 REFLECTION LINGUSITIC DEFINITIONS: The word Reflection is used to describe the act of a surface or object returning light, heat or sound without absorbing it. Therefore, the surface or object becomes a vessel for the light, heat or sound. This can be seen in the case of a mirror, though the reflected object exists without the need for a mirror, the image of the object is projected onto its surface and thus creates a mirrored equal in terms of visibility.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, 1997, Bilbao / Spain. Image Š Thomas Mayer
PHILOSOPHICAL DEFINITION: The term reflection is used often used in a philosophical sense to reference the inner workings of human thought and self-reflection. English philosopher John Locke describes reflection as the second source of all knowledge, coming after the initial sensorial experience. Meaning that reflection is your own awareness that you are thinking, and you can evaluate current or past emotions and sensations to make light of what these experiences meant to you past the opening emotions and sensations. For German philosopher Georg W. F. Hegel, his interpretation of reflection sees the term as both the process of thought and a process of the actual world. Similar to Locke, Hegel believes reflection to be the way we understand the significance of experiences and learning. Therefore, when viewing an object and its reflection, we can see both the light reflected from the object and the original light itself. This can then be related back to intellectual reflection as we experience the original emotion and sensation, and then see it through a new light once we reflect on the experience. Prada Aoyama, 2003, Tokyo / Japan. Š Yen-Chi Chen
References: Archdaily, Veiled in Brilliance. Availible at https://www.archdaily.com/796974/veiled-in-brilliance-how-reflective-facades-have-changed-modern-architecture [Accessed August 28, 2018] Marxists, Discussion on Essence 2. Availible at https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/hegel/txt/reflect2.htm [Accessed August 28, 2018]
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CASE STUDY: Veiled in Brilliance: How Reflective Facades have Changed Modern Architecture To avoid the standardization of urban building facades becoming dull glass and metal clad structures, architects have looked towards a new way of redesigning and reinterpreting this design. This reimagining is coupled with the belief that light and brilliance can create lasting expressions on onlookers, creating iconic works of wonder and crystalline forms. This creates a shift of visual attraction, from the interior spaces and form, to the external skin and materials of the building. One building which epitomises this focus on exterior cladding and form is the Elbphilharmonie (2017) in Hamburg, Germany. By using a glass clad curvilinear form, the façade of the building reflects the nearby city and water, creating an abstract echo of its surroundings. Shifting with the weather and time of day, viewing the exterior can create multiple visual experiences as the building appears to evolve and merge to its surroundings. Different colouring in the façade is used to create jewel like highlights whilst being subjected to daylight. Relating its form back to its site, the profile of the building is symbolic of the nearby Elbe River in both its flowing curves and its reflection of light. This creates a unique yet incongruous mixture of architectural styles being placed on top of an old, brick warehouse building. A prior design that used similar elements of refection through curved glass facades was the Prada Epicentre (2003) in Tokyo, Japan. Its glazing clad exterior was formed through rhombus like geometric patterning and uses sections of both plain and convex glass to create magnified views from the exterior and unobstructed views from within.
Elbphilharmonie, 2017, Hamburg / Germany. © Frank Thiel
Unlike the previous two buildings, the Guggenheim Museum (1997) in Bilbao, Spain offers an alternative design strategy to apply the use of reflection through a building’s exterior. This involved the use of a thin metal titanium panels for cladding as opposed to glass. Creating emphasis through light reflection, every passing cloud varies the impressionable image of the design through reflection and shadows. These examples showcase the way in which architects use light through reflection in the building façade and form. Therefore, creating a desire for more emphasis in surface as a carrier for the character and meaning of a building as well as a way for a building to echo its surrounding environment. This strays far from the design uniformity of the international style, sprouting out into curvilinear form and facades with use of light and reflection to make a sensorial and emotional impact on both the urban environment, and the people that view the work.
