February 29, 2008
Previous learning about meaning of metaphors and poetic of space, how they can be applied to give deep spatial meaning in lighting design project, light enlarge its capacity and extend towards what poetic light mean to a space. Metaphors as an approach become a powerful device to look light in a new way. Thus, metaphors of light design are light as memory and light as emotion that can be describe: light as the tenor, memory and emotion as the vehicle. Furthermore emotion becomes tenor, is activated by memory (vehicle) through poetic light. Combining those two approaches lead to extended meaning of light in a spatial experience.
This lighting design project has intentions to evoke memory and trigger emotion, in architecture setting. Deeper layer revealed in light design not merely considering its technical aspects, will fulfill the project’s intention which is also to trace space and architectural identity that they had once. Identity is the condition of being oneself or itself, and not another.[1] Here identity means “own” unique meaning and story conveyed by the space and architecture. Identity is something our memory will remember, a consciousness of specific experience. Based on this purpose, which is to reveal architecture and identity (memory), the light design will set upon firm foundation and give contribution in terms of space design. Light is a journey of searching space identity.
Artist Mary Temple paint light that demonstrate time and play with memory in an architectural setting. Her strategy is casting changes of negative form of light (shadows), its intensity and color on architectural elements. In her latest works, “South west Corner and 3 Pillars-North Light” (2006) and “As cars pass by” (2007) play of colors, shape, and window frame show how light (shadows) can evoke people’s memory of a form, identify quality of light, and even feel the atmosphere, mood of the light.[2] Changes of colors Temple uses is subtle, with gradation of grey, mix of purple, but it is enough to freeze the time and show its effect in space. She plays with sub consciousness of viewers, interrupt perception of what is real and what is not within a freeze time frame. In other words, her paintings play with psychological side of human. She works on plain architectural setting, plain materials to show deeper play of light, different intensity, and color. Temple’s work is a metaphor of illusion, and phenomenology of memory that leads people to believe real imaginary light shaft, shadow reflection and feel the warm sunlight.
Mary Temple, South west corner and
3 Pillars, North Light (2006)
Mary Temple, Soo Kim
As Cars Pass By (2007)
Le Corbusier
Notre Dame du Haut Chapel
Herzog and DeMeuron
Dominus Winery, Yountville, California
In terms of architecture light is proven to be powerful element giving deep impression into spatial experience. Notre Dame du Haut filled with poetic light, embracing people with sense of holiness, adoration, and divineness. Light rouse the feeling of prayer and worshipping. These emotional effects make spatial experience meaningful. Another poetic light is done by Herzog and DeMeuron, using materials with specific characteristic, stones. Light filtering through the stones creates strong forms on the wall, floor, and ceiling. A view toward the wall gives a sense of the light entering through the gaps, just like the sun casts light through leaves. Awaken memory as if walking under trees in a sunny day.
Light as design element in architecture, has been applied in varies of construction. Rarely light is applied poetically in a space. One example of poetic light is done by Daniel Libeskind in the Jewish Museum, Berlin. Strong design concept and philosophy from Holocaust period create deep spatial meaning with play voids as resemblance of emptiness and light evoke memory and emotion of Jewish suffer. Light acts as a device to express metaphor of hope and remember the emotion at Holocaust period. It is shown through a slit of light on the top of Holocaust Tower. In such scale, with narrow and extremely high space, the space left in dark rouse panic feeling. It creates a frantic space and light from above as a slit of hope.
Jewish Museum, Berlin
Conceptual Approaches
From these researches, light is proven as a meaningful device to give emotion and evoke memory in spatial experience. Conceptual light take role in space design. Light is the language that brings up memory of the space. This understanding of light in how it is used poetically, through artist and designer’s works lead to strategic approaches to be applied in constructed design project. Applied design approaches are taken from
Mary Temple uses overlapping two shadow of objects, in this case window frame or column and leaves. She also plays with memory of objects, how form of leaves and window frame look like. Appropriate approach from Temple’s strategy is showing light as images, archives images in form of overlapping light projection images of old building, how it was, and real building in present time.
Other approach is to project reflection of moving light on walls. Herzog and DeMeuron shows still reflection of light thus the development from it is designing the light that move in sequence. It is play of moving, appearing and disappearing light and shadows. Reflection of light cast on the wall overwhelming people in deep emotion. Light reflection in the Winery house design has captured time flow, however in the light construction the application will be light reflection that is moving and shifting to elaborate changes in culture and historical changes the museum had through time.
About the Site
The site is National Museum of Singapore, located at 93 Stamford Road, Singapore. National museum of Singapore is designed to be a center for culture that combining historical collection with exhibitions that focusing on 20th popular culture. It is presenting history in varied and cutting edge ways to redefine the conventional museum experience. This museum also acts as a home for temporary exhibitions and a venue for art and popular events that will release new creative possibilities in culture and heritage. [3]The programming of the museum is supported by facilities such as gallery theatre, food and beverage, retail, and public sculpture garden.
Site map
Design Application
Basic concept of the space design is linkage of spaces which are the identity of the museum, the Rotunda. The Rotunda is chosen because based on site analysis, this is the space where people gather, consider as busiest area and it was the main exhibition space of the museum. While the basement area, below the new glass Rotunda is an empty space. So the idea is light connects original Rotunda with the new glass Rotunda at the new extension of the museum, and proposed extended light space in the entrance area of the museum. The intention is to drive people from crowded area to enter empty space so the space will be alive. Extended space outside the main entrance meant to give people general idea of how light can evoke memory.
Designed areas with poetic light are highlighted.
Proposed layout
Highlighted areas consist of three schemes of experience:
- Light images and sense of place
- Moving shadow
- Light memory and shadow
It is started with extended space in front of the museum as extension of the Rotunda which is planned to be filled with light images projection using still archive photographs. The projection is arranged in sequence that will lead people to move and experience memory of the old museum and surrounding buildings. Through these projections of events and building memory of museum and the city will be evoked. The light projection only will light up when there is movement of people approaching the screen, and it will disappear as they walk away. This scheme is meant to evoke sense of place, to remember loss of old heritage, such as the old national library.
After entering this extended Rotunda space, people will experience moving shadows inside the old Rotunda space. Ephemeral shadows of quick moving shadow image of people will impact viewer’s sub consciousness to recognize whether it is a real or not. The moving shadow is expected to disturb the viewer’s common sense and give deep impression in their emotion.
In between spaces, before entering the new extension of the museum and the last light scheme, the spaces change into darkness. It is not total darkness, but little light injects to the hallway space so people can walk. Bright space at the end of the hallway cast direction for the people who passing through this path.
Last scheme of the light experience is end up at the basement floor, below the Glass Rotunda. The space is enclosed with screen walls and using projection that shows changing between light and darkness. Second skin is the basic idea, by using adjustable screen inside exterior wall. Flip flop screen representing what is real and what is not. First skin shows projection of candlelight, which give metaphorical meaning of timeline, whereas history also gives elaboration on time. Projection of candle and its reflection around this space on basement floor also can make people remember about past with its simplicity. Second skin is an expression of darkness by applying dark screen behind first skin. When the light is gone (first screen is flipped), darkness takes over and left the viewers in shock. Temporal candlelight also creates deep shadow as a result of its glow.
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Candlelight makes space surface change in color, in texture, eventually it affect the way people feel toward the space. In short, the last scheme is yellow ambient of candle fill up the space then it fades into darkness. Shock and fear that is felt in darkness will strike the viewers.
Conclusion
- Poetics of light activate spatial meaning.
- Light become a device to connect spaces and has strong influence in evoking memory and trigger emotion.
- Play of ephemeral light and shadow present metaphorical meaning of history and memory
Bibliography
Mack, Gerhard (2005) Herzog and De Meuron 1992-1996, Switzerland: Birkhauser-Publishers for Architecture
Mende, Kaoru (2000) Designing with Light and Shadow, Australia: The Images Publishing Group Pty. Ltd
Meyers, Victoria (2006) Designing with Light, London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd
Ragheb, J. Fiona (1999) Dan Flavin: The Architecture of Light, New York: Guggenheim Museum Publications
Vettese, Angela (2004) Dan Flavin: Rooms of Light, London: Thames and Hudson Ltd
WordNet® 3.0 Princeton University 19 Sep. 2007. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/phenomenology>
www.aldrichlook2.org/look2/marytemple/
www.artnet.com/artist/424664624/mary-temple.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Flavin
http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/flavin/retrospective.htm
[1] Quoted from: identity. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved February 16, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/identity
[2] Quoted from: www.marytemple.com
[3] Quoted from www.nationalmuseum.org
February 29, 2008 at 10:14 am
[...] Ira’s research [...]
March 4, 2008 at 9:29 am
Kent’s comments:
1. Research has clear focus on light and memory.
2. There is originality in research although clarity is somewhat lacking in the metaphorical definition. In this case, the correct definition would be : Memory (tenor) + light (vehicle) = emotion (ground).
3. The understanding of cited case studies show depth in the analysis. However, 2 out of the 4 cites case studies are not wholly relevant to the topic of memory. Ronchamp and Dominus Winery are examples of light installations that do not display direct relations to the topic of memory.
4. Verbal presentation is confident but could afford to be more independent of the laptop.
5. Graphics are weak without demonstrating the intended lighting design effectively.
6. Exploration is limited to case studies. Imaginative translation of strategies into original proposal for the museum site is lacking. Neither concept nor technical requirements satisfy critical depth and rigour required.
7. There is lack of innovation in the lighting design proposal. The aim of evoking memories has not been met.
Ash’s comments:
Verbal presentation lacked central clarity and coherence, due to a lost digital file.
Graphics scheme and illustrations were procedurally cut and pasted together, lacking in expressive intent, completion and polish.
Content wise, the main scheme of ideas and concepts seem promising, but engagement of examples tended to lack depth and reasonable range of application types.
There were however, some refreshing translations of moving light and shadows, and attempts at making light to become a spatial phenomena.
The readings and translations of Mary Temple’s work as a starting basis is apt and insightful. Further examples of Daniel Liebeskind’s and Herzog & de Meurons’ could have been closer knitted to this central scheme of Mary Temple’s starting example, though it is not clearly expressed how they may be related.
Overall, the ideas and concepts derived were wonderfully valid, if properly expressed and concerted to become more articulated convincingly. There were productive and latent ideas abound within the scheme and reading of the proposals, which, due to a lack of convictive articulation, also lacked convincing form.