ARCHITECTURE
あ きら
M E TA P H O R LIGHT
AKIRA AKIRA AKIRA
R E P R E S E N TAT I O N YUMENG ZHAO
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEVELOPMENT` 1 | PLACE
1
2 | IDEA
11
3 | FORM
21
4 | MATERIAL
31
LIGHT STUDY 1. LUMINOSITY
9
2. REFLECTION
19
3. OPACITY
29
4. FILTRATION
39
1.1. PLACE PLACE
MATHS. BUILDING
01
BARR SMITH LIBRARY
MATHS LAWN AREA
INKARNI WARLDI
SITE PLAN 1:1000 ELEVATIONS 1:500 02
PLACE | SITE
AERIAL VIEW II
AERIAL VIEW I
03
GROUND VIEW I
GROUND VIEW II
04
PLACE | SITE ANALYSIS
ACCESS & MOVEMENT SHADES & SHADOWS
SUMMER 9AM 05
SUMMER 12PM
SUMMER 3PM
SITE ANALYSIS: +CIRCULATION: Shown on site map. The Maths Lawn connects major science and engineering buildings with the Barr Smith Library, providing access from outside of campus through to the Hub Central. +LIGHT AND SHADOWS: As shown below. The lawn area is well lit during the day. The shadows cast by the buildings shade the walkways in the afternoon. Offers great lighting opportunity. The surrounding buildings, especially ‘Inkarni Warldi’ and ‘Braggs’, are largely used throughout the day. They feature large glass facades reflecting and re-directing light.
WINTER 9AM
WINTER 12PM
WINTER 3PM 06
PLACE | SITE ANALYSIS
PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY During the day, the lawn gets enough exposure under the sun; Unaffected by the shadows cast by surrounding buildings. At night, the buildings are well-lit, as well as the lawn; Glass and light achieve great transparent modern atmosphere.
07
SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONTEXT • Club meeting area; • Connects surrounding buildings that accomodates large faculties (Science and Engineering); • Occasional activity area; • Outdoor study area; • Filming & photography.
08
LIGHT STUDY 1
LUMINOSITY
Luminosity, also known as luminance, refers to the quality or condition to reflect or radiating light, or the subject that does so. Different from illumination, ‘the process to brighten’, luminosity focuses on the object’s relationship with the light, however it is achieved.
‘The architecture is in service of light, rather than the other way around.’ - James Carpenter.
Throughout ages the human cultures across the globe shared a mutual passion towards light, and the pursuit and manipulation of it. It is often used in religious contexts as the metaphor of truth, wisdom, knowledge or blessing given by God or any significant figure of worship.1 The illumination symbolises a sense of purity and hope especially in a completely dark environment. In this case, light acts as a medium and agency that connects the physical presence with a spiritual experience, creating the mysterious or holy atmosphere. There is also a difference in perception of natural light and artificial illumination, where sunlight or moonlight are perceived as the pure connection with nature and heavenly existence, therefore are almost always sought after in the architectural and cultural design. Another layer of the meaning of ‘luminosity’ is that light is worshiped not only for its illuminating ability but also for the penetration, which enables a sense of communication in both physical and metaphorical ways. When light, especially that of the sun or the moon, shines through the window, it resembles the mutual contact between heaven and earth, the committing and receiving.2 The strategic use of daylight plays a significant role in luminosity of architecture. In his column ‘Light Matters’, Thomas Schielke interviews Henry Plummer on the perception of daylight in architecture projects. Plummer argues that while artificial lighting does have its important influence in a built project, natural light is an ‘inexhaustible source of miracles’ that is inherent to the architecture, for ‘every built form is a form of light’. 1
09
2
Bible tools, 2011. Bille & Sorensen, 2007: 264-269.