South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, 2017, Adelaide / Australia. © Jackstarshaker
17 + 18 LIGHT PAVILLION
ENTRANCE PERSPECTIVE
SOUTH-WEST FACING SITE PERSPECTIVE
NORTH-EAST FACING SITE PERSPECTIVE
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EXIT PERSPECTIVE ESCAPING THE DARK
SOUTH-EAST FACING ENTRANCE SECTION
NORTH-WEST FACING EXIT SECTION
To find the exit of the light pavilion, you must follow the light. Visitors are trapped once they enter the entrance by sliding down the fireman’s pole as explored in Concept 2. Having the entrance as a pole allows for the pavilion to have a select entrance and exits. The survivors are then subjected to multiple pathways, each leading to different areas and fates. If survivors choose to follow the light which flows through the skylights and lookouts, they will be rewarded with safe passage through the entanglement of walls and rooms. To guide the survivors to enlightenment, steel latticework seep sunlight from the surface to illuminate the hallways and entrances. But this framework does not provide an immediate escape, with the steel acting like bars on a cell, only allowing the crucial light to reach the survivors. The placement of the lookouts in the centre pathway of the lawns allow for interaction between the survivors those above ground as they seek enlightenment. Once reaching enlightenment survivors will be greeted with an open courtyard and exhibition space as well as
19 + 20 INTERIOR
ENLIGHTENMENT COURTYARD
ENTRANCE TO EXHIBITION SPACE
LOUNGE AREA
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SEMINAR ROOM EMBRACING THE LIGHT
SOUTH-WEST FACING LIBRARY SECTION
The interior areas of the light pavilion are defined by the lighting that floods through each of the many skylights and lookout area during the day, and the strip lighting that lines the interior forms of the design at night. During the day, the latticework frames allow for the sun to project a geometric pattern onto the many interior surfaces. The choice to use steel frames to break up the sunlight before it reaches the underground areas is to remind the people inside of the pavilion that they are at the will of its design. These skylights provide no relief from the confines of the passage ways. At night the interior strip lighting will reverse the use of lighting and emit light from the pavilion to those above ground. This will not only help light the way of those inside the pavilion but to also draw interest from those above ground to enter the space and become trapped themselves. These different uses of lighting will each provide a different sensorial experience, and will create a journey for the survivors as they escape the darkness.
NORTH-EAST FACING ENLIGHTENMENT SECTION
21+ 22 PLANS
SECTION A - A
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
EXITS COURTYARD EXIBITION SPACE LOUNGE AREA MALE TOILET DISABLED TOILET FEMALE TOILET STORAGE SEMINAR ROOM SMALL LIBRARY RECEPTION ENTRANCE
01
A
02
01
SITE PLAN
05
03
07
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SCALE: 1:200 @ A3
N 06
04
08
09
10
11
12
A
09
SCALE: 1:200 @ A3
23 + 24 OPACITY LINGUSITIC DEFINITIONS: The word Opacity is derived from the word Opaque which is used to describe the property of being impenetrable to light. Therefore, Opacity is used to describe the extent an object obstructs or blocks the transmission of a light source to a surface. Alternative meanings include obscurity of a meaning or obtuseness of understanding.
Bagsværd Church, 1976, Denmark. Image © seier
PHILOSOPHICAL DEFINITION:
The term ‘opacity’ is used often used in a philosophical sense to reference the obscurity of meaning or a dullness of human thought. Opacity in this sense can be used to describe the undiscovered thought or knowledge that is in a state of ambiguity, concealed by the inner workings of one’s mind. It’s in Peter Carruthers 2011 publication of “The Opacity of the Mind” that he describes the theory of Interpretive Sensory-Access (ISA) where he argues there is a dislocation between between one’s thoughts, emotions and instincts. This dislocation is the opaque qualities of the steps taken between when the brain processes your mental thoughts and the direct action you then take, sometimes with little control. Demonstrating that perceived transparency of one’s inner thoughts and direct actions are incorrect as the opaqueness of the mind conceals some of our deepest thoughts. And as a result, there is no such thing as conscious agency or clearness between one’s self and their actions. Paimio Sanatorium, 1932, Finland. © Arnout Fonck
References: Archdaily, Light Matters: Whiteness in Nordic Countries. Availible at https://www.archdaily.com/542503/light-matters-whiteness-in-nordic-countries [Accessed October 20, 2018] Carruthers, Peter. 2011. The Opacity of Mind: An Integrative Theory of Self-Knowledge. Oxford: Oxford University Press
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CASE STUDY: Light Matters: Whiteness in Nordic Countries In the Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, the seasonal changes to their light environment are more relentless then those in countries closer to the equator. This means long dark winters with the sun hardly visible above the horizon and bright summers in which the sun never really sets during the Summer Solstice. To combat these climate extremes in building design, professor Henry Plummer argues that the Nordic architects have looked to the concept of white diffusion. First introduced by architect Alvar Aalto for the Paimio Sanatorium in the 1930s, the addition of finishes such as white-painted plaster, white-enamelled steel, and white linoleum allow the interiors of buildings to be observed to have similar light distribution properties to that of the snow-covered landscape. This means the interiors can compensate for the reduced lighting by reflecting the sunlight and thus brighten the darker months. However, Aalto was not the first to use white interiors in his design as medieval churches in Denmark have similar use of white interiors. This use of an opaque colour palate can also be found in modern day Churches. An example is the Dybkær Church by Regnbuen Arkitekter, who’s design utilises daylight from three different sources, allowing for each interior element of the church’s to be adequately illuminated using harmonised indirect lighting. The use of a white brickwork used to texture the walls of the nave allow for the shifting light conditions to animate the wall’s shading throughout the different seasons. The Bagsværd Church by Jørn Utzon provides a similar effect through the use of white diffusion. This allows light to become the centralised feature of the church, with the interior of the building producing a greater light intensity than outside of the church.
