Last week's lecture was about daylight in architecture and its effect in creating buildings.
DAYLIGHT as a natural phenomenon is constantly changing and it is something that an architect cannot control. Then a question comes to our mind:HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO WORK WITH SUCH A CAPRICIOUS FACTOR?
But most importantly what's its use in architecture? Well it helps by illuminating the interior of buildings and perceive textures forms and architectural spaces.
There are three main categories that help us explain the effect of light that we talked about at our last lecture.
1)THE BRIGHT OPEN HALL which you understand that it defines an open hall consisting of just a roof supported by columns (to protect from the burn of the sun)
A very interesting way of achieving this idea is the house of PHILIP JOHNSON in Connecticut.
Just by watching pictures of the house i really was captivated by the beauty and simplicity used in building only the floor -to ceiling and with walls made out of glass.
Something that got my attention was how us people mistake a good light by just thinking that it means more light.But it isn't like this--we need to know that quality is over quantity.
Another example in this category was the CONCERT HALL in Gothernburg.
2)THE ROOM WITH A SKYLIGHT which is very self explanatory--a room closed at all sides and opened at the top.If we compare this with the first one we can definitely tell the difference where the first it offered us various light effect in different parts while the latter offers us equal light to all parts of the room.
I learned that the best example of this kind of light is the famous PANTHEON in Rome. It's said that by first entering the rotunda you are immediately away of the light coming from above you,from the top where the oculus the light comes down and fall down in one direction producing real shadows.
Even though there have been attempts to imitate it it hasn't been quite achieved because the quality of light isn't the same (COPENHAGEN CATHEDRAL)
3)THE ROOM WITH THE LIGHT ENTERING FROM THE SIDES
It's very interesting to know that dutch people have adapted this method from way longer than you thing that's why the old houses in Holland are called the old DUTCH houses.(tall and narrow)The light it would come from the front window that consisted of the two lower ones with shutters only and upper part fixed with panes.
Still to this day there are problems that the modern architect face with the daylight effect in their works.
SO WHAT'S THE ANSWER TO THIS?
I think that the best solution to this is light that light that comes from different sources that fall in the same direction is the best way for us to see the other elements of architecture such as form texture etc/This way light gives the right character to the room.
There is a saying form LE CORBUSIER that i couldn't agree more with when he says:"ARCHITECTURE IS THE LEARNED ,CORRECT AND MAGNIFICENT PLAY OF THE FORMS UNDER THE DAYLIGHT.
In conclusion we understand that daylight is an important asset to architecture and helps us experience it in a whole different way.
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