The shadow of Light
light and shadow light box
research
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domino sugar factory
04 my museum
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02
01 thesis introduction
light and shadow museum
the rooms
museum spaces
detail
conclusion
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12
museum map
10
09
08 design
07
06 concept
LIGHT & SHADOW is more than black and white
Light and shadow are inevitable in nature and they have impact on architecture in many ways. They influenced the architecture interior to exterior from floor plan to building proportion and orientation. They are also tectonic elements that architects and photographers love to work on. They also represent contrast and conflict, solid and void, positive and negative.
Louis Kahn said “The sun never knew how great it was until it hit the side of a building.”
When light gives object a shadow; the shadow brings it a form. The form changed respond to the light; shadows overlay and become SHADES.
Metaphysical Moments by Rupert Vandervell
Profile by Kumi Yamashita
The overlay of shades form a gradation of darkness
light, shadow and shades
Shade is shadow but more than shadow of darkness. Shades exist when shadows overlapped, however, shades can also be the shadow of light
“We find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates.” -In Praise of Shadows
When sun shines directly into the courtyard, roofs and plants cast shadow on opened corridors. The light continues to shine through the shoji door and goes into the room. The progress contains
hierarchies of exposure, hence various quality of light and shadow created a poetic form of language in the interior. Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, the author of In Praise of Shadow mentioned Japanese loves to apply gold leaf on interior furniture and decoration. Its purpose is not to stand out the master’s wealthy but reflecting the light from shoji door to form a faint light in interior. The faint light in shade is the beauty that the Japanese admired in a room.
light, shadow, motion and narrative
point to South
point to North
Light and shadow are not only appear as static form. They can be used to represent the motion of time and movement.
Sundial is an instrument showing the time by the shadow of a pointer cast by the sun on to a plate marked with the hours of the day in the past as ancient clock.
Sun path
Shadow casts on the plate marked with numbers to tell time.
Shadows follow the sun path and move through time.
Finnish sculptor, Pia Männikkö, worked on a series of installation about human movement. The installation analysed a series of movement in few seconds by cutting it into pieces and printed out every different pose on transparent plastic. It showed the sequence of the body movement and the overlay of shadows highlighted the static part of the body during the action. On the other hand, it also set out a time frame and timeline for the motion. The timeline brought narrative to the installation. When layers stand together, they form the sequence of an action, and the action contains narrative. Those moving train in below image created a scenario of waiting train in platform. The scenario or narrative connected and interacted with audience.
Déjà Vu by Pia Männikkö
New York City by James Maher
light, shadow and texture
Narrative in light and shadow is not only limited in motion. A picture taken in a Japanese room looking at the shoji door exposed the narrative in static. Objects from different positions all projected on one face. Each object’s shadow becomes a layer to enrich the overall projection.
Light does not contain texture, but shadow can devoted the texture of object’s surface under the light. It can also carry colour, pattern (form) and reflection. Shadow still appeared when light goes through a transparent object. However shadow would behave differently depends on material’s characteristics and its transparent level.
Objects sequences (far to close): Light source (sun), tree, bamboo curtain, shoji door
Shoji door with wash paper
tree from courtyard
bamboo curtain as courtyard partition
Total internal reflection of light may occur when a ray (line of light) is traveling inside a glass block. In a simple way, light is trapped in the light block hence the shadow contains more than one reflections.
Ray entered with an angle multi reflections in shadow
Shoji Shadow by mrhayata
shadows on the object shows the material surface texture
glass block
LIGHT BOX RESEARCH EXPERIMENT let the light shine and let the shade grow
The layer series show all 15 layers in the box and the treatments that applied on every layer. The model contains different materials including leaves, tracing papers, maya paper, glossy paper and cottons.
light, shadow and precedents in photography
What to find in light and shadow black and white photographs?
Contrast and focus Strong contrast in photographs creates sharp edges to stand out the focal point and lead audience straight to the things that the photographer wants to show. Blurry contrast is refining the atmosphere of the space and more focusing on the overall image. The photographer wants the audience to observe and pay attention on details in the photo instead of direct them to a specific spot.
