Zairah A.

Garrido

2018-00942

BS Arch 4-1

Shadow play and Luminance bending: Light and Its Impact on Architecture

There is a word artists invented back in the 16th century that signifies the importance of light and how we
manipulate it to and for our vision: chiaroscuro. It is the use of great contrasts between light and dark in art, usually
large contrasts that affect the entire composition. It's also a term that artists and art historians use to explain how they
use light contrasts to model three-dimensional objects and figures. Chiaroscuro is a term used to describe similar
effects in film, as well as black-and-white and low-key photography. In a more poetic way of describing chiaroscuro,
it is a dance between brilliance and darkness; how light cannot exist without shadow and vice versa. It creates depth
and drama in our perception of the world we see. The seventeenth-century art critic Roger de Piles coined the term
clair-obscure in the midst of a renowned debate (Débat sur le coloris) on the relative merits of drawing and color in
painting (1673), which was a crucial contribution to the Débat. Since at least the late seventeenth century, the Italian
phrase has been used in English. Although the Expressionist and other modern groups make extensive use of the
effect, the term is less usually applied of art after the late nineteenth century. Lighting has long been an important part
of the design of architectural spaces because it can manipulate volumes, alter perceptions of space, and even dramatize
the shapes and textures of materials, significantly boosting their aesthetic qualities. Light, on the other hand, does not
just serve a decorative role. When it comes to the comfort – and even the health – of those who live in these areas, the
quality of luminosity makes all the difference.

Artificial light can generate a variety of distinct ambiences in the same place, making it a kind of "space
shaper" that adapts the environment to the needs of the customers. Warm lighting creates a nice and relaxing
environment, whereas cold light promotes mental and physical activity. As a result, the illumination needs for a living
room, for example, are clearly different from those required in an operating room. Dim lighting creates a pleasant
mood in rooms designed for this purpose, but if employed in working contexts, it can damage vision and cause health
concerns. The quality and illuminance are a vital factor to consider because it has a significant impact on the users'
living experience, just as important as the overall proportions, space distribution, and construction materials. Indeed,
it is even more significant, as it has a significant impact on our perception of all these elements, to the point where it
changes their appearance. Nearly everything humans encounter in life is influenced by lighting. It is particularly
essential in the field of architecture. There is no visual form without light. We would be developing a tactile
architecture rather than a form architecture if there was no light and we were all in the dark. A mood or ambiance is
also created by light. In some situations (such as a dark alley), too little light might make individuals feel uneasy or
terrified. People can feel invigorated and productive when they are exposed to bright lights. Their perceptions of
architecture are also influenced by lighting. This fact may have prompted Frank Lloyd Wright to declare, "More and
more, it seems to me, light is the beautifier of the building." Light allows individuals to emotionally connect with
buildings or environments. The appropriate lighting may create an unforgettable experience for guests.

In the TEDTalk by Rogier Van Der Heide, he talked about Richard Kelly and his three (3) theories on
architectural lighting. Richard Kelly was an American lighting designer in the twentieth century who is regarded as
one of the forefathers of architectural lighting design. Kelly, who came from a theatrical lighting background, brought
a scenographic viewpoint to architectural lighting. His concepts are self-evident to today's architects, but they were
innovative throughout his career, as he defied the engineering dominant ethos of early twentieth-century architecture.
Kelly recognized the power of light to alter space and produce a sense of visual awareness that might elicit a wide
spectrum of human emotions. Kelly established a modern architectural lighting vocabulary that addressed the material
palette of Modernism—glass, steel, and concrete—and the challenges these "modern" materials presented, most
notably with reflection, through collaborations with architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Louis Kahn, Philip
Johnson, and Eero Saarinen. Kelly's lighting design strategy was based on three main principles: spotlighting things,
washing surfaces, and generating sharp detail. To express these concepts, he used the terms "focal glow," "ambient
luminescence," and "play of brilliants." These three strategies were always present in his work; however, the
requirements of a particular project would necessitate one of them being more prominent than the others. He was also
an early proponent of daylighting, believing that natural light should be the dominant sort of light that defines a place,
with electric lighting serving as a backup. This layered approach to lighting resulted in indoor and external lighting
solutions that were both balanced. He proposed his three lighting design concepts in his college paper "Light as an
Integral Part of Architecture" (1952).

Focal Glow - "Focal glow is the follow spot on the modern stage. It is the pool of light at your favorite reading chair.
It is the shaft of sunshine that warms the end of the valley. It is candlelight on the face, and a flashlight on a stair...
Focal glow draws attention, pulls together diverse parts, sells merchandise, separates the important from the
unimportant, helps people see.”
Ambient luminescence - "Ambient luminescence is the uninterrupted light of a snowy morning in the open country.
It is fog light at sea in a small boat, it is twilight haze on a wide river where shore and water and sky are
indistinguishable. It is in any art gallery with strip-lighted walls, translucent ceiling, and white floor. (...) Ambient
light produces shadowless illumination. It minimizes form and bulk.”

Play of brilliants - "Play of brilliants is Times Square at night. It is the eighteenth-century ballroom of crystal
chandeliers and many candle flames. It is sunlight on a fountain or a rippling brook. It is a cache of diamonds in an
opened cave. It is the rose window of Chartres... Play of brilliants excites the optic nerves, and in turn stimulates the
body and spirit, quickens the appetite, awakens curiosity, sharpens the wit...."
 Lighting design should consider the sort of action being illuminated, the amount of light provided, the color
of the light, which might alter the optics of specific objects, such as works of art, and the overall, entire atmosphere.
The distribution of light in each space — whether it's outdoor or internal — is another architectural consideration. It
should also adequately address the impact of illumination on the inhabitants of the place; however, this varies by
application. The importance of architectural lighting is equal to that of the architecture itself. Different materials,
colors, and textures, as well as different forms of lighting, can influence how people feel and interact with a room.
Lighting, whether natural or artificial, allows us to appreciate architecture and notice details we might not have
noticed otherwise. Rogier Van Der Heide emphasized on his talk that as a result, light is used for social interaction
as well as to build relationships with all of the features in our environment. It is where we congregate when we need
to communicate with one another. And it all revolves around this planet. However, at night, this planet appears to be
like this. Because all of this light here is directed upwards. It never makes it to the earth, where it belongs. It is never
in the best interests of the people. It merely adds to the gloom. So, on a global scale, if we look at the Earth as it
should be, it appears like this incredibly inspiring image, where darkness is for our creativity and contemplation, as
well as to help us relate to everything. The use of semiotics focuses attention on the quality of lighting design.
Taking into account the meaning of light and shadow during the design process leads to more long-term solutions
that go beyond the commonly stated economic and performance criteria like efficiency and visibility.