SEEK LIGHT
A journey towards growth
Shivalika Sanal | a1734626 | Representation II 2019 |Stage I
CONTENTS Site Photos Site Analysis Light Study I
1 3 9
Design Concepts Precedent Light Study II
11 13 15
Design Detail Design on site Light Study III
17
Material Study Interior Light Study IV
21
19
23
1
SITE PHOTOS
2
SITE ANALYSIS
USAGE PATTERN
3
The site is an extended area between the Barr Smith Library and Frome Road. It is located in the middle of the university and is hence used mainly by the students. Throughout the day, the area is occupied by students, staff and the public as well. The lawn area of the site has multiple access points, mainly for pedestrians. Although the area is flaked by the Barr Smith Library, Engineering buildings and Science buildings, the huge lawn in the center is used for cultural and social events like the union member free lunches or studey meetings at the benches by the lawn.
ACESS & MOVEMENT The site has very prominant access points. Most users approach from the surrounding buildings of the university, however the area near the library is the main pathway.
The pathway in front of the library is the most common access to get to the streets from inside the university. This is from where the public can access the lawns and university as well.
4
PLAN & ELEVATION 1. Barr Smith Library 2. Ingkarni Wardli, Engg & Math Science buildings 3. The Braggs & Molecular Life Science Building
2
3
5
1
SHADOW STUDY
Summer Day 9am - 3pm
9 am
12 noon
3 pm
Winter Day 9am - 3pm
6
AERIAL & GROUND VIEWS OF SITE
7
8
LINGUISTIC
LUMINOSITY
‘Luminosity’ gets its origin from the old French word ‘Lumineux’ or the Latin word ‘Luminosus’. It refers to the radiant bright shining light or that which is visible in darkness. Its adjective ‘Luminous’ means full of light. It is this radiance that allows us to see the world the way we do today. In astronomy, luminosity is the total amount of energy emitted by astronomical objects per unit time. This describes how bright the star is.
Nordpark Railway Station, 2007, Innsbruck / Austria
PHILOSOPHICAL
Guangzhou Opera House, Vitra Fire Station, 1993, Weil am Rhein / Germany
9
Dongdaemun Design Plaza, 2013, Seoul /S Korea.
2010, Guangzhou / China.
The word ‘Luminosity’ has connotations of enlightenment, learning & inspiration. Just as light is what makes vision possible, luminosity is considered to be the element that aids us in our search for knowledge, or the element that portrays our new knowledge. Similar to this philosophy is the reason behind a smart person being referred to as ‘bright’. The University of Adelaide’s campaign ; Seek Light, was also introduced to reinforce a similar philosophy. In Buddhism, luminosity is most often employed to describe the mind’s purity, that lacks defilements, such as afflictive emotions. According to Tantric interpretations, luminosity is portrayed as an experience of consciousness that naturally arises, once the subtle levels of consciousness dissolve ; such as at the moment of falling asleep or at the moment right before death.
ARCHITECTURAL Luminosity of light is one of the most important concepts that are taken into consideration in designing. Light plays a major role in designing & shaping the experience of a space. The presence & absence of light can make people experience different emotions. Just like this, a space that is lighted up well gives the idea of happiness & excitement while dark spaces give the idea of negativity & mystery. This explains the extensive use of glass & metal in modern day architecture as these materials bring out the best of light and it’s brilliance. Zaha Hadid used this technique to express light and luminosity in numerous works of hers. From her projects, the theories of fragmentation & fluifity are now well-known design techniques that enabled form-finding. Luminous lines, either as luminaires or windows, characterize her early work while luminouse fields & a play of brilliance emerged later. In order to interweave the surrounding andscape with her new structures, she analyzed then abstracted urban transport patterns & tranform them
Leeza SOHO, construction 2017, Beijing / China
into luminaire patterns. The windows & luminaires in the building’s surface share the same form, creating a holistic design approach & thus moving on from her earlier period of lines & sharp corners. In one of her buildings, the elevated concrete structure forms a large shaded area. With the view of daylight on one side, the design intensified the impression of a dark void. The interior of MAXXI, the museum of XXI century arts in Rome, developed a characteristic feeling of unison between fluid forms, daylight & lighting. Linear louvers filter the sunlight & ensure a soft light for the structural curves. Electrical lighting is concealed wherever possible & the black stairways create a contrast with the luminous underside. During the day, the volume reflects the light & overall shadow pattern dominates with no sub texturesinterfering with the smooth surfaces. All of these techniques however provide the same outcome ; the emphasis & contrast of form by manipulation of natural light through openings.