Plummer suggests that daylight illuminates the building while offering an emotional depth, which can be played to provide different moods, thus adding a metaphysical spirit to the physical forms. He points out that this is especially typical in Nordic architecture, where the use of massive white walls to reflect natural light to illuminate the indoor area is a common age-long practice. This assures the interior brightness while bearing a metaphor of the snow-covered landscape, as well as
shifting the focus from the outside to the inside. Danish churches from medieval times to contemporary Bagsvaerd Church by Jorn Utzon, and Dybkaer Church by Regnbuen Arkitekter employ this technique to achieve a pure atmosphere.
Since light, especially natural light, has an important symbol in religious practice, the use of white material to accentuate it is key in setting the mood and spirituality of many Nordic churches. To represent the concepts of time, the material texture, glass features and built forms are chosen with care to show the change of time and season. An outstanding example is the Pirkkala Church by Kapy and Simo Paavilainen, playing with dramatic light patterns and shadows to emphasise a certain time of the religious session and presenting the altar with sunlight projections mirrored by surrounding glass elements. Light also presents mood in terms of ‘harshness’ and ‘softness’, which is conveyed through its directness and forms of the projecting canvas that is the built forms. Alvar Aalto introduced the concept of ‘white diffusion’ to Paimio Santatorium and Nordijlland Art Museum to use completely white material of various textures to express the pulse of nature through the ‘vibrant patterns of light or the transiency of light and shadows’. Meanwhile, Aarno Ruusuvuori made use of side windows and repetitive shapes to avoid the direct harshness of the penetrating sunlight that distracts the audience from the liturgical centre. With the indirect lighting, he presents the abstract presense of light with the metaphoric interpretation of creating a sense of infinite eternity in the religious architecture.
In these ways luminosity defines the aura and personality an architectural work has to offer. As Peter Davey remarked,
‘Without light, form and space have little meaning to most of us.’ 10
IDEA | PRECEDENT
CHICHU ART MUSEUM | TADAO ANDO
2. 2. IDEA IDEA
The use of rectilinear geometry and sharp concrete panels create defined edges, which cast crisp shadows.
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The milky white marbles, raw white concrete and coarse pebble paving work together to allow the sunlight to jump in between the surfaces, highlighting the passageway to the main galleries even more. The whiteness of the architecture is exaggerated by the reflections, contrasting with the green landscape with the clean-cut edge.
FORMAL
In Tadao Ando’s Chichu Art Museum, the body of the building is buried underground with courtyards and pathways exposed to the sky, defined by soaring walls cut into the landscape, highlighted under the sun. The galleries use a skylight that draws in soft natural lighting that matches the theme of the Expressionist paintings.
The dark passageway has one wall sliced open to the courtyard, allowing a ray of sunlight to illuminate the space. This brings attention to the rawness of the concrete, and creates depth and calm atmosphere in the art museum.
SPATIAL
The open couryard is not only an open space with landscape; Ando uses ramp, irregular geometry and simple grass and exposed concrete to create the minimalist idea of integrating with nature. Sunlight, with the change of shadows, accentuates the simplicity while bringing out the greenness of the landscape.
With water, opening, circular shape and landscape, Ando again brings the structure and nature together using the simplicity of design and manipulation of natural lighting. Here the still water reflects the sunlight coming through the opening, illuminating the interior itself. The symmetrical shape and the reflection of the structure, together with grass and reflection of blue sky in the water, achieve a sense of tranquility. Therefore the softness of nature is conveyed with artistic atmosphere, which suits the merit of Monet exhibition.
12
IDEA | CONCEPT 1
FOLDED GEOMETRY:
AN EXPERIENCE THROUGH LIGHT AND SHADOWS
AERIAL VIEW
GROUND VIEW
FORM GENERATION: Using light as a metaphor for ‘insight’, the design idea is to create a ‘folded’ structure that leads to the centre, as in the journey of thought process. The central area is the most emphasised part, thus the deepest in the underground pavilion; it is also highlighted by a ray of sunlight that penetrates through the skylight. By creating hierarchy of levels and interacting with the ground space, light comes from outside while the interior remain relatively dark and quiet. This suggests that thinking alone and communication work together to provoke insight.
