Aspects of Lighting

The following is a paper I wrote for my methods, material, and technology class about the various aspects of lighting. Enjoy!  

Lighting forms our days and yet we can take it for granted. We need light to thrive and to work. Without it, whether it is natural or artificial, we accomplish only a limited amount of tasks. It can be observed and analyzed in many instances: by climate, in a place, with nature, time, and task. All of these help us to gain a further understanding of what lighting truly means. Not only to us as individuals but in society as well.

 As touched upon in Light Revealing Experience, we know things as they are introduced to us in our own society. We cannot understand accurately, for instance, the lighting of another climate or culture until we see it and experience it for ourselves. There are physiological and temperate reactions to light in different climates. As an example, the Gatewood building has an interesting light situation. On the third floor the glazing continues the height of the wall, which is gorgeous outside looking in. It has a beacon or soft glow, drawing you into the building. However, in the summer the sun shines so brightly into the space that the windows have to be covered. This makes you reflect on why the windows are actually there in the first place if only to be covered in the end. It goes back to the designer’s intent. The architect must have been so keen on the outside concept that he/she did not want to think about changing the functionality of the inside.

The lighting involved within the interior has to be considered along with the natural light from outside. This electric light has been connected to increased cancer rates as seen in Influence of Architectural Lighting on Health. The study was observing night-shift nurses that had been under electric and solar lighting for an extended period of time. This type of lighting, a task light you could call it (especially in this scenario), was the only light available to them. This cannot be helped in our day and time. With the technology we have we can work harder and longer, even through the night if necessary, using these task lights. It is unfortunate that these lights that give us more time seem to pose a health risk that could potentially slow us down in the long run.  

Time in our culture is an extremely important concept. This is how we plan and go about each and every day. With the passing of time light changes as well. Colors of the light can go from blue, morning light to warm, golden in the evening. It can mean the change or continuation of the seasons as Light Revealing Experience suggests with the Gamble House door. The point to recognize with time is that it continuously moves. Our bodies are in tune to this changing and moving when we allow ourselves to be a part of it. At some points during the year, especially in the recent past, I would be working in the studio all day and all night, sometimes not even leaving for food but having it delivered. From the information I have read over the past few days, this does not seem to be healthy for my body. We as a functioning human beings need to experience the change and continuation of time. We should not be cooped up inside looking out at nature happening. We should be taking part in it.

Connecting nature with the inside has been a concept tried and tried in design. Light Revealing Experience refers to Frank Lloyd Wright, how he was a huge believer in architecture thriving alongside with nature. In fact, most of his structures incorporated nature somehow into the design. I think that by involving nature in the interior, even through abstract means, people have a sense of belonging, a feeling of familiarity. Everyone has had experience with nature in some way shape or form. The sun, rain, wind, etc, evoke a common, natural place that has to be real.

All around the world light is seen in different forms and variations. Light Revealing Architecture gives a wonderful example of how a winter day in Boston differs from one in Seattle. Light reflected snow brings a cheery, bright atmosphere to the day whereas Seattle’s light could be hazier and have less brilliance. In class we spoke about how place as well as climate can affect glazing. In this situation, with the difference in the vibrancy of light, that must be considered in the process of designing. You cannot possibly design one building to be placed in both of these regions. That simply put, would not work. The size and location of the glazing is extremely imperative to the design.

All in all, each aspect of light touched upon coincides with one another. Somehow or another they all need to be considered and included within the design process. Light affects everything we do daily and as such, we should think about it more readily; especially in design further down the road.