10
DESIGN CONCEPTS Initial concept - Seek light as a journey - in a tunnel form
11
Modified shape from pr
recedent glass tunnel
Modified size to show Seek light as growth
12
PRECEDENT
13
The design precedent is a simple glass tunnel at Frottmaning subway station in Munich, Germany. Unlike most tunnels that are curved or squared, this tunnel forms a pentagonal glass roof, allowing good amount of natural light in, along with the beautiful scenery of the city. Even though it is merely a pathway tunnel at a subway station, the experience of walking through was unique and satisfactory. The tunnel depict light as a journey and as we walk through and out the tunnel, we have grown in experience, thus depicting light as growth as well.
14
LINGUISTIC
REFLECTION
‘Reflection’ is defined as the image created by the returning or returned rays of light when it is not absorbed by the surface. Such a surface is called a reflective surface. In mathematical terms, reflections are points that replace other points on one side of the plane that is divided by a symmetrical line. Reflection is the consequence of, or arises from, something else. Perceivable light reflecting off a surface often results in a mirrored image.
SA Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia
15
Messe Basel - New Hall, 2013, Basel
Aluminium discs at Selfridges Birmingham, 2003
PHILOSOPHICAL
The Gherkin, 30 St Mary Axe, London, UK.
The word ‘Reflection’, in aspect of philosophy, is defined as an active process of adaptation and perception of all living creatures to the changes of the material world. It is a natural phenomenon and its manifest is the body’s regular response to internal and external stimuli. Reflection has become a notion of human thought to considerately reflect upon one’s self. Reflection also means to postulate the corelation of essence and being. For instance, our perception of some events are based on the idea of the event from the past that continue as a judgement in our minds. In other words reflection in philosophy is manifested through the adaptation and ability of solving problems based on the past developments.
ARCHITECTURAL Mies van der Rohe used elements which trademark millions to break up his facades even though modernism has introduced transperancy of glass architecture. Many within the movement were conscious of the monotony of large glass facades. Over a few years, countless similar structured skyscrapers emerged, glazing and lighting up the lives of the bored urban citizen. In response to this, unconventional reinterpretations of facades started gaining interest. In celebrating the excessive materiality of transperancy and reflective imagery for entire building skins emerged during the early 20th century. The American architect Frank Gehry transferred his aesthetics of brilliance from glass to metal with the titanium cladding of the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, in 1997. The building has turned into an urban jewel that kicked off unmerous urban redevelopments with its iconic signature. Many aspiriing metropolis assumes that the structural form is key factor in the ‘Bilbao effect’. However, with the sparkling light qualitis of the titanium sheets and its
Reflections on glass façade. Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
changin appearance, Frank Gehry has not only brought a dynamic compostion of forms to Bilbao, but reinforced his design with a distinctive, dynamic image which varies with early days of sunbeam. Gehry once reflected upen his early days of practicing architecture, he said “I grew up as a modernist, decoration is a sin, that is the mantra of modernism.” And he raised the question, “So if you cannot use decoration then how do you humanize a building; how do you humanize anything?” This was discussed for a while and he later answered this with materials, stating that materials can be expressive. At the Geggenheim, Frank Gehry uses the titanium skin to reflect light and illuminate the building while the spaces around it got illuminated with it too. This illumination is constantly changing due to the moving clouds or the position of the sun. Because of this, Gehry can humanize objects. Criticism of Gehry’s work often include complaints that his designs appear foregin, not belonging to the surrounding, like it landed from space centuries ago.
16
DESIGN DETAIL
17
18
LINGUISTIC
OPACITY
The term ‘Opacity’ is the quality of being opaque, i.e. it is the adjective of ‘Opaque’. Opaque is when you cannot see through a surface, it is called an opaque surface. When you can through partially, it is referred to as translucent. Opacity is the quality that makes it imprevious to the rays of light, the relative capacity of matter to obstruct the transmission of a radiant energy. It is the quality of being obscure.
Nordyjllands Art Museum, Aalborg, Denmark
19
Dybkær Church, Silkeborg, Denmark
Pirkkala Church, Tampere, Finland
PHILOSOPHICAL
Dybkær Church, Silkeborg, Denmark
In philosophy, opacity can be interpreted in many ways. When one says people are being opaque, he is refering to how the people are keeping their feelings and opinions suppressed within themselves or that they are hiding secrets. It also means that ‘opaque people’ are not easy to be perceived. On the other hand, ‘transparent people’ are likely easy to understand and are very open and friendly with eveyron around them. We as humans are capable of obscuring or revealing the ‘light of truth’ whenever we please. The word opacity is basically used in general for anything obscure, unclear or incomprehensible. Light is commonly considered as knowledge, purity, truth, etc. So, to block the light (opacity) can mean to have impure qualities.