EAST ELEVATION 1:200 13
(2)
LEGEND
1 7
9
8
3 6 5 4
SECTION 1:200
1. RECEPTION AREA 2. STORAGE (underground) 3. SEMINAR ROOM 1 4. SEMINAR ROOM 2 5. DISABILITY TOILET 6. MALE & FEMALE TOILETS 7. LIBRARY 8. GROUND-LEVEL READING AREA 9. PRESENTATION/EXHIBITION SPACE
PLAN 1:200 14
IDEA | CONCEPT 1
SEMINAR ROOM: SLOPED WITH SKYLIGHT
CENTRAL PRESENTATION/ EXHIBITION SPACE LIBRARY + READING AREA: SEMI-UNDERGROUND 15
CONCEPT 2 | IDEA
REFLECTION REFLECTED REFLECTION || REFLECTED
AERIAL VIEW
FORM GENERATION With the same metaphor, this design places the focus on the centre part as well, while using the folding symmetrical geometry to create depth. The idea is to use structural form and reflective surfaces to direct light and image. Therefore, tilted walls, shallow pools of water and mirrors, including two-way mirrors, are to be largely employed in the construction. Light as ‘insight’, would be gained through self-reflection and sensory experience.
GROUND VIEW 16
IDEA | CONCEPT 2
11 10 5 9
LEGEND 1. RECEPTION AREA 2. STORAGE 3. SEMINAR ROOM 1 4. SEMINAR ROOM 2 5. DISABILITY TOILET 6. MALE & FEMALE TOILETS 7. ELEVATOR 8. PRESENTATION/EXHIBITION SPACE 9. LIBRARY 10. READING AREA 11. SITTING AREA
4
8 7 6
3 2 1
PLAN 1:200
9
EAST ELEVATION 1:200
17
8
4
SECTION 1:200
REFLECTION | REFLECTED REFLECTION | REFLECTED
CENTRAL SPACE WATER, SHADOW & MIRROR EXHIBITION & PRESENTATION
ENTRANCE - RESTING SPACE WATER + MIRROR + VEGETATION
LIBRARY - READING - RESTING 18
LIGHT STUDY 2
REFLECTION Reflection indicates the act of reflecting, including mirroring, which is showing back the image, as well as casting back light and heat radiations. Given its definition in the physical context, the word is often used in a metaphoric way to describe the thinking process of reviewing.
In organisms ‘reflection’ describes the adaption to environmental influences, thus symbolises the ‘correspondence of mental images with the material world’. In philosophical context, reflection means going back over different representations to reach an overall comprehension. Together with comparison and abstraction, reflection is an essential part of concept generations. (Andy Blunden, 1997.)
Hegel argues that the first step of reflection is the recognition of the existing conditions and the difference between each identities. This leads to further consideration of the circumstances, which is done through reviewing the given conditions repetitively.
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Another important philosophical aspect of ‘reflection’ is ‘self-reflection’, the capacity and willingness to explore one’s nature, purpose and essence. Often related to ‘awareness’ and ‘consciousness’, self-reflection is practiced through art and literature throughout the human history, discussing the purpose of humankind’s existence and how our behaviours reflect, or act in response to, our internal values.
Reflection plays an important role in modern architecture, where glass and steel are largely used on facades. It can either integrate the building with the environment, or make it stand out, depending on the chosen materials and how they are applied to the form of the architecture. For example, the Iceland Pavilion at Expo 2000 presented water facades with thin films of flowing water, exaggerating the rippling texture and the reflection of clouds with sunlight, making a statement towards nature-friendliness and their national identity. Meanwhile, the Mirror Tower proposed by LAN Architecture combined the two possibilities by assembling the facades with over 30,000 identical facets. The facets are carefully oriented according to the site conditions, reflecting sunlight in response to seasonal and daily changes as well as the monumental landmarks in the city. However, by playing around with the light reflection and penetration, the building also becomes a ‘phantom’ under certain angles of perception and lighting, smoothly blending in with the context.
