Fig:2.34 Classification of Russell's theory on human reaction to the environment

The selected buildings,

1. Chapel of Notre Dame de Haut Ronchamp by Le Corbusier, 2. Kimbell Art Museum by Louis I. Kahn 3. Church of the Light by Tadao Ando 4. Loyola Chapel by Laurie Baker in Trivandrum

The projects that have been widely published in recognition for the achieved quality of natural light that can be appreciated with respect to the design of a space. The emphasis of this study is to explore the different effects of the interplay of natural light and darkness have created the way these have been achieved. To understand and analyze the effect of natural light in relation to the overall perception of a space, it is important that there is an underlying criterion that takes into consideration all the different parameters that have a major bearing on the design of the built environment. The analysis of these buildings cannot be done in isolation by differentiating the lighting design from the overall design of a space.

The underlying criteria should be one that takes into account the principles of visual perception that help in the analysis of the achieved effect of natural light in relation to the overall design of a space. The visual nature of the analysis will require images from different projects that can serve as useful source of data and will provide greater information in a more concise format.

Michel (1996) lays down the criteria for the analysis of architectural space as related to its overall lighting. The criterion analyzes the design of a space with respect to the effect of light rather than the light itself. This has been done with an underlying emphasis on the way a space is perceived by the human vision. The method of analysis is based on the principles of visual perception that closely relates to the emotional response, which is a determining factor in the overall perception of a space in terms of the revealing character and ambiance. The focus is not in generating mathematical values of luminance but in understanding the aspects of natural light that help in the humanization of architecture.

This approach is based on the use of a space taking into consideration the movement pattern as it relates to the observed effects of light along a circulation path. It varies from the conventional methods of analysis based on a stationary position of the observer which is not the way a space is perceived in reality. The criterion is based on the concept of spatial envelope as a convenient tool

Orchestration of darkness and light in architecture.