Material and texture
The architecture of light by Serge Najjar
Fade to Black by Rupert Vandervell
Black and white photographs use shadow, shades and reflections to define material and texture. The darker of shadow and shades disclose the rough texture of material surface. The lighten shades may be shown on reflecting, smooth surface or even transparent material.
Hierarchy of shades Light and dark shown the depth of the image, the gradation of darkness expose the object distance from light. They also form the solid and void area in photo, labeling transparent and solid objects. The layer of shades enriches the spatial quality in space. ‘Ideal’ fish and chip shop by Edwin Smith
Fragile by Rupert Vandervell
light, shadow and precedents in architecture
Normal window opening
Habitat 15 by Predock Frane Architects skylight opening
Oculus of the Pantheon
focus lighting
opening with shades limited sunlight and solar gain
Case Study House 22 roof light opening with angle maximise roof light
opening with shades create an expression of light
Church of Light by Tadao Ando opening with filtered lighting exhibition lighting
opening with vertical louvres limited angles of sunlight
Kimbell Art Museum by Louis Kahn
Church of Light by Tadao Ando
opening with filtered lighting exhibition lighting
opening with screen facade shadow with patterns
Tanatorio Municipal by Salas Architecture + Design
3x10 House by DD Concept
Menil Collection by Renzo Piano
A collection of window openings applied on architecture. Each method obtained different forms of light, illuminate levels and quality of light to sharpen the interior spatial quality. Light and shadow can be working as an intangible decoration and designed to be shown in specific time and forms to delivery the architect’s thought.
light, shadow and precedents (lighting technology)
Lowline is a purposing underground park that located in the former trolley terminal by the end of Williamsburg Bridge in Manhattan. The idea is to provide a public space with green and to resolve the issue of the not pedestrian friendly on ground since heavy trafďŹ c. It is designed as a green park to plant edible plants and space for leisure purpose.
Lowline is promoting itself as a green park that relocated to underground, hence the natural veriďŹ cation and lighting have large impacts in design to redeďŹ ne what an underground park should be. Lowline designed its own natural lighting system to collect natural lighting from above ground level and transfer to lower ground lighting through special designed tubes.
2 ways to collect sunlight
Sunlight collecting process
1. Direct sunlight to the concentrators
1. Collect sunlight above ground.
2. Collectors placed on the surrounded buildings rooftop to capture sunlight and reect it to the concentrators.
2. Gather the underground.
sunlight
and
deliver
to
3. Sunlight would be directed to storage 4. Sunlight would follow the light tubes and diverse to the desire underground lightings. 5. The aluminium panel moved to adjust the suitable lighting for the plants depends on their required illumination.
concentrators
Sunlight collectors
One meter diameter parabolas condense the light into a super-intense beam thirty times the brightness of the sun.
Adjustable aluminium panel
The storage of light
Light tubes
They are proposing solar storage that store extra sunlight to light up the park after dark. And the stored sunlight will be deliver through the lighting tubes.
Precision lenses and mirrors in tubes send sunlight to a central distribution point. The tubes help protect the mirrors from dust but this light is essentially traveling through empty space.
A B C
A grid rack is installed on the beams and columns to support the lighting system and the hanging of the aluminium panels. The aluminium rope is used to hang and keep the panel in position.
A. Grid rack B. Aluminium rope C. Aluminium panel
LIGHT
SHADOW
Hand drawing of Domino Sugar Factory. Media: Pencil, Fine liners
MUSEUM The hand drawing of Domino Sugar Factory shows the entire sugar factory before partly demolished. The building by the left is the original sugar factory that built in 1856. It survived from sugar dust explosions, repair and expansions to follow the original design. The building on the right was part of the expansion that built in 1900s, however, it was demolished in 2014, since it is no longer exists, I draw the building more dramatic and blurry to make a contrast to my building. I outlined the factory with a thicker ďŹ ne liner and a thinner one to draw out the texture and patterns. With pencil slightly sketching on top to enrich the expression.