Dybkær Church, 2010, Denmark. © Henry Plummer 2010
Another use of a white interior is with the Pirkkala Church by Käpy and Simo Paavilainen. The church’s altar is used as a backdrop for the intruding sunlight to create richly contrasting shade projections, where the building’s windows acts as a lens and mirror, filtering the light into the building’s interior spaces. Aarno Ruusuvuori use of sunlight in his designs creates a more abstract presents of light as opposed to direct lighting. He states that: “Light originates somewhere, but man does not need to know where. Lighting is not an end in itself. But its meaning is to create a feeling of the infiniteness of eternity.”
Pirkkala Church, 1994, Finland. Image © Henry Plummer 2009
25+ 26 LAYOUT 01
ABOVE GROUND FRAMEWORK
02
CEILING
03
ELEMENTS 01 FRAMEWORK OF SKYLIGHTS AND LOOKOUTS 02 CEILING 03 ENTRANCE POLE 04 EXIT STAIRCASES 05 RECEPTION AND LOOKOUT 06 SMALL LIBRARY AND LOOKOUT 07 SEMINAR TABLE 08 LOUNGE AND TOILET AREAS 09 ENLIGHTENMENT AREA AND GALLERY 10 SUPPORT STRUCTURE 11 FOUNDATION
04 05
ACCESS
04 06
07 08
10
09
INTERIOR ELEMENTS
STRUCTURE AND OPENINGS
11
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PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE The layout of the pavillion showcase a majority of shared/multi-use spaces divided by glass sliding doors which allow visability into each zone. These include two lookout areas, small library, lounge area, male/female/disability toilets, exhibition space with gallery and courtyard with seating. The private areas consist of the intitial reception counter, two enclosed seminar rooms and a storage area for the pavilion and will be only used by university staff or those in attendance to seminars.
ACCESS AND MOVEMENT Access to the pavilion consists of the main experiential entrance on the NE side of the pavilion. This entry consists of a fireman’s pole cut into the lawns that will plunge visitors into the darkness of the pavilion and would be near impossible to use as an escape. The exits of the pavilion consist of parallel staircases exiting to the math lawns. Though these can also be used as an entry, the experience of traversing the pavilion would be hampered as the there would be no guidance from light sources. The passages of the pavilion vary from narrow to open spaces, keeping you on your toes as you try and survive the journey through the pavilion.
LIGHT GUIDANCE To find the exit of this light pavilion, you must reach the area of enlightenment, this being the open courtyard on the SW side of the pavilions. From the initial entry on the opposite side of the pavilion, survivors my follow the daylight that flows through the positioned doorways and spaces, these will help those in finding lookout spaces as well as intented areas of the pavilion. This will only be possible in summer afternoons as the sun will be at the perfect angle to enlighten the pavilion’s spaces.
27+ 28 MATERIALITY
NEUTRAL COLOUR SCHEME
POLISHED CONCRETE FLOOR
STAINLESS STEEL FRAMEWORK
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PLASTERBOARD WALL
MASONRY WALL
TIMBERBOARD WALL
POLISHED CONCRETE
PAVING
FLOOR BOARDS
MATERIAL STUDY
When considering the materiality of the pavilion, the quality of the projection of the shadows was the main criteria. Three types of finishes for wall and flooring were explored. These consisted of three categories of finishes: neutral (pasterboard + concrete), textured (brick + pavers) and natural (timber boarding) A neutral colour scheme was chosen as it projects a true image of the intended shadows and hence is the best finish to illustrate their symbolism to visitors. A polished finish to the concrete floor slab also helps transfer the light through the pavilion through its reflective properties
01
06 02 03
08
04
09
05
10
FLOOR AND FOUNDATION DETAIL
D03 11
07
CONSTRUCTION 01 190mm CORE-FILLED BLOCKWORK w. 10mm PLASTERBOARD 02 STRIP LIGHTING 03 INSULATED SLAB FLOORING 04 FOUNDATION 05 EARTH 06 STRUCTURAL GLASS 07 ALUMINUM FRAME 08 GRASS SURFACE 09 150mm SLAB ROOF 10 2700mm HEIGHT SUSPENDED CEILING w. 10mm PLASTERBOARD
ROOF AND LOOKOUT DETAIL
LIATED ROOF-DIM GROUND FLOOR DETAIL
20D 11
29+ 30 LIGHTING
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31 + 32 FILTRATION LINGUSITIC DEFINITIONS: The word Filtration is used to describe the process of passing through a filter. A filter can be described as a device or material for suppressing or minimizing waves or oscillations of certain frequencies (i.e. Light or Sound) or a transparent material such as coloured glass that absorbs light of certain wavelengths or colours selectively and is used for modifying light that passes through.