ARCHITECTURAL Opacity is a view of daylight beyond practical advantages of using reflective white spaces to facilitate bright rooms. The scandinavian countries have developed great buildings that resonate with both the scarce light in winter and the long summer days. In winters, white surfaces are used to counterbalance the long and dark days. Low positions of the sun in the northern regions create long shadows and therefore daylight enters the buildings from the side than from above. In contrast, summer evenings emanate a diffused light while the white surfaces offer a high reflectance in order to maximize interior brightness. Henry Plummer, professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Chapaign, 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 views of daylight looks beyond the practical advantage of using reflective white spaces or surfaces to facilitate bright rooms ; the passionate photog
Hyvinkää Church, Hyvinkää, Finland
-rapher 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 may have led to unique light situations in Scandanavia, where architects have played with white surfaces to countrbalance the long and dark winter days as mentioned ealrier. 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. In such cases, the concept of white diffusion cover the walls, floors, ceilings as well as the expressive daylight scoop. However, the power of pure white is not the only characteristics or 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. An outstanding example for this is the Pirkkala Church by Kapy and Simo.
20
INTERIOR VIEWS & MATERIAL STUDY The section of glass flooring on the ground level acts as a glass roof for the underground level, allowing light to enter. The staircase on the sides leads to the ground floor, mezzanine underground and the underground level.
21
The walls on the ground level of the tunnel are mostly made of glass. The walls underground are decorated with variety of wallpapers to create a unique look, replicating the study area on Barr Smith Level 1 of the university.
22
LINGUISTIC
FILTRATION
‘Filtration’. literally or linguistically is the action of passing liquid or gras or any particle through filtration equipment (such as filter paper) in order to remove dirt or other sold particles present in them, Filtration of coffee or filtering during chemistry experiments are the most common examples. When light or sound undergoes filtration, it is passed through a filter medium that blocks or reduces particular sound or light frequencies.
Golden light on altar wall. Church of Saint-Pierre, Firminy, France
23
Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp, France, 1950
Church of Saint-Pierre, Firminy, France
Monastery of Sainte Marie de la Tourette, France
PHILOSOPHICAL
National Assembly Building, Dhaka, Bangladesh
The philosophical meaning og filtration can be defined as the process of categorizing things or people based on perception, not to be mistaken with discrimination or stereotypes. It is a process that categorizes any object by their qualities that are easily visible to the eye. The term ‘filtration’ applies, whether the filter is mechanical, biological or physical. Philosophically, light is purity and filtration is a process that purifies an object of its objectionable qualities, leaving only what is required. German philosopher Immanuel Kant associates the mind as filter stating that we must employ the mind to investigate, use the faculties of knowledge to determine the depth of knowledge. Therefore, everything we perceive by our mind (the filter) we must filter carefully to keep our minds pure.
ARCHITECTURAL The connection between light, divinity and holiness has been drawn by 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 like heaven and heavenly things. As an artist and architect, Le Corbusier expressed an exceptional sensitivity for the interaction of colors and light in his sacred buildings. Le Corbusier’s filtration of light is particularly evident in the Church of Saint-Pierre. Le Corbusier damously declared that “Architecture is the masterly, correct and magnificient play of volumes assembled in space.” While this statement is interpreted usually as an argument for the bright white surfaces of Le Corbusier’s heroic period in the 1920s and early 1930s, the idea reasonates in the Chapel at Ronchamp, the monastery of Sainte Marie de La Tourette, and the Parish church of Saint-Pierre in Firmini-Vert, primiarily because they are all so dark. This means that the shad
Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp, France
-ow is just as important as the light. The Chapel at Ronchamp, the monastery of Sainte Marie de La Tourette, and the Parish church of Saint-Pierre in Firmini-Vert, are all places of prayer and introspection, and not houses or schools, even though Le Corbusier was “an outspoken agnostic”.The important element to consider in Le Corbusier’s architecture is the relationship to the body. Le Corbusier’s architecture must be perceived in motion while Kahn’s architecture is more static in creation of centralized spaces. The cohreography of the route leading to the place in Kahn’s architecture also prove the same. While Corbusier is more about the directed path of the viewer, as this is what activates the relationship between light and architecture. Walking through the spaces and curves help us see the light changing as we move. This dynamic light is attributed to the filtration of light which transcends the static building volumes- a cosmic cycle that changes or overcast sky. His structural elements are used to create remakable light patterns.
24
Shivalika Sanal | a1734626 | Representation II 2019 |Stage I