DOMINO SUGAR FACTORY Site Analysis
Williamsburg is an area that claimed to be an artistic and low income neighbourhood. It contained a rich layers of history and diversities. It was an agricultural area in 16’s century and turned into industrial district since 18’s century. The area is still consider as low to middle class neighbourhood since the rezoning progress is slow and behind other boroughs in Brooklyn. The area has developed its own character including local hipster culture, the indie music and local art. Its value is affected by the diversities of communities, such as Hispanics, Jews and Africa American etc.
New York
Brooklyn
North Brooklyn/ Williamsburg
SITE MAP
Domino’s Sugar Factory, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
SITE LOCATION
My site is the former Domino Sugar ReďŹ nery which located in 314 Kent Avenue, Williamsburg, north Brooklyn. The factory was erected in 1856 and ran until 2004. The redevelopment project was started in 2014, part of the factory was demolished but the main building. It is considered as one of main redevelopment projects to repositioning Williamsburg. The site will be developed into ofďŹ ces, condo, affordable housing and public area. The site is sitting on next to the waterfront in the industrial area and Williamsburg Bridge in south.
BUILDING HISTORY
1856
2004
2014
2015
2020
1856: The factory was founded by William Frederick Havemeyerin 1856. In 1883, the factory produced 3 million pounds of sugar a day, 98% of America’s refined sugar until late 1950’s. 2004: After World War II, reaserchs claimed that refined sugar may not be as healthy as other sugar products. The sugar industry was slowly declined. The factory later closed down in 2004. 2014: The redevelopment proposal started officially. The demolished began, the oldest part of the factory was saved to renovate into condo. 2015: Current condition during site visit. The renovation of the factory is in progress. Part of the dmolished area turned into North Brooklyn farm as temporary use. 2020: The future look in the proposal. The site is a model of the modern Williamsburg will be.
WILLIAMSBURG NEIGHBOURHOOD AND TYPOLOGIES The neighbourhood building has a similar typology, which are planned on grid. And the size of openings are corresponding to the building function.
Residential
Residential
Factory regenerated Hotel 1901
Abandoned Factory 1849 (former Pfizer Factory)
Domino Sugar Refinery (remained) 1856
Domino Sugar Refinery (demolished)
The fall of the
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industrial city
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Williamsburg DURING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, WILLIAMSBURG ATTRACTED MANY WEALTHY INDUSTRIALISTS IN 1850’S. WORLD CLASS AND TOP OF THE UNITED STATES FACTORIES WERE BUILT IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. THE DE-INDUSTRIALIZATION BEGAN IN 1980, FACTORIES CONSECUTIVELY SHUT DOWN, DEMOLISHED OR RENOVATED. IT ALSO STATED THE BEGINNING OF GENTRIFICATION IN WILLIAMSBURG. IT PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO MOVE IN. ABANDONED FACTORIES WERE EITHER DEMOLISHED TO REBUILD AS RESIDENTIAL, OR RENOVATED INTO FACTORY LOFTS AND LUXURY APARTMENTS.
6 7
8 9
10 11
1
1
TEXTILE FACTORY, REGENERATED TO HOTEL
2
2
3
WHOLESALE GROCERY TRADING WAREHOUSE, RENOVATED TO LUXURY APARTMENT
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5
STEEL FACTORY, RENOVATED TO LOFT
6
7
SODA FACTORY, REGENERATED TO CONDO
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9
11
BEER BREWING COMPANY, REBUILD TO COMPLEX APARTMENT
LOCAL BEER BREWERY, LAND REDEVELOPMENT. 2025 LEAVE NEIGHBOURHOOD
SOAP FACTORY, RENOVATED TO APARTMENT
SHOES POLISH BUILDING, REGENERATED TO LUXURY CONDO
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FACTORY, RENOVATED TO CONDO
10 COLOUR
PRINTING FACTORY, RENOVATED TO APARTMENT
PASTA FACTORY, RENOVATED TO ARTIST LOFT
HENCE MY PROPOSAL IS TO PRESERVE THE BUILDING OF DOMINO SUGAR FACTORY AND ITS FACTORY CHARACTERISTICS AS AN PRECIOUS LANDMARK IN WILLIAMSBURG. INSTEAD OF PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL, PUBLIC SPACE SUCH AS MUSEUM IS MORE WELCOME FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT AND UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THE FACTORY AND ITS HISTORY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD.
