LUMINOUS GALAXY LIGHT PAVILION
Chenxin Cao(a1728232) | Rep II. 19 | Structures of Light
PART I Place
01 Site description Page 1-3 02 Site analysis Page 4-6 03 Light study 1: Luminosity Page 7-8
PART II Idea PART III Form
01 Form exploration Page 15 02 3D views Page 16 03 Plan & Section & Elevation Page 17-19 04 Spatial quality Page 20 05 Light study 3: Opacity Page 21-22
table of contents
01 Seek Light Metaphor Page 9 02 Explorations of 3 Ideas Experiential views Page 10-12 03 Light study 2: Reflection Page 13-14
PART IV Material 01 02 03 04 05
Aerial and ground views Page 23-24 Light & texture (Internal views) Page 25-26 Visual experience Page 27 Construction detailing Page 28 Light study 4: Filtration Page 29-30
Site description
aerial view 1
aerial view 2 ground view 1
ground view 2 Page / 1
The Maths Lawns located in the University of Adelaide, and there are two grand lawns encircled by three main buildings. The ancient Barr Smith Library is directly facing to the site, and both sides are modern teaching buildings which showing case a glass architecture feature. The site provides an outdoor public rest area for university students and staffs; people can chat, discuss their studying and have lunch here. The site can also be used to hold activities. The University of Adelaide library in the 1890s, and is named after the donator Robert Barr Smith in 1899. The Braggs are father and son team won the prestigious Nobel Prize in Physics in 1915. They credited with founding a new branch of the scientific method in X-ray crystallography. The contribution of Braggs has far-reaching influence until now.
Molecular Life Sciences
views of ambient light
The Braggs
views of human usage Engineering and Maths. Sciences Ingkarni Wardli
views of site facility
SANTOS Building
site plan
Barr Smith Library Page / 2
night-time
sunny day
cloudy day Page / 3
Site analysis
Shading
Summer 3PM
Summer 12 NOON
Summer 9AM
Winter 3PM
Winter 12 NOON
Winter 9AM Page / 4
South Elevation Scale 1:1000
South Elevation Scale 1:1000
North Elevation Scale 1:1000
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Site Modelling
movement & measurements
38 m
6.05 m
10 m 60 m
12.5 m
18 m
61 m
The human can enter the Maths Lawns from different directions, and five main roads are surrounding this site. Also, they can straight across the lawn. For the core architecture -Barr Smith library has unique imposing front portico which designed by University architect Walter H Bagot and the construction is a perfect fit the golden ratio.
scale study
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Fluid Luminosity
The Architectural Lighting of Zaha Hadid
Linguistic definitions
Copy: Light closes the gap between architecture and our perception. We sense forms and materials with our eyes not directly but through the reflected light. Zaha Hadid's use of light might appear graphical at first sight with her light lines. Luminous lines—either as luminaires or windows—characterize her early work, whereas luminous fields and a play of brilliance emerged later.Zaha Hadid's projects are remarkable not only for her innovative way of handling tangible materials but also for her imagination regarding the medium of light. Her advances in using light to render her architecture have often been neglected—even though they became an essential element in revealing and interpreting her architecture. Page / 7
Philosophical meanings
Copy: Hadid developed a characteristic feeling of unison between fluid forms, daylight, and lighting at the Italian Museum. Linear louvers follow the conceptual grid and filter the sunlight—ensuring a soft light for the structural curves. Electrical lighting is concealed wherever possible. The black stairways create an intense contrast with their white luminous underside. Diffuse light flows through the building and builds a calm counterpoint to the dynamic lines and the black and white material contrast. Rhomboid panels— reminding us once again of the patterns at the Phaeno Science Centre—gradually transform from transparent glass to fiberconcrete panels.The interior presents another advancement of fluid luminosity. In contrast to the grand halls at the Heydar Aliyev Center and Guangzhou Opera House, where the illumination was discretely integrated into the ceiling or looked liked a starry sky, the Nanjing Centre shows an almost offensively luminous surface.