Sainte Marie de la Tourette, 2015, France. © Montse Zamorano
PHILOSOPHICAL DEFINITION: The term ‘filtration’ is used often used in a philosophical sense to reference the selective desires of yourself. Filtration in this sense can be used to describe the process of selecting and removing what we chose to see, hear and experience during our lives. The term ‘Filter Bubble’ is a phrase coined by internet activist Eli Pariser. In an age of ever increasing access to data and worldly field of view, many still choose to create biases and preferences to certain elements of life. For example, many people chose to source their news from a preferred media outlet, thereby missing out on learning about contrasting points of view. Therefore, this selective filtration of influences can dominate our perception of reality, as what doesn’t make it through our perspective filter is disregarded and ignored. Thus, surrounding oneself in a bubble of ones chosen preferences and biases, leaves us blind to those views and experiences we chose to ignore, and hence creates a Filter Bubble. “In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story.” - Walter Cronkite Sainte Marie de la Tourette, 2011, France. © Henry Plummer
References: Archdaily, Light Matters: Le Corbusier and the Trinity of Light. Availible at https://www.archdaily.com/597598/light-matters-le-corbusier-and-the-trinity-of-light [Accessed October 23, 2018] Naylor, William. Availible at https://www.thedatabank.com/whats-your-filter-philosophy/ [Accessed October 22, 2018]
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CASE STUDY: Light Matters: Whiteness in Nordic Countries French architect and artist Le Corbusier use of various uses of light filtration and light altering are displayed in some of his more religious and spiritual focused works. The symbolism of light as a divine and holy source is present in many religions, making the use of light in sacred architecture a core element. This has been shown in many sacred sites such as the glow of the Romanesque apse, the golden shimmer of Byzantine mosaics, and the luminous walls of Gothic stained glass. This precedent of light heavily influenced Le Corbusier through his exceptional sensitivity for the interaction of colours and light in his designs. This careful use of filtering external light sources can be seen through professor Hennery Plummer’s choice of three of Le Corbusier’s most sacred buildings. The first being the Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut at Ronchamp. Plummer argues the primary characteristic of the chapel’s design is based off the uninterrupted cycle of solar events. This is showcased through the stages of light entering the building periodically throughout the day. The morning sun illuminates the red painted alcove of the side chapel, the filter emphasizes the glow of the morning sun, a clear analogy to human birth. During the day the sun seeps through the many cracks and cavities between the walls and roof. This provides devotees with a visual illusion as the two faces appear to separate. The cycle finishes with a warm glow from an opening in the side chapel at sunset. The Monastery of Sainte Marie de la Tourette at Éveux-sur-l’Arbresle is another of Le Corbusier’s three sacred designs. Geometric formation is at the core of this design, with an abundance of corridors, each having an open side facing one of the four cardinal directions. This allows the devotees to encounter diverse light experiences. Plummer’s observations of the evolving window composition creates a flowing, music-like rhythm of light and shadow which promotes thought. The use of a crack to filter light appears again as it is used to project a powerful beam along the interior walls during sunset. The Church of Saint Pierre at Firminy is the third of Le Corbusier’s sacred designs. Like the Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, there are periodic light changes throughout the day. The sunlight is filtered through an eastern window. This initially creates tiny particle-like dots on the floor which evolve into waves of light which adapt with an angle of the sun, and are projected over the three walls facing the alter. At midday the waves of light disappear and light from two angled tubes in the roof project defined beams of light downwards. During sunset a golden light is projected onto the altar wall, this is paired with intense warm sunlight on the interior wall while a filtered cool blue light falls softly through the stellar windows. It is through these three sacred designs that we see his use of a cosmic influenced light cycle by using creative light filters that generate truly remarkable patterns.
Church of Saint-Pierre, 2011, France. © Henry Plummer
Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp, 2015, France. © Paul Kozlowski
BRAEDEN TOWNSEND || REP2-18 | STRUCTURES OF LIGHT | SURVIVE THE DARK II