Light Model

Light Model Project

Team members 

Shahrzad Sabzehar, Majedeh Modarres, Ayten Nadeau, and Eileen Carroll

Concept

Spectrum of Shadow Forms

Humans see objects through reflections of light from surfaces of forms.  Shadows are partial obscurities of light casting exaggerations of the form in space.  Our light light model depicts architecture form to focus the reflections of light into a sculptured spectrum of shadow forms to energized the space with playful delight and uniqueness of character.

Poster

Model

The angular form supports the exaggeration shadows with a colorful spectrum of light from the three primary light colors, red, green, and blue.  Blue and red light together creates magenta.  Red and green light creates yellow.  Green and blue light creates cyan.

Light Series 1

Light Sketches Series 1

LIGHT SKETCH SERIES 3

Light Sketch Series 2

The Weatherspoon Gallery is one of my favorite interior spaces.  The combination of volume with architecture details highlighted with quality layers of lighting, compliment the space into a harmonious balance of uniqueness.  The use of daylight interacting with volume captures the viewers interest immediately upon entering the space.  The halogen lights supports the daylight atmosphere of stars as the architecture separates shadow from light.  The culminated result is an effective use of lighting to display fine artwork, while enhancing the museum experience.

The Pet Store Plus on High Point Rd in Greensboro is a very good example of quality linear fluorescent lighting in a commercial retail space.  Even though, the field of the store has only one layer of lighting by the fluorescent bulbs, it is evenly uniform throughout the store, and effectively used for display of merchandise.  This strong luminance feature of the space invites the patron to linger as they ponder their selections.  

The China Cafe on Spring Garden is an example of very poor lighting conditions in a restaurant.  I illustrate the pendent lighting as showing some illuminance, but that is not the case for this space.  The lights are not on, and in some cases do not even have bulbs.  The pendent fixtures themselves are low to the table with the base fanning out too far for comfort.  The main lighting of the space is fluorescent bulbs integrated into the ceiling with plastic diffusers.  The plastic diffusers are old with a yellow film casting an uncomfortable luminance.  The lighting is sparse and uneven within the space.  No one ever eats in the restaurant; it is primarily used for take out.  I believe the only reason patrons frequent the space is because the food is very good.  To change the lighting conditions for the space, I think pendent lights would work well in the booths where a fixture was better suited for the size of the space, and raised at an appropriate height.  Fluorescent lighting works well within this space if there are more bulbs, and the diffuser covers were replaced with new ones.

Light Experiences

 Source: http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/hermes/index.htm

Light and Place

Light plays a dominant role in our daily lives enhancing the quality of our experiences; it provides light as well as contentment.  Living on the east coast in a temperate climate, we enjoy an abundance of sunshine brightening our spirits and promoting outdoor activities in our daily lives.  As I rise to greet the day, my mood is mostly cheerful, as I look forward to the brightness of the sun.  This was not always the case, for a brief period of time; I lived in Portland, Oregon where my experiencers with light were dramatically different.  I was lucky to see the sun one day out of a month.  When that day occurred, I would wake up cheerier, rush to my balcony window to view the glory of Mt Hood in the distant horizon.  A beautiful canvas scene of light purple hue floating along the hazy atmosphere sky always accompanied the white peaks of Mt Hood.  Unfortunately, in Portland the normal daylight conditions were predominately dull and uninspiring, as my rise for the day often required additional lighting accommodations. 

Light and Nature

Glistening and filtering are the first words that come to mind when I think of light and nature.  Raised on an island close to the water, I was memorized by the reflections of light upon the water’s surface.  At optimum moments of the day, the water takes on a glisten quality that captures the mind and promotes gazing in contented silence by its beauty. 

I enjoy walks through the woods, watching the light interacts playfully as it filters through the canopy of trees. The quality of light is enhanced by the presence of nature.  Light takes a supporting role highlighting the unique qualities of the natural environment.         

Light and Climate

Everyone is drawn to the warmth of the sun.  Turning our cheeks towards the sun, we momentarily close our eyes to soak up a few rays of sunshine. We feel energized.   We love to vacation in warm climates, and get sunburned in the process.  The strength of the sun makes us consider the needs of protection from sunscreen to architectural qualities of roof overhangs and window treatments for shading.

Light and Time

Humans in essence are tuned to nature.  Our biological clocks awaken us in the daylight, and wind us down towards the night.  My internal clock starts opening my eyes at 7 and dozing me off around 11, but as winter draws near my timeline shifts gradually.  I want to go to bed earlier.  I hate coming home from work in the dark.  I enjoy leaving my workplace when its still light outside.  I think its human nature to want to be safe and secure in your natural habitat, protected from unforeseen elements of the night.  Daylight savings time has distorted the winter months into a prolonged dreariness of longing for seasonal change.  

Light and Task

Working on drawings all my adult life has always made me keenly aware of the needs of task lighting to illuminate my working surface.  As I’ve aged I need additional sources of ambient lighting accompanied with a focused task light source.  Florescent lights usually bother my eyes, whereas incandescent lights are usually more soothing.  The new eco-lights of a florescent wound up like a bulb shape promotes headaches.  The ceiling fan in my bedroom is accompanied with an LED blue hue light that provides little illumination for any task including walking.  

Impact of Light on Human Health and Welfare

Modern life has created a multitude of advantages that were not possible for a pre-industrialized nation.  Yet with all its comforts and technological advancements, none has had a more profound effect upon humans as our simulated environments with sources of light.

During the 1960s and 1970s, a forward thinking professor from Kent State University, John Flynn hypothesized the psychological effects of artificial light on humans.  In Flynn’s research, he proposed resolutions to improve the quality of light for our “spatial Illumination.” 

As research continued into the study of light upon humans, notable ailments have been attributed to the lack of natural light.  Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is common in humans who live in climates where prolong periods of daylight is absent.  A notable difference in depression, as well as a deficiency of vitamin D is linked with the lack of exposure to daylight.  This same effect is identified in shift workers, whose exposure to natural light is limited. 

In 2001 ganglion, a new eye cell receptor was identified as a sensor to slight changing patterns of light upon humans by signaling the nervous system.  This response signals the human brains with changes to the body’s circadian rhythms.  The resulting effect causes an impact upon our emotional state of mind as well as our vital organs, and immune systems. 

A serious impact to our cardiac system invokes changes in patterns of heart rate variability (HRV).  These variations in heart rate can increase our stress levels and ultimately shorten our life expectancies.

Continued research is needed to fully understand the effects the absences of natural light has upon the human body, but enough evidence has concluded that we as designers must recognized the impact of light on human health and welfare when we analyze our building lighting systems. 

               Sketch up Animation Video of UNCG IARc Library
                                       uploaded via YouTube