Meaning in architecture through a case study Copy: The Nordpark Railway Station (Innsbruck, 2007) initiated a new period of light and fluidity in Hadid's oeuvre. Here, light is not absorbed by concrete but is instead reflected by glass. Inspired by local glacial moraines and ice formations, Hadid has significantly increased the reflectance of her surfaces for stunning mirror images. Therefore the structure does not stand isolated in the landscape but has features of the local landscape embedded in it. While moving toward and around the station, complex mirror images stimulate the viewer's perception. Illuminated at night, the station radiates an energetic glow. Years later, the glossy surfaces at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery (London, 2013) are reminiscent of the floating ice structure in Innsbruck. While Hadid generally applied her virtuous flowing forms mainly to the exterior of buildings, the interior of the MAXXI, the Museum of XXI Century Arts (Rome, 2009) surpassed the spatial energy of its facade She developed a characteristic feeling of unison between fluid forms, daylight, and lighting at the Italian Museum. Linear louvers follow the conceptual grid and filter the sunlight—ensuring a soft light for the structural curves. Electrical lighting is concealed wherever possible. The black stairways create an intense contrast with their white luminous underside. Diffuse light flows through the building and builds a calm counterpoint to the dynamic lines and the black and white material contrast. After a period of raw, cool, concrete buildings, Hadid turns for the first time to a warm, golden and glossy atmosphere with the Guangzhou Opera House (China, 2010). The design of the auditorium is driven by fluidity and seamlessness. Thousands of light pixels in the ceiling remind the audience of a dream-like starry sky. Light patterns on the cascaded balconies evoke the impression of reflections in waterfalls. These waves stand in a clear contrast to the crystalline exterior with the triangularfacade pattern. Striving for homogeneity at the Heydar Aliyev Centre (Baku, 2012) led to a softer graduation of light and shadow. During the day, the volume reflects the light and the overall shadow pattern of the sun dominates, with no sub-textures interfering in the smooth surfaces. The flat glass facades mirror the surrounding environment. At night, the interior light flows onto the exterior surfaces and exterior floodlights enhance the building geometry. Consequently, the fluid lines in the auditorium reveal soft brightness graduations as well.
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Seek Light Metaphor
Metaphor From the seek light, think of the solar, trees and galaxy. All-natural light and heat on the earth have come from the solar. Without solar, anything on the earth will put themselves in the darkness. Also, for natural, light is significant. Most botany has to do with the capacity; they need the light of the solar energy turns into chemical energy. Without light, threes will die. We can see the brilliant stars in the clear night sky; countless stars are shining in the universe. There is only one solar in the solar system, but there is countless solar in the Milky Way. The galaxy is made up of countless stars. They are shining. I prefer to pitch on the roundness shape and lines circle to the centre, looks like the shape of the growth ring.
solar Page / 9
growth ring
galaxy
Explorations of 3 Ideas SUNRAY Designing from the shape of diffused light and looks like a maze, and then grow up to the irregularity solar. The human can walk in this area.
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Explorations of 3 Ideas STACK TIMBER Without natural light, trees will die. Designing from the dead trees, they have all been cat down and made into the timber. They were overlapped and cramped, and the light can penetrate the gap.
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Explorations of 3 Ideas LUMINOUS GALAXY Consist of many dark spots, like the galaxy, is made up of countless stars. Form the shape of the galaxy, and the light pavilion likes to sparkle.
Entrance Page / 12
Light study 2:
Reflection
Philosophical meanings Copy: Even as modernism promoted the transparency of glass architecture, many within the movement were conscious of the monotony of large glass facades, with even Mies van der Rohe using elements such as his trademark mullions to break up his facades. But in the years since, countless uniform structural glazing skyscrapers have emerged and bored urban citizens. In response to this, unconventional reinterpretations of facades have gained interest. Accompanied by the belief that light and brilliance could help in creating iconic architecture and a better human world, glass and metal have been innovatively transformed to create crystalline images. As a result, the locus of meaning in architecture has shifted from the internal space-form towards the external surface.Celebrating the expressive materiality of transparency and reflective imagery for entire building skins emerged during the early 20th century, when Paul Scheerbart and Bruno Taut envisioned a new glass culture made of “colored glass” “sparkling in the sun,” “crystalline shapes of white glass” which make the “jewel-like architecture shimmer.”
Linguistic definitions
Copy: The intriguing imagery of brilliant reflections on transparent glass facades is fortunately not limited to those outside the building; it also offers interesting views for those inside. However, for closed exhibition or concert halls, the concept of veiling an entire building with brilliant reflective effects has been adapted with other shimmering panels.