Sensory experience can vary significantly depending on the level of brilliance and the spatial forms of the reflective elements. One of the most successful example is the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao by Frank Gehry, where abstract curves of shimmering titanium sheets wrap around the exhibition halls, and the experiential abstraction is emphasised with the semi-reflective cladding. The turning and twisting dynamic of the structural form is highlighted with the extreme contrast of light and shadows.. The geometry and reflection work together to achieve the result of ‘American optimism’ and dynamic motion. While reflective surfaces can accentuate movement and dynamics, the use of reflection is also able to achieve tranquility. The National Grand Theatre of China by Paul Andreu is a giant ellipsoid emerging from the centre of a lake, covered by titanium panels and two large curved glass coverings. In addition to the geometrical elegance, the still moat surrounding the building and the silver-blue facade glisten and glow under the sun, giving a peaceful aura. The placement of the titanium panels make sure in the day the whole building sits in the reflected glow, while at night the internal lights and movements can be observed from afar. This shift between reflection and illumination promised a modest grandness and a quiet dynamic of motion.
The reflection of light is a key effect brought by the form and material of architecture. It also determines the mood and atmosphere the project tries to convey. It can compensate for the uniform style by reinforcing and magnifying the distortion of reflected images, as with the case of Herzog & de Meuron’s Elbphilharmonie; or exaggerate the personality of the design concept. Therefore, when choosing construction materials, it is also worth considering the reflective outcomes and its contribution to finalising the overall desired image of the design project. Archdaily: Veiled in Brilliance: How Reflective Facades Have Changed Modern Architecture; Mirror Tower/LAN Architecture; National Grand Theater of China/Paul Andreu; When Droplets Create Space: A Look at Liquie Architecture.
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FORM | PLAN
A 2 1
4
B
B
3
5
3
A
A
6 7
PLAN 1:200
8
B1 B
31
GROUND FLOOR B
3. FORM
9
A
A
3
LEGEND B
1. RECEPTION 2. READING/RELAXING SPACE 3. LIFT 4. SMALL LIBRARY 5. SEMINAR ROOM I 6. MALE TOILET 7. UNISEX DISABLED TOILET 8. FEMALE TOILET 9. SEMINAR ROOM II 10. PRESENTATION/EXHIBITION SPACE (WITH SKYLIGHT) 11. STORAGE ROOM
A 10
11 B2
B 32
FORM | SECTION + ELEVATION
LIGHT AS INSIGHT. Insight is gained after unwrapping complex thoughts, reached after a long winding journey, lit after darkness. Walking down the narrow, dark corridors, one enters the seminar rooms facing the light source from the central void, which could be reached by the glass elevator connecting each level. It is the brightest space of all, being the place to present and communicate the ideas and creativity. The library and reading space come second, semi-underground, could be accessed directly from ground floor through a reception space. They enjoy the natural sunlight, as well as a view of the Barr Smith Library.
SOUTH ELEVATION 1:200
SECTION A 1:200 33
-2500 -4000
-8000
SECTION B 1:200 34
FORM | EXTERIOR
ACCESS: GROUND ENTRY + LIFT
GROUND VIEW I
MOVEMENT: FROM RECEPTION TO OUTSIDE
35
AERIAL VIEW I
AERIAL VIEW II
GROUND VIEW II
36
FORM | INTERIOR
CENTRAL PRESENTATION HALL
CORRIDOR 37
SEMINAR ROOM 1
‘This crumpled mass called material casts a shadow, and the shadow belongs to Light.’ -Louis Khan
38
LIGHT STUDY 3
OPACITY Opacity refers to the quality of lacking transparency or translucency, or broadly means the capacity to obstruct radiant energy transmission. This leads to the metaphorical meaning of mental dullness or an obscurity of sense.
