FMP Week 1

Unrestricted light. This is the name of my project. As the title suggests my project is all about light and over the weeks I intend to learn much about how light works within buildings, as well as realising the importance of light to humans. By the end of the seven weeks my goal is to have completed a building where I aim to try and light majority of the spaces within it using natural light. This may be done by using light tunnels to transport light from outdoors to indoors, or I could try to recreate light internally by capturing and using sun light via solar panels.

When I first came up with the idea of using light as a soul focus for my project I realised this would allow a broad scope for change as the weeks progress. This is an advantage as it will allow me to develop with any discoveries which I make, and thrive upon any beneficial findings. Although my intention is to create a house for which someone can live, in I do not necessarily have stick with this idea and am open to change.

Some of the problems that may arise from this project come from one of its main strengths. How vague the brief is means that yes there is lots of room for development, but also that because a goal is not set I could easily get very carried away. I will have to make sure that I do not get overwhelmed if I come up with many different ideas. I will need to refine my ideas without trying to latch onto other possibly good ideas which just may not be in keeping with my project. This will mean that I should be as experimental as possible, but also that I should try not to fixate on one idea too early on in the seven week process.

I began this week by researching into basic light principles. There are primarily two types of light. Natural light and artificial light. Natural light occurs without human intervention and can be in the form of sunlight or can be produced by chemical reactions. Natural light is essential for human well being and we cannot survive without it, unlike artificial light which we can survive without out. Moreover natural light is in fact beneficial as it gives us essential vitamins.

(Major Speirs Tischhauser, 2005, p.165)

The image above is a chemical reaction which takes place within some sea creatures called 'biolumenescence'. This allows for animals to effectively produce their own light and is one hundred percent energy efficient. Through out the project I will aim to keep my building as eco-friendly as possible as it is such a current issue which needs addressing. Although this process can not be used to create your conventional lighting. It could be used in fish tanks in walls and such to create some sort of light. This may look good in a room which is directed towards water. Therefore a wash room or swimming pool. 

Memorial to the murdered jews of Europe (Authors own, 2014)

Here is an example of artificial light being used to light a space. The thing I love about how the lighting has been used to light this room is the ambiance it creates. By having the lights coming from the floor in this repeated pattern it creates a dark space but gives a different tone and perspective. Shadows work in an unconventional way here and therefore it highlights different features from what would normally be highlighted within a space. This could be used in the space I am trying to create if I can figure out how to direct light up from the floor. 

(Warren, 2014, http://www.redefiningfederalism.org/, page 3)

Here the use of either skylights or solatubes manages to light the whole room extremely well without having to use artificial lights. This is something I definitely want to achieve. The way in which whatever is allowing light in has been disguised simply by the way in which the ceiling has been designed allows for this skylight to seem as if its not there. Being discreet with my designs will determine how aesthetically appealing my design will be.

Reichstag (authors own, 2014)

Although the purpose of this mirrored structure is not to direct light to floor below this level it could easily be used for this purpose. The shape of the structure means that it may intensify light to the floors below. Directing light in such a way could easily be made to look sculptural as well just as this design does. Experimenting with elaborate ways to direct light below ground is something I need to explore.

Judischen museum (authors own, 2014)

Here skylights have been arranged in a abstract way. The design however has a very modern and minimal look about it. By using something simple like this I will be able to create a modern space whilst fore filling the criteria I have set out to achieve.

Hauptbahnhof (authors own, 2014)

The reason I found this way of lighting so intriguing is because I could easily imagine this design being used but rather than having artificial light tubes, I could use simple solatubes. This would create a very minimal and modern design however it would be difficult to structurally engineer. In order to pass light in this way underground using natural light I would have to fore fit space above meaning that large tunnels would pass through any rooms directly above. If I can think of a way to solve this problem then I will be able to light spaces in an efficient and exciting way.

Having talked with my group this week in the crit session I have been able to realise that my next goal is to research further into ways of getting light underground. Moreover I will need to find a location where I can take some pictures of dark spaces so I can try to figure a way to light them. Lastly I need to create models so that I can experiment with any ways I think of to transport light.