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Meaning in architecture through a case study
Copy: The American architect Frank Gehry transferred this aesthetic of brilliance from glass to metal with the titanium cladding of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in 1997. While the connotations range from a ship for the larger form to fish scales regarding the reflective panels, the building as a whole has turned into an urban jewel that kicked off numerous urban redevelopments with its iconic signature. Many an aspiring metropolis assumes that the structural form is the key successful factor in “Bilbao effect.â€? However, with the sparkling light qualities of the titanium sheets and its changing appearance, Frank Gehry has not only brought a dynamic composition of forms to Bilbao but reinforced his design with a distinctive, dynamic image which varies with every cloud and sunbeam. Future Systems stylishly covered the Selfridges Birmingham department store, opened in 2003, with a dense mesh of 16,000 anodized aluminium discs. The store was able to avoid attaching any logos to the building due to the fact that the building itself was turned into a sign. Its sensuality immediately spurred the marketing world to utilize the sensational setting for advertisements. The glistening net creates a fascinating feeling for scale: Small discs generate a haptic, human feeling while the overall form offers hardly any clues about the building's number of stories or size. The diffuse reflections of the façade cladding leads to an abstract transformed image, which is primarily determined by the brightness and colour of the sky and neglects any clear mirror effects of the neighborhood. Page / 14
Form exploration
LUMINOUS GALAXY Design Conpect The final design decided to the luminous galaxy, the Maths Lawns located in the university. The design concept and metaphor is that the universe is vast; the galaxy is board, just like the knowledge can not be calculated. Every student in the university like one of the stars, they have their value; they have shining points. Similarity, they are exploring knowledge. Page / 15
3D views Page / 16
Plan & Section & Elevation
Plan (movement outside) Scale 1:1000
Entrance
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Plan & Section & Elevation
West West Section Section Scale 1:100 Scale 1:200
North Section Scale 1:200 Page / 18
Plan & Section & Elevation
East Elevation Scale 1:200
West Elevation Scale 1:200 Page / 19
North Elevation Scale 1:200
South Elevation Scale 1:200
Spatial quality
Exploded composition
Aluminium Pipe Dome
concrete wall
Entrance Entrance
Aluminium Structure Curtain Wall
seminar room small library
accessible toilet Reinforced Concrete Wall (basement) male toilet
Exploded Structure
female toilet
storage space Lift
presentation space reception area Page / 20
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Light study 3: Opacity Linguistic definitions Copy: The Scandinavian countries have developed great buildings that resonate with both the scarce light in winter and the long summer days. Henry Plummer, Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has very carefully studied the various daylight phenomena in the Nordic countries, with extensive photo journeys and brilliant writing that combines an analytical perspective with a poetic touch. His view of daylight looks beyond the practical advantages of using reflective white spaces to facilitate bright rooms; the passionate photographer is much more interested in the light effects that play with the local beauty of nature and touch the human soul. The extreme changes in weather and daylight have led to unique light situations in Scandinavia, where architects have played with white surfaces to counterbalance the long and dark winter days. The low position of the sun in northern regions creates long shadows and therefore daylight enters the buildings more from the side than from above. In contrast, summer evenings emanate a diffuse light. In his book “Nordic light: Modern Scandinavian Architecture,” Henry Plummer points out that although Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland are dissimilar in topography and vegetation, they share the same subdued light.
Philosophical meanings
Copy: Whiteness is a central aspect of how Nordic architects responded to their local environment, as Plummer reveals in his studies from the 15th century up to contemporary buildings like Steven Holl's Herning Museum of Contemporary Art. Without doubt, white surfaces offer a high reflectance in order to maximize interior brightness for dark winter periods, but for Plummer the affection for whiteness is also linked to the beauty of snow-covered landscape. Early examples of white architecture could already be found in medieval churches, and this design approach still influences modern sacred buildings like the Church by Regnbuen Arkitekter. For example, the sophisticated daylight concept arrives from three directions, as Plummer explains: “Low from the north to emphasize a black steel crucifix; more broadly from the south as a glancing wash; and as a shower directly behind the altar, guided down through a sluice of wall.” Further on, the nave walls are animated by an irregular texture of white brickwork. In a similar way, the Church by Utzon plays with white, as the architect elucidated to Plummer: “Light is the most important feature of the church. I provided white walls and white ceilings so that daylight, which is limited in Denmark for much of the year, is fully used and produces an intensity of light always greater than that outside.”
