Hearing Architecture

Hearing Architecture

 

In the chapter, Hearing Architecture, the question was asked, “Can architecture be heard?” The answer is most definitely, YES. The chapter discussed arched and domed ceilings and the effect of those architectural details on the way in which we experience sound. Also discussed are materials and architectural details that provide sound absorption. The general synopsis of the chapter is that certain materials and architectural details that create poor acoustics in some instances can produce phenomenal acoustics in others. The job of a designer is to understand how materials and architectural details affect the way in which a space is experienced and design for the desired effect.

 

I think I am sensitive to sound and, for me, there is a fine line between sound and noise. I have experienced a variety of occasions in which sound played a significant role in my overall enjoyment of the space or activity.

 

For instance, many years ago I attended an International Festival in one of the permanent buildings at the fairgrounds in Raleigh. I was very excited to go because I was looking forward to sampling food from different countries. The building was long and open, individual spaces were delineated by food stalls; there were no permanent walls in the space. I am unsure of what the building was constructed, but my guess is that it was a pre-fabricated metal building. The floors were commercial tile. Because there were so many people crammed into the space there was a constant din of sound. Because there were few permanent sound absorptive materials, the din grew. The constant hum of people was tolerable for me at first, but the longer I was there, the more intolerable it became. There were not any specific loud noises, just that din. My anxiety level grew so much because of the noise that I had to leave the festival. When I exited the building I felt instant relief in the relative quiet of outside. I was disappointed to leave the festival early but the noise level in the space became intolerable to me.

 

On the other hand, I have experienced music performances that were an acoustical delight. As discussed in the chapter, some sound reverberation is critical to create an acoustic environment in which music sounds are at their richest. When I was young I went to music camp at Lake Junaluska in western North Carolina every summer. Most of the music performances that I attended there were held in an austere, casual (camp-like) auditorium. The auditorium was a huge octagonal building with concrete floors, wooden theater seats, and was surrounded by windows. The sound in that auditorium was great, although the seats were not too comfortable. The materials used in the space and the shape of the building allowed for reverberation that made human voices and instruments sound fantastic.

 

As a designer it is important for us to design for all of the senses, not just the visual. Sound in an interior plays a huge role in the comfort and enjoyment of the people in the space. Most people do not think about how architecture sounds until the sound in a space is uncomfortable/annoying or magnificently beautiful.

Light Box

Shadows of Light

An Exploration of Shadow Cast by Colored Light



Light Sketch 3

 

Textured Fabrics Under Various Lamp Types 

 

 

Light sketch four required our light box group to go on a scavenger hunt for different light sources and document how each affects the appearance of color and texture. We chose four very textured fabrics in warm and cool colors and photographed them with a variety of lamp types. The lamp types we used were fluorescent, LED, halogen, and HID. Not only did we document the different sources but we also documented them in daylight and night conditions.

 

It is clear to see how some lamp types can drastically change the color of the fabric. One of the most interesting changes is documented in the HID lamp. The green swatch (the last one) looks vastly different under the same lamp, in different natural lighting conditions.

 

 

 

 

 



Light Sketch 2

 

 

 

 

Analyzing Lighting Conditions

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

The retail establishment had fluorescent, halogen track and incandescent sconces. The three different types gave the space plenty of light showcase the clothing. The track lighting along the wall gave a little glare on the walls. I would recommend possibly a lower watt bulb there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The museum space had halogen track lighting set up along the side walls and another set towards the middle running parallel to the wall. The ones in the middle were pointed towards the sculpture and walls. Only a few of the lights against the walls were being used and they were pointed toward the sculpture as well. This gave a beautiful effect of shadows in the space and really highlighted the sculpture but wasn’t overpowering on the wall artwork.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The restaurant had adequate lighting for the space. They had halogens lamps on a string type strip. This created a nice ambient light. The space had windows that let in some nice natural lighting on the corners and some niches that appeared to have some up lighting.

