Light and experience: How can Architectural strategies of manipulating light, create experiential spaces.

DISHANT JARIWALA The University of Nottingham

ABSTRACT: Light has always fascinated designers, primarily for two basic reasons, first that it brings life to a building or an object by giving them depth and defining form and secondly it creates phenomenon in a space, for the user to appreciate and use the space. The following research focuses on how natural light can be manipulated by architectural strategies to create experiences in a space. The precedent studied here is ‘Chapel of St Ignatius’ by Steven Holl. Computer simulations were used to have quantitative analysis of light in the spaces and based on their inferences, factors like the movement of spectator (user), Glare, brightness, contrast and colours were further discussed and studied as how each of them were used by architectural means for the purpose of daylighting and creating sensations in the space, physical models were also used in the study. The study suggests that by using simple architectural strategies like building orientation and baffles, light can be manipulated to create ineffable spaces. The research is based on one building, but its implication can be used in different buildings depending on the functionality of the building.

Keywords: Architectural strategies; experience; glare; contrast; brightness  

The author of this paper is DISHANT JARIWALA, a current student of the MArch Environemntal Design Course, Nottingham University. He is going to present his research outcomes in the MC2011 Conference: People and Buildings held at the offices of Arup UK, 23rd September 2011. London. This paper and other 5 papers written by the current MArch ED students can be found HERE: http://nceub.commoncense.info/index.php?n=Network.MC2011ConferencePapers