“In many plants (electrical) the power required for light production area, warehouses, offices, reduced significantly by installing skylight. Plants (electrical) power that are presently using skylights for building illumination have reported that electrical lighting is required only 20% of the time during daylight hours. ” -Handbook of Sugar Refinery
EXTERNAL SUNLIGHT ANALYSIS SPRING
4 pm. 3 pm.
2 pm.
AUTUMN 1 pm. 6 am,
7 am.
8 am.
9 am.
10 am.
11 am.
12 pm.
4 pm. 3 pm.
2 pm.
SUMMER
1 pm. 6 am,
7 am.
8 am.
9 am.
10 am.
11 am.
12 pm.
4 pm.
WINTER 3 pm.
2 pm.
1 pm. 6 am,
7 am.
8 am.
9 am.
10 am.
11 am.
12 pm. 4 pm. 3 pm.
2 pm.
1 pm. 6 am,
7 am.
8 am.
9 am.
10 am.
11 am.
12 pm.
INTERNAL DAYLIGHT ANALYSIS
Ground Floor
+2.0m
10th Floor
+44.6m
5th Floor
+28m
5th Floor
+28m
Hour >10 9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1 <1
DAYLIGHT ACCESS ON DIFFERENT LEVELS
DAYLIGHT ACCESS ON MID-LEVEL IN EVERY HOUR
INTERNAL DAYLIGHT ASSESSMENT SPRING
6 am, 6°
7 am, 16°
8 am, 28°
9 am, 38°
10 am, 48°
11 am, 55°
SUMMER
5 am, 6°
6 am, 16°
7 am, 28°
8 am, 38°
9 am, 48°
10 am, 55°
11 am, 68°
AUTUMN
7 am, 10°
8 am, 20°
9 am, 30°
10 am, 38°
11 am, 42°
WINTER
8 am, 6°
9 am, 16°
10 am, 22°
11 am, 26°
SPRING
3 pm, 38°
4 pm, 26°
5 pm, 16°
6 pm, 6°
2 pm, 55°
3 pm, 48°
4 pm, 38°
5 pm, 26°
6 pm, 15°
2 pm, 35°
3 pm, 25°
4 pm, 15°
5 pm, 5°
3 pm, 15°
4 pm, 6°
SUMMER
AUTUMN
WINTER
7 pm, 5°
CONCEPT DESIGN
A study of light and shadow through spaces that creates emotions
CHARCOAL DRAWING Internal corridor spaces showing the a dark corridor with lighting penetrating through door opening of rooms.
UPWARD JOURNEY Journey of Emotions
Entrance Corridor - Linear Side Strip Lighting
Self Reï¬&#x201A;ection Room - Top Single Point Lighting
Molasses Room
Corridor - Linear Top Strip Lighting
White Room
Corridor - Gradient Strip Lighting
Dark Room - Spillage of Light at Bottom of Rooms
Temptation Room
Existing Chimney For City View
Manhattan View
STUDY SKETCH
MODEL PHOTO
UPWARD JOURNEY Journey of Emotions
FOCUS A 5 level tall rectangular space with one small rectangle ceiling opening for lighting. The room express the loneliness of the Building since it abandoned in 2004.
FROM WHERE? TO WHERE?
SELF REFLECTION A Sense of Emptiness
SHADOW OF LIGHT Journey of Lights Through Existing Openings
MOLASSES
Recreating the sugar making process through glass boxes of molasses
DARKNESS
Spillage of light at base forms directional paths
DARK ROOM Collection of individual spaces in a dark room. The way ďŹ nding is through the strips of light that leaked through the spaces from the bottom of the room.
GRADIENT OF LIGHT Progression of light through the connection of spaces. From light graduating to darkness , it forms an element of surprise at the end of the space.
GRADIENT LIGHT
Lighting openings gradually becomes narrow, a sense of element of surprises at the entry of space.
