The Architecture Of Natural Light

Shelter and natural light are fundamental elements of architecture. The firstis concerned with protection from natural elements the second with thecreative and ... » 

Shelter and natural light are fundamental elements of architecture. The firstis concerned with protection from natural elements the second with thecreative and sometimes spiritual interaction between the manmade and thenatural worlds. One is solid and static the other illuminates and animates.Architects through the ages have preoccupied themselves with how to marry thesetwo opposing aspects of architecture a marriage that at its finest transformsnatural light itself into a building material. Seen through the eyes of anarchitect and photographer The Architecture of Natural Light is the firstpublication to consider the many effects of natural illumination incontemporary buildings. This comprehensive and thoughtful survey begins with abrief introduction exploring the advances and experimentation of architectsthroughout the centuries. Each of the following seven chapters is devoted to aspecific quality of natural light including evanescence atomization andluminescence and examines the particular uses of light through manydisciplinesfrom art history to film and literature. With more than fifty casestudies of buildings from around the world this volume considers works by someof the worlds most influential architects including Tadao Ando Steven HollHerzog de Meuron Peter Zumthor Frank Gehry Alvaro Siza Alberto CampoBaeza Rafael Moneo Rem Koolhaas Jean Nouvel Fumihiko Maki and Toyo Itoamong others. For all those seeking to create space that transcends thephysical The Architecture of Natural Light is a powerful and poetic yetpractical survey that provides an original and timeless approach tocontemporary architecture. «