 

Light Sketch 1

 

 

 

 

Finding Lighting Conditions

 

 

 

 

 

In searching for lighting conditions, my partner, Monica Clendenin, and I went to the Weatherspoon Art Museum on the campus of UNCG. As lighting is integral in displaying art and properly illuminating public spaces, we believed the museum to be a great place to find various lighting condition examples.

 

 

This is good example of a lighting example that evokes a relaxed response. This is a passage way behind a display wall that leads from one gallery to another. This passage way exhibits physical properties that are calming and serene and acts as a visual break between the gallery spaces, through the use of little color and a curvilinear niche in the wall. There are large windows that appear to remain covered by a sun-blocking shade which allows the ceiling lamps to perpetuate the feeling of serenity in the space. Most of the contrast in the space comes from the shadow and light play of the ceiling lamps and the curve in the wall. These shadows create subtle visual interest while maintaining calm and serenity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lobby of the Weatherspoon Art Gallery is spacious and its lighting condition accentuates its spaciousness. The floor is a highly reflective, dark stone and the walls are bright white. Additionally, the central gallery space is an atrium that has natural light flooding through the clerestory, illuminating the vast whiteness of the walls. The adjacent hall that leads to the galleries is lighted with warm ceiling lamps that help to delineate the space by creating contrast to the atrium. The specular surface of the floor reflects the light and shadow of the space which adds to the feeling of spaciousness in this environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following are Monica's descriptions of the other two spaces:

 

My partner Shelley Gates and I went to the Weatherspoon gallery as we thought we could capture some unique light effects there since the walls are mostly white and they use light to accent the art and space. I will discuss two of the four pictures. The first sketch is the gift shop. This shop had an overall hazy effect. In the picture I took you couldn’t even see the light fixture itself because the light was so bright that it blurred out what was around it. The light was fairly light elsewhere and this extremely bright light created a hazy effect.

 

The second sketch is the Hallway. The overhead lights and the shadows they created had a beautiful effect on the space. I also like how the light fixture paralleled the shadow making a V shape. It made you want to just stand there and really experience the space and let the effect soak in.

These next two are the lobby space and a seating area. Shelley discussed these two on her blog. We each sketched our two then traded off to finish and shade them. I am pleased with how the drawings turned out and even more intrigued by lighting design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Personal Experiences with Natural Lighting Conditions

Personal Experiences with Lighting Conditions

  

            As natural lighting conditions are such an integral part of (sighted) human existence, it is easy to take them for granted. I am one who, until this point, has generally not been immediately aware of the conditions that I will describe. Although some conditions I am very much consciously aware of, this writing assignment has forced me to recognize and identify conditions of natural light that are around us all of the time.

            For me, identifying a personal experience of light and place is easy because the entire environment of the place was awesome and magnificent. The place is Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. I visited Hagia Sophia in 2004 and when I entered the building, I just had to stop and look up. I was completely taken aback by the enormity of the structure and marveled at the technology that was required to erect it. The natural light that streams into the interior is remarkable. There are (what appears from the floor to be small) windows placed all the way around the bottom of the large center dome, two rows of windows below the large dome on two of its walls, windows around the bottoms of all of the half domes, and a series of tall windows in rows behind what was the pulpit when Hagia Sophia was a Christian church. There is also a grid of enormous chandeliers; however, as I was in the space during the day, the light cast by these was very secondary to the natural light from the windows. The windows that are around the bottoms of the dome and half domes allow sunlight to stream into the space and bathe the mosaics, materials, and architectural details in light. The windows act as spot lights that direct the light to the specific details that one should notice. As the sun moves overhead, the spot light changes, as does that which is highlighted. The reflection of light from the interior materials helps to illuminate the space in a warm glow. And although the overall effect of the light is warm, the overall space maintains a sense of coolness. I have not seen the interior of the Hagia Sophia at night, but it must be a very different and equally dramatic experience. I imagine that the chandeliers create a darker, warmer, more intimate (quite a feat for such a huge space) lighting condition in which more shadows are cast and might even take you back in time.

