Our knowledge comes from experience. It is how we know our past, our memories, our culture. It is through our experiences that express the character of a thing, a purpose, a relationship. Considering space, or our interaction in a place, we know of it through it’s character as it is, or was, impressed in our minds. How we interact with light in a space also derives from experience, and how we know to experience it. We can use this knowledge in design, importantly, in architecture.
Consider light and place, and how an environment impacts our world as a whole. We understand night and day, sunrise and sunset. Being familiar with these daily patterns, we are internally familiar with our rituals impacted by them. Where we live regionally determines these rituals based on how light interacts with the habitat. It impacts us when we wake up, when we sleep, and simply why we do the things we do, when we do, during the day. It is important to be aware of light and place when designing areas that are both geographically and seasonally foreign to you, for those who reside there experience the space accordingly. You must be aware of how they experience culture. Designing a space in Japan, for example, knowledge of the people and how they experience space is vital. We must understand their preferences, what makes a place comfortable for their lifestyle, and the rituals that coincide with it. In the book ‘Light Revealing Architecture’, Marietta Millet explains how the spirit of a place develops from its culture using architecture from various regions as an example. She describes how Japanese people prefer darkness in their spaces, with an emphasis on the contrast of light and shadows. She also discusses scale, and the importance of openness when designing for people in the Netherlands. Culturally, the purpose of large windows is to create a sense of openness. Displaying personal space is a form of communication for not only the Netherlands, but for the Italians as well. Using large windows in a space however, raises concern of how light is exposed in the space, and how one would go about controlling it. Millet also describes Italian windows, and how they “respond to the benign climate and also to the social rituals of conversing with friends and family in the street below”. As designers, we must understand the culture of the space, and how certain rituals experiencing light must be celebrated in the design, creating an environment that is comfortable and familiar to them.
When considering the relationship of light and climate, it is important to find the balance of light and temperature, understanding how it can impact an environment spiritually and culturally. The purpose of the building or space is also important. Designing libraries, for example, it is crucial to understand how light can manipulate not only the space itself, but more importantly, the users of the space. We must know where light touches the building, and the amount that passes through the windows, impacting those who dwell inside. The space must be created with comfort in mind. Alvar Aalto’s Viipuri Municipal Library is a good example when considering this, for he studied the distribution of light in relation to what is comfortable for reading. As designers, we can use Aalto’s process work as an inspiration of how we find the balance of light and temperature, of light and comfort. By performing light studies in the spaces we are designing, we can then develop a better understanding of how to control the exposure to light, and how that impacts the user in their environment.
The relationship of light and climate can also be understood through the relationship of light and time. The way light expresses itself is constantly changing at every moment of the day. As designers, we must we aware of time in relation to light, see each shadow that interacts with form and space, and how we can manipulate them to speak a similar language. In understanding time, we can allow the season direct our designs. Louis Kahn describes the myriad of time and light through simplicity, by allowing the change of time to design the space- “I have no color applied to the walls of my home. I wouldn’t want to disturb the wonder of natural light. The light really does make the room. The changing light according to the time of day and seasons of the year give the room color.” The concept of allowing what naturally surrounds us aid in constructing our design is a beautiful way of relating nature with architecture, of connecting the outside world with an interior space. An example of this is the glass paneling in the Gamble House by Greene and Greene, which an image of nature in the form of a tree. When we design, we should constantly be aware of nature. We must not only notice, but also understand natural patterns, reflections, textures, and shadows, and how recreating images of nature through light and form can impact a space.
As designers, it is important understand how light affects the way we live our lives, whether it is through nature, time, or simply how we experience the space. What we know derives from experience, from exposure. We must design through exposure, understanding the client through knowledge of the culture and how light can enhance a space accordingly.
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