Light Revealing Experience Paper

Shirley Bircher

Light Revealing Experiences

Light has meaning.  It serves several purposes while also creating memorable, meaningful experiences.  Richard Kelly organized light into three main groups; focal glow, ambient luminescence, and play of brilliants.  All of these lights can be seen in the relationships that light carries on with place, nature, climate, time, and task.
            There are two aspects of place, which are the place itself and the change that happens in the place.  For instance, North Carolina has been my home for twenty two years and I know my state simply by the behaviors of the light and seasons.  Also, I know the United States by our design styles and techniques which deal strictly with our “place”.  It would not make sense for our country to design a building suitable for the culture and climate of Japan.  Similarly, Japan designs according to their culture where they may incorporate shadows, while the Dutch design for their culture by utilizing extra large windows.  ‘Place’ is also explained in relation to light via psychological purposes.  Genius Loci is defined as the spirit of a place, allowing certain design techniques to affect a person psychologically.  For example, the windows in my living room are longer than most, letting an exuberant amount of light in.  The curtains are beautiful and start almost at the ceiling and sweep the floor.  These curtains were designed for function, but also affect me psychologically causing me to feel calm and peaceful in the designated place.
           Light can also be used to remind us of nature.  You may walk into a building and sense that you are at the beach, or in a forest, all because the light was set up to create such a feeling.  Color of course is also incorporated to create these feelings.  When I used to go to a restaurant called “Cities” with my parents, the ceiling has play of brilliant lights that would make me feel as though I was in a city at night time with beautiful lights overhead, even though this was not at all the reality of the situation.  I did not enjoy the food, but the environment the designers created made the experience enjoyable.  Several times there is a connection between the inside and the outside of the building.  For example, the Falling Waters house we visited first year utilized structure, windows, and color that made one feel as if they were standing outside even when they were indoors.
           Light plays a major role in climate.  Typically, the point is to lighten cold climates and diffuse hot climates through light.  I remember lying in the hallway during the summer because through the double glass doors, a perfect ray of sunshine would enter and instantly put me in a relaxing mood.  Light provides thermal comfort, can create a greenhouse effect, and can generate shadows that psychologically give a sense of coolness.
           The controller of time is light.  Not only does it allow us to know the seasons, but one is completely aware of the natural conditions outside because of light.  The best architecture is said to be the kind that celebrates light at day and at night.  For example, our current project in studio has several windows that are celebratory of how the solar house will look at all times of the day.
           One of the most important parts of light to humans is task.  There must be a distributed level of light to get the task required completed.  In the Gatewood building we have large windows that allow us to see our work.  However, there are also blinds that can be closed when the sun is angled.  Even with these windows, we sometimes have to use desk lights in order to see our work and a comfortable level.