Meaning in architecture through a case study
Copy: The concept of white diffusion, using white-painted plaster, white-enamelled steel and white linoleum, was introduced by Alvar Aalto for the Paimio Sanatorium in the 1930s, and achieved a peak at the Nordyjllands Art Museum in 1972, according to Plummer. Shades of white cover the walls, floors and ceilings as well as the expressive daylight scoop. However, the power of pure white volumes is not the only characteristic of the Nordic built environment. The pulse of nature with vibrating patterns of light or the transiency of dramatic light and shadow belong to the distinctive Nordic light approach as well.Religious buildings especially reveal a wide variety of time-concepts. The concepts range from material textures to specific glass features and built volumes that change the image during the course of the day and season. Some churches call for attention with characteristic light patterns during the whole morning liturgy, some welcome the sunlight at the end of the service at noon whereas others imply only subdued light to enhance contemplation. An outstanding example of a dramatic light and shadow sequence occurs at the Pirkkala Church by Simo Paavilainen. The altar appears as a canvas for the richly contrasting sunlight projections, where glass acts as a lens and as mirror.
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ground view facing Barr Smith Library
Aerial and ground views
ariel view facing Frome Rd
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Light & texture (Internal views)
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Visual experience 8
Material Analysis
7 6
5
9
Aluminium Pipe Dome
1
Entrance
2 3
4
Underground movement
Aluminium Structure Curtain Wall GLASS
Reinforced Concrete Wall (basement)
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Construction detailing
aluminium pipe dome render
aluminium pop rivets (non ferrous)
stainless steel bolts
dome skin glass panel
stainless screw through to plywood of castoer ring rivet
aluminium rib
silicone caulking
aluminium rib on inside
Aluminium is one of the most popular material because it is lightweight, robust and excellent corrosion resistance and durable. Also, it is ductility, malleable and conductive.
over dome skin & under finishing strip
construction detail scale 1:50
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Light study 4: Filtration
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Linguistic definitions Copy: Studying Le Corbusier's sacred buildings for more than four decades has led to a deep fascination for Henry Plummer regarding the transformative power of light: “Instead of serving as a tool of religious persuasion, as it generally has in the past, light has become a quiet force to visually resist and elude, erode and outshine, the Church´s mandate. Light eats away and weakens institutional discipline, while exerting its own dazzling powers to draw attention out to the sky and its commonplace marvels – in effect using light to consecrate the natural universe”.
Philosophical meanings
Copy: The light orchestration at La Tourette is more complex and widely dispersed in comparison to Ronchamp, remarks Plummer. The Monastery of Sainte Marie de la Tourette at Éveux-sur-l’Arbresle (1953-60), with its rectilinear geometry, embodies a clear counterpoint to the poetic forms of Ronchamp and Firminy. Due to the fact that all corridors have an open side facing one of the four cardinal directions, the believers encounter diverse light experiences. Additionally, the corridors are distinguished with different window arrangements. The irregular rhythm of light and shadow appears like a musical composition, notes Plummer when he observes the corridor to the atrium: “Unlike the repetitive rhythms of windows and columns in traditional churches, these fluent rhythms are aperiodic, based upon intervals of light and transparency that gradually compress and expand in waves. The lovingly cadenced beats have the intonation and flow of music – not orchestral music, but chant-like sounds, whose tones help to draw people further into a contemplative state.”
Meaning in architecture through a case study
Copy: For his three sacred buildings, Le Corbusier has played masterfully with orientation, openings and textures to create kinetic architecture with daylight. His pilgrimage chapel at Ronchamp, the monastery of Sainte Marie de La Tourette, and the parish church of Saint-Pierre in Firminy reveal distinctive and individual approaches that each render contemplative spaces with light. In his book “Cosmos of Light: The Sacred Architecture of Le Corbusier,” Henry Plummer, Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has analysed these projects with outstanding photographs taken over 40 years and brilliant writing. Light has been linked with divinity and holiness in many different religions. In Christianity the Bible speaks of God who “is light” or Christ as “the light of the world”. Even if the divine light and visible light are not the same, visible light appears as the most similar to the heavenly and thereby links both spheres. Each epoch has formed a new language of light: The glow of the Romanesque apse, the golden shimmer of Byzantine mosaics or the luminous walls of Gothic stained glass. As an artist as well as an architect, Le Corbusier expressed an exceptional sensitivity for the interaction of colours and light in his sacred buildings. His position as an outspoken agnostic seems very ambivalent in combination with his desire to open the soul to poetic realms.
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Chenxin Cao(a1728232) | Rep II. 19 | Structures of Light