            One of the most common natural lighting conditions is dappled sunlight through leaves of trees. Although I feel very comfortable in and enjoy this condition, this is an example of one that did not come to mind immediately. I think it is because it is so common and familiar. Many built environments mimic the natural dappling of sun as a means of allowing natural light and controlling heat. This is especially common in regions that are hot and sunny. Screens can be quite elaborate, creating interesting patterns of shadow, which, in these environments, becomes an important design element. Dappled sunlight is also emulated in outdoor built environments by pergolas, gazeboes, and arbors. The structures of pergolas, for instance, cast enough shadows to have a cooling effect outside just as trees do.

            I have lived in three different geographic regions of the United States, the southeast, the Rocky Mountains, and southern California. The light in these regions is very different from one another, yet sometimes exhibits similarities. In the southeastern US summer sunlight is bright but very hazy; the haze results from the high amounts of moisture in the air. Because of the humidity and haze, there are few summer days with bright blue skies or when one can see distant mountains (or distant anything). When the air is saturated, it can sometimes appear that there is a film over your eyes. The thick light of summer adds to the feeling of oppressive heat. The summer sunlight in Colorado is very different from that of the southeastern US. Summer sunlight is very clear and bright, and can get a bit glary. The sunlight is very intense and can be very hot (but it’s a dry heat), in part because of the altitude. The skies over the Rocky Mountains are very clear and blue because of the lack of moisture in the air, so too is the light. The sunlight in southern California could be described as a mixture of the previous two conditions. Sunlight can be very bright and clear when there is little humidity or smog, or it can look very hazy because of smog conditions.

            In my family in late summer when we have a day with lower humidity, it is common for us to say, “It looks like fall outside.” The light and shadow that are cast at the close of summer whet our appetites for the cooler, crisper days of autumn. Fall light is much clearer than summer light, the shadows are longer earlier in the day and the sky is a beautiful clear blue. These conditions are caused by the Earth’s shift toward its winter solstice and less humidity in the air. It is beautiful light; probably my favorite!

Lighting and Human Health

 

            The articles, Influence of Architectural Lighting on Health, from InformeDesign’s newsletter, and In Eyes, a Clock Calibrated by Wavelengths of Light, in The New York Times, give great insight into the ways human health is affected by lighting conditions. These articles discuss ways in which human health and welfare are greatly impacted by the lighting conditions to which we are exposed. As artificial lighting technology has changed and continues to change, we experience different lighting conditions and different benefits and consequences from those lighting conditions. Current benefits include overall convenience, ability to complete tasks after dark, and an increase in overall societal productivity. The consequences are not completely understood, although there is significant scientific evidence regarding the relationship between human health and well-being and lighting conditions. Continued research must be done to know the exact effects of lighting on humans, especially as lighting technology changes and we are exposed to new conditions.

            As suggested in the articles, circadian rhythm is greatly affected by artificial light, but the effects vary depending on the color of the light wave. Evidence suggests that blue light waves inhibit the production of melatonin, a hormone that is released in the body to promote sleep, for a greater length of time than red light waves. Additionally, experimental evidence suggests that blue light waves make users feel more alert and focused. This may explain why it is easier to fall asleep after reading a book in bed, as opposed to watching TV or reading on an e-reader.

            Decreased levels of melatonin affect our ability to fall asleep, in turn affecting our circadian rhythm from resetting our bodies’ functions. Interruptions in our natural circadian rhythm have a wide range and, potentially, long-lasting impact on our overall health. It is, therefore, evident that artificial lighting has the potential to negatively affect human health based on the type and exposure to it, by interfering with our circadian rhythm.

            Natural light also impacts our health and well-being. In geographic locations where days are shorter or rainier weather is experienced, there is a high incidence of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a condition that causes seasonal episodes of depression in its sufferers. A typical treatment of SAD is light therapy, a treatment in which patients are exposed to bright light at determined intervals.

            Based on existing and ongoing research on the effects of light, both natural and artificial, on human health, it is critical for architects and designers create spaces in which full benefits of lighting can be maximized while the consequences can be minimized or alleviated. For instance, blue light waves can be used in areas that require a high degree of alertness and focus provided that there are spaces available that allow the brain and body to relax and maintain a natural circadian rhythm.