Opacity is often connected to transparency, as they stand at two opposite end of the spectrum. They indicate the level of clarity and obscurity in analysis and explanation. For example, the ‘transparency of thought’ is commonly found among scientific processes, as the they obtain an almost uniform standard for errors, corrections, additions and deepening. However, in philosophical reasoning and the linguistic arrangement, such directness rarely exist. The idioms and quotations expressing certain idea are usually considered opaque, or abstract. And philosophy, on the contrary to scientific observation-and-analysis, has the quality that is unique to personal experiences and difficult to be accepted as a general rule. Yet still opacity exists, as the human idea does not rely solely on rational reasoning. The state of abstraction offers a platform for more individual interpretations, and conveys emotions and ideas in a non black-and-white way.
29
Opacity can be interpreted as an architectural expression in the aspect of the building’s solidity. One practice of this is the use of water to define space, as the opaque water wall merge the interior area with the outside space. It is called ‘liquid architecture’, where droplets create space that integrates with the background. One typical strategy is to make use of the dramatic vertical flow of droplets, emphasised with light and the pitch dark background. Isamo Noguchi’s design at the Osaka World Expo created a space almost purely of water, with the glistening droplets falling out of the darkness. The area is thus left semi-defined; the translucency abstracted the recognition of space. Such attempt was also made by Olafur Eliasson at the Centre for Light Art in Unna, Germany, using two parallel water curtains to frame a narrow corridor in pure darkness. The water drops falling from five metres above are lit with cold temperature lighting, providing illumination and harsh sound experience, while presenting the see-through frozen definition of space. By blurring the solid outlines, the space is enlarged and merged into the black backgrounds, highlighting the lines formed by the drops and water and the sensory experience. Taking the water curtain as an inspiration, further explorations of creating space with light and water is developed with the use of computer-monitored technologies. The Rain Room at the Barbican Centre, London stands out in this field. The bright spotlight at the end of the room guides the viewer through the ‘rain’, its glare filtered by the droplets that poured down in the whole room. The interactive control of movements and presence enabled the viewer’s movement without getting wet. The lit droplets form straight lines that dimly light up the room, contrasting from the glaring end and the dark background.
Another attempt is using mist and water facades to blur the entrance of the building, creating a sense of mystery. The Iceland Pavilion at Expo 2000 and Digital Water Pavilion at Spain Expo 2008 both utilised this technique; the former used the ripples of the falling water to reflect the clouds and sky, blending in with the natural environment, while the latter used digitally controlled liquidate walls that open at the approach of viewers to promote playful interactivity. The liquidity thus softens the harshness of solid presence of the building. Meanwhile, Diller Scorfidio + Renfro’s ‘Blur Building’ at Swiss Expo 2002 sprays fine mists from its 35,000 nozzles to create a gigantic ‘cloud’ that veiled the facade of the building. This play of light and water invite the visitors’ own perspective of the building and surrounding views, creating diffused light, fine droplets and rainbow effects with the shift of natural light and movement. And the mysterious interior of these projects provoked the visitors’ interest in experiencing the building on their own.
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4. MATERIAL
MATERIAL | STRUCTURE
31
FINAL MODEL 1:200
EXPLODED STRUCTURE: GROUND FLOOR 1:200 32
MATERIAL | STRUCTURE
EXTERNAL WALL
EXPLODED STRUCTURE 1:200 33
INTERNAL WALL
CIRCULATION
34
MATERIAL | INTERIOR
ELEVATOR: GLASS, MIRROR, CONCRETE
RECEPTION: GLASS, TIMBER, CONCRETE, MARBLE
35
SEMINAR ROOMS: TIMBER FLOORING + WINDOW FRAME, MARBLE CLADDING
EXHIBITION HALL: CONCRETE, MARBLE
36
MATERIAL | CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION The core of this design lies onto the hierarchy of descending levels and the central void they surround. It aims at creating a quiet and calm spatial experience with the simple, smooth textures that allow light to delineate each space. The ramp on level -1 serves as corridor and disabled access connecting seminar rooms, toilets and library, linking the raising levels of each room.