EXHIBITION JOURNEY Journey of History
TANK ROOM
Remembrance of the sugar making process
TANKS
Industrial experience
Re-using Existing sugar tanks for memorial experience
Single source of light
BUILDING MATERIALS Spaces/Rooms
Entrance Corridor
Self Reflection Room:
Ramp:
Molasses Room:
- Textured concrete wall panels
- Dark Concrete floor and wall for light absorption
- Re-use of existing brick wall
- Molasses liquid contained in glass box
White Room: - Rough white blocks wall. White polish concrete flooring
Dark Room: - Dark wall in general space with dark ceiling
Temptation Room:
Tank Room:
- Perforated wall in front of windows for lighting shadows and reflections
- Existing Steel work
BUILDING FLOOR PLAN Plan of upward & Downward Journey
Level
00
Level
01
Cafe
Self Reflection/ Emptiness
Entrance
Restaurant
Self Reflection Room
Loading Area Storage Exhibition Area Entrance
White/ Pure
Level
02
Auditorium
Exhibition
Molasses
Workshops
White
White Room
Void
Shop/ Cafe
White Room Mezzanine
OfďŹ ce
Auditorium
Technical Rooms
Workshops
Molasses Room
Level
03
Level Memory/ Existing Tank Room
04 Memory/ Existing Tank Room
Darkness
Event Hall Tank Room Void
Dark Rooms Dark Rooms
Level
05 Existing Tank Room
Dark room/ Darkness
External Garden
Tank Room Tank Room Void
Workshop
Workshop
Dark Rooms
External Garden
Level
06
Level
07
Views to Manhattan through Chimney
Mezzanine
Workshop
Tempta
Level
08 Exhibition Area
ation
Temptation
Viewing platform Mezzanine Exhibition Room Temptation Room Temptation Room
Solar Collector
Level
09 Level
10 Exhibition Area
Puzzle
Plan
Puzzle Room Void
JOURNEY EXPERIENCE OF EMOTIONS
Williamsburg Exhibition Area Roof Level- Solar Collector
SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE Hierarchy of Spaces
SEQUENCE OF SPACES
Linear Lighting
Top Direct Lighting
Molasses Room
Dark Room
Gradient Lighting
Top Linear Lighting
Preservation of Existing External Facade: - The 1880s sugar factory external facade were made from tradition brick laying method with framed punched window - The envelope remains as the memory of the industrial period of New York. - All ďŹ&#x201A;oor level are retained for less disruption to the overall building structure.
East Elevation
South Elevation
West Elevation
North Elevation
Journey of Spaces: - The upward journey of the museum triggers the human emotions through light and shadow that the spaces creates. - The downward journey of the museum gives an insight of the sugar factoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history.
Sectional Cut
Journey of Spaces: - Preservation of external facade together with emotions spaces creates the journey that interact with the history of the sugar factory. -The light and shadow from the existing factory creates the journey of emotions and a museum of light and shadow.
Portion of roof level has been demolished for sun collector
TYPICAL DETAIL
Molasses Connections Laminated Glazing
Spider Connection Molasses Liquid Laminated Glazing box
Laminated Glazing box
Universal I Beam
Steel Bracket for Column Connection
Existing Concrete Column
Glass Bridge
Welded Steel I Beam Frame Glass Balustrade
TYPICAL DETAIL
Metal Walkway Connection
Galvanized Steel Balustrade
Galvanized Steel Grating Decking
Steel Space Frame to Support Walkway Over existing Beam
Existing Tank, Transformed into Exhibition Spaces Metal Walkway
Existing Steel Beam
SOLAR COLLECTION Fibre Tubes Lighting System
- The factory has divided into 2 sections of the building. Sun collectors are installed in each part of the roof to collection solar lighting for the building. - There are 2 main sources of lighting in the building which are the daylight from window openings and the solar collector at roof level. - The solar collector, collects the lighting and store in a centralised storage which located in the building. The storage will then distribute the required lightings into each required rooms.
The solar ďŹ bre tubes enters the tank room through the single source at the top of the tank to give lighting for the space
Solar Collector
Solar Transfer Fibre Tubes
The was similarly used in the Lowline development
The carries light into each required room from the solar storage.