Pantheon of Wonder
Essay
Strategy: Use Transparency with Form to Play with Light in New Ways
by Maria Lorena Lehman
Image Strategies
Featured Image Takeaway Design Strategy:
Within most buildings, transparency manifests through typical windows and skylights that occur throughout the building. Yes, they let in light — but are they really a “sculptural” part of the architecture? You might ask: How much do these fenestrations contribute to the interior space for occupant perception and functionality? You see, when transparency becomes part of the architectural form, a few things begin to happen. This mindset shift allows your masses and voids that make up your architecture to yield a unique architectural language — and the lighting atmosphere that results for your occupants within will be more sculpted, more dynamic, and thus, more exciting to experience.
To Apply This Strategy, Ask Yourself:
Remember that the position of your building upon its site is critical to achieve good natural lighting effects — especially when dealing with masses and voids that make up your building’s architectural language. Consider occupant views, different light intensities, and the use of color with transparency to give shape to your interior architectural spaces. Have you ever stopped to consider that light, filtered through your architecture, can exist as an architectural element that guides your occupant along their journey through your work? Don’t take lighting for granted, using it only to meet functional needs — you should also consider the power that is has as a poetic architectural element that can bring much inspiration, guidance, and beauty for your occupants through your architectural design.
Image Credit: © scarletgreen | Flickr
Maria Lorena Lehman has received the following awards and has been seen in the following publications: