Barton, Monika

During this exercise I went to three different sites to document three different, yet similar light phenomenon.

1) First I went to the Tempe Center for the Arts and took photographs of the trueNorth Wall during sunset. As the sun’s light began to disappear, the lights within the wall began to turn on and the light began to siphon out through orange cylinders within the wall. Once it was dark, the wall turned into a night sky with different orbs glowing like stars. When I was sitting in this space, I felt as if I was in a small version of space with all the geometry resembling the stars and planets. From this I learned how light can be siphoned through an object and create a different character of light. I also learned that in order for this to be accomplished or seen, other lights, such as the light from the setting sun, need to disappear in order for the siphoned light to be seen at its brightest.

2) The second place I went to was the Mesa Center for the Arts and found one of the screen walls to take pictures of. Unfortunately, at the time of day that I went, the facility was locked so I did not get the angle I wanted but I was still able to experience the light phenomenon which was shattered light. Here there were hundreds of perforated metal squares with different, wavy, like patterns. Due to the nature of the material and from my angle, the light would go through the metal where the perforations were located and reflect back every where else creating a dune or wave like effect across the screen. When seen from far away, you would not see the individual holes, but the dune like patterns. However, if you were to stand behind the screen, you would see the light cast shadows on the floors and on the walls of the center and have a different perception of the light phenomenon. From this, I learned that you can create many different patterns by creating holes or using different materials to reflect light and shadow to the surrounding areas. I hope to use this in one of my concrete block designs.

3) The last place I went to was the Prayer Pavilion of Light which was demonstrating the light phenomenon of diffused light. Once again, I documented this study during sunset so I was able to see some of the suns light diffusing through the glazing as well as the artificial lights. This project kept me one my toes as I was unsure of when the lights would turn on. As they did, my eyes were glued to the spectacle of light. The lights changed color as if the pavilion was changing its mood. What I found very interesting was the fact that the light source was at the bottom of the glazing, making the color fade when the light reached the top of the pavilion. This showed me the different lighting capabilities that you are able to accomplish when you are close or far away from the light source.

In conclusion, all three spaces were beautiful in their own way. Each had it’s own theme to it whether it be space, at sea (Mesa Center for the Arts), or reverie(Prayer Pavilion of Light). I learned a lot from these projects and I only hope that I have the means to go back to them and study them in more detail. (specifically the Mesa Center for the Arts and the Prayer Pavilion of Light) I hope to use diffused light, shattered light, reflected light (which I learned from other presentations), and siphoned light in my future concrete block designs.

Exercise 2:

For thise exercise we created three 8″x8″x8″ blocks that demonstrate the different types of light phenomenon that we studied from the previous light studies.

1) The first light phenomenon that I wanted to demonstrate was the siphoning of light that I found at the Tempe Center for the Arts. Here, I found an acrylic rod that would siphon light similar to the ones found at the TCA. From here, I cut one edge of the acrylic rod into a point with four sides. The goal of this was to siphon the light into four sections of the concrete block. I learned that the light did not siphon as well as I would have hoped it to, due to the opaque quality the point of the acrylic rod had after cutting and sanding it down. It would have been better if I had found a polish to polish the sanded portion of the rod in order for the light to siphone out more directly. After meeting with my group, I learned different approaches to take towards this design and how multiple acrylic rods could have been useed to clarify the siphoning of light into the block.

2) Next, I tried to explore defracted light within my next concrete block. I first modeled this in clay and mapped out where the colored light would land within the block so I would be able to desing the block around that. I mapped out the paths of light with different textures of the block- smooth vs. rough to show where the light was going. One thing I took a way from this was the idea of finding a real prism to defract the light rather than the medium that I found. I need to be able to understand the way in which the defraction of light really works in order to be able to design a concrete block around it. This is something I look to investigate more in detail.

3) Lastly, I wanted to deal with diffused light within my last concrete block. I took a sheet of plastic and sanded parts of it to mimick translucent glass and transparent glass. I created a hole in the back of the block that would direct the sunlight into the block and towards a certain point on the plastic sheet. The goal was to have a beam of light come through part of the plastic while the rest was diffused through the translucent parts of the plastic. Unfortunately, the method in which I used to pull the styrofoam out of my forms ended up on the plastic. This gave it a muddy effect and changed the overall results of the diffusion of light.

From this exercise, I hope to pursue either siphoned light or diffused light within my next project and see about using different techniques in order to achieve these effects/affects that the light brings to the concrete block.

I learned from this exercise the right and wrong formula for mixing concrete and how to remove the styrofoam forms properly without dirtying the overall concrete form. Hopefully, I will be more successful in future concrete pours.

Trip to Superlite:

Exercise 3

Light studies:

In this exercise, I continued to explore defracted light from exercise 2. I changed the interior walls of each block to move the defracted light across the block in different ways. I learned that different types of acrylic will act as prisms with different overall light effects. In these pictures, I used cylindrical acrylic rods in order to produce the defracted light. I also used triangular prisms to test the path in which the defracted light would travel.

Here is a fourth wall exploring the hour glass shape with curves:

Trip to Tucson:

We traveled down to Tucson to take a look at UoA’s College of Optical Sciences center and Rick Joy’s studio. Here we learned about different light effects at the optical sciences center and how to manipulate light and materials to create amazing results. At Rick Joy’s studio, we again saw the effectiveness of light within a space and how adding openings in particular places can make a room feel larger than it actually is.

Rick Joy Studio:

Exercise 4.1

Developing a conceptual model for our site which is located in an empty lot next to the Desert Botanical Gardens. Here is a plan view of  the conceptual model, model shots, and a panorama of the site.

Following is my first rendition of the narrative

Walking into the lobby you are greeted by polished concrete with a tan tinge with dappled light on reflected on the walls and the floor. As you look up to the ceiling, you see perforations and a series of squares with circles channeling the light down into the space. Looking forward, you see an outdoor courtyard space where people sitting under Palo Verde trees are chatting or reading books about Arizona light. The receptionist guides us to the left towards one of the center’s first light exhibits. As you enter the first exhibit, there is this feeling of release as you step over the threshold from the lobby into the space. You see that not only is it more open, but there is a brighter softer light filtering into the space, creating this sense of peace within. On your left, there is a wall that accents this soft light with a smooth concrete edge to it. It looks similar to the ceiling in the lobby, except in the perforations there are prisms reflecting light into each block. As you look closer, you can see slight shades of blue and green reflecting on the inside of the block. Looking to the right wall, there are larger modules with semi transparent glazing in replace of the prisms allowing for the movement of the people in the courtyard to effect the light filtering in. As you look back up to the softer edge of the ceiling, you notice that the pattern in the lobby is no longer expressed. Here there is a division of four panels, one with a series of acrylic rods side by side casting an array on the polished concrete floor. Now, with your eyes on the floor, you feel as if the concrete is tinged different colors and once again you see the blue and the green tinges like you did in the south wall.

Moving into the second space, you step over the threshold into a shaded light. Looking forward, you notice the walls are angled in, as if pointing you towards the final exhibit and guiding you deeper into the cave. The exhibit is similar in physical qualities as the previous exhibit, but done in a rougher, darker context. The wall to the left is not as smooth as it was before and the blocks are designed differently. Instead of a rectilinear shape with individual blocks, here there is a rectilinear hour glass shape where two blocks mold into one, one on top of the other. Here, the light from the top block is cascading down into the second block bringing with it more colors. The reds and the oranges are side by side with the blue and the green creating a rainbow pattern on the inside of each block. Once again, the wall on the right is mimicking this same modularity at a larger scale but with glass that has more of a translucent effect. Finally looking back up, we see that the ceiling is split into smaller parts, allowing for less light to filter in through the acrylic rods that are still present. The colors in the floor are becoming more present and revealing that they are coming from the acrylic rods in the ceiling.

Finally, stepping into the final light exhibit, you feel as if you have reached the back of the cave and see a soft light at the end of it. This room is the smallest out of three but still big enough to accommodate for the influx of people. The design of the wall has changed once again, but this time to an oval shape with curves rather than a rectilinear form. The light from the first block cascades down to the second block once again, but this time, uninterrupted by a seam as in the previous wall design. The colors diffracting from the prism are pure in their form and each is visible within the block. The wall is rougher still creating the feeling of this submersion into the cave. Looking to the right, the glass is at its most translucent. The ceilings modularity has grown smaller and it almost mimics the south wall and the amount of light actually coming in.

Walking out of the exhibit you enter into a hallway that is shaped like and upside down pyramid. At the center there are two windows in similar shape showing views of the courtyard and the mountain at Papago park. Moving forward you find yourself in another gallery, but this is a photo gallery of light around Arizona. To the south, there is this change between translucent and opaque glass allowing for different shades of light to penetrate the space and allowing some privacy between the gallery and the courtyard. In addition, on the north side of the gallery are reading spaces, a lecture hall, and at the end of the gallery, a book shop next to the entrance. Once again you return to the smooth, polished finish of the concrete and an open space with a soft light from the ceiling. Returning to the light again gives you this sense of understanding the plays of material and modularity and how well you can manipulate light to suite each space. In the end the defracted light is the light that adds spice to the exhibits and allow for another layer to penetrate the space.

Concept Models:

Midterm

Final

Notes:

-Difference between rethinking and reproducing

-plan with block in different scales

-good start needs extra step

-south wall should not be treated the same as the north wall

-densify program to maximize other moves– explain idea of core and how it is created

-free up other wall= dualities

-moves in plan set up underlying concept and then address concerns all specs of block

-maybe program should show differences between blocks

-analyze sun in shimmer and affects on wall

-be specific about orientation of building

-need to see blocks from reading- being able to analyze on a small scale

-space dualities

-find areas on ground for rainbow projection is a possibility

For the final, the critics presented ways to rethink the project and ideas of how to go about analyzing and improving it. One thing that really hit home for me in this presentation is how one of the critics was discussing an architects job, and that is to take something conventional and rethink it and transform it into something new and improved. For example, taking an edge condition within my wall and accenting it with a prism- or separating the wall to create an improved conventional corner. Same thing with the core of the building. The core should not be conventional and every aspect of the building needs to incorporate the concept that you are designing for. Since mine was about diffracted light, I should incorporate the spectrum of scales that diffracted light can be made at.  In my project, I was focusing on two scales when I should have had differentiating scales within the wall and throughout the building. I also need to be more specific about my orientation of my building, and need to learn to back it up with more accurate reasonings behind it. Overall, I learned that there is never enough time to get everything you want done, (as stated by the critics), but there is time to analyze the project in greater detail, and that is the step that I need to take further for future projects. Everything from the large scale to the detail scale, I need to make sure that I do not let things slide such as the core in my project.