RAMP SECTION DETAIL 1:5
37
The void is enclosed with skylight for both weather proof and light filtration.
SKYLIGHT DETAIL 1:5
MATERIAL | SELECTION
GLASS PANELS ON GROUND-LEVEL WALL
MAIN MATERIAL: PRECAST CONCRETE PANELS -FAST ASSEMBLY ON CAMPUS -SHAPE POSSIBILITIES -LOAD-BEARING QUALITY -(FOAM INSULATION) SOUND-PROOF
DARK GREEN MARBLE: ON RECEPTION HANDRAIL -CONTRAST -REFLECTION
WHITE MARBLE: SEMINAR ROOM WALL + EXHIBITION CENTRE FLOORING -CONTRAST -REFLECTION
DARK TIMBER: ON SEMINAR ROOM WINDOW FRAME + FLOORING
38
LIGHT STUDY 4
FILTRATION Filtration, by definition means the action or the process of filtering a substance, usually in a mechanical, chemical or biological context. The process separates the solids from fluids with the addition of a medium allowing only the fluids to pass. As human thoughts are often compared to fluids, filtration could be perceived as a metaphor for ‘thoughts filtering’. This process, when used in its original scientific or practical contexts, results in concentration and purification. Therefore, under the philosophical metaphor, filtration can be interpreted as an almost meditative act to bring one’s thoughts to a united, organised state. Light is another common metaphor for thoughts. Although it is neither liquid nor gas, light could be manipulated through different use of filters to achieve an atmosphere desired by various philosophical practices, especially meditation and praying. When applied to light, filtration softens the harshness of direct lighting, filling in the space with even, calming colours. The brightness, harshness and colours are all determined by the filter itself, passing through which light is brought to a centre focus, either highlighting the main idea or accentuating the spatial experience. This process symbolises the filtration and concentration of mind, through which one calms down and sees through their true self or goal. 39
The philosophy of this ideal is incorporated into many architectural works that celebrate the fluidity of mind with the use of filtered light. Eero Saarinen’s MIT Chapel is essentially a brick barrel-shaped building from outside, however, the creative inclusion of the moat, which reflects the light into the internal space. Light is then illuminating and filtered by the dynamic of undulated brick walls circling the central space. These elements put in efforts together to accentuate the undisturbed chapel space for quiet thinking and meditation. Aside from reinforcing the existing atmosphere, filtered light also softens the harsh discipline of certain institutional buildings. In Le Corbusier’s La Tourette, corridors are framed with different compositions of windows, which present a rhythm of light and shadow inside like an orchestration. Not only is the melody changed by the intervals from changing frame arrangements, but also the transparency of glass that result in a flow of ups and downs. The most brilliant usage of filtration in this project falls onto the west wall, where there is a crack on top to reveal a golden line of sunset’s glow that delineates the space. The colour, hue and area of the light changes as the movement of the sun. The soft, warm light becomes the natural focus of the dim room, leading towards the appreciation of natural forces. Again Tadao Ando’s Church of Light is brought into discussion, as the cross-shaped openings reduces the illumination of the light coming through, acting as a natural filter resulted from physical phenomenon, The light diffuses at the entry, its harshness stripped by the thickness of the cracks of the wall; therefore a soft, concentrated effect is achieved without the direct application of any sort of filtrating medium. The contrast between the naturally illuminated cross and dark interior, the softness of the focus put an emphasis on the tranquility of this sacred place, intensifying the believer’s experience of a religious practice of deity worshiping.
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SEEK LIGHT.