Space and Light

Among the most basic elements architects have to design with are: Space and Light.

As Lao Tzu said “The utility of the cup comes from the emptiness of the vessel”.

S P A C E

We know that uncomfortable feeling of a person standing a bit too close and wish they would scooch over or the space we wish were smaller when an empty parking lot can feel somewhat spooky.  Humans have senses that are still very primal- our vision, our hearing help govern our feeling of proximal distance that feels comfortable -or not. As do cultural norm:s where standing in line in Nanjing is a mind-bending episode for many westerners.  

So as an interesting trial, notice the next times you are in social situations and observe the distances that people keep from one another and note their relationships…2 person, 3-persons, groups.  The maximum diameter of the group is usually 8′-10′. This has to do with the normal range of conversation and also the visual ability of humans to fully judge facial expressions.  Even in hotel lobbies, seating is accordingly clustered in groups, and you can see it in action.  In eastern cultures, (from my experience) it is “normal” to stand or be seated about  one-third closer  that we’ll see in NYC….it takes some getting used to.

Notice how speed and tasks affect the perception of space. 35 miles per hour on certain roads feels slow, but too fast in a parking lot. 

L I G H T

Is a powerful tool in the designers tool-kit. Light’s ability to make space , walls, people, textures and color appear beautiful or bland is well understood. Brightness, color rendition and beam spread are critical for illumination.

Intensity and brightness is critical for reading , even more so for surgery and examination. But take your go-to romantic restaurant for an anniversary with bright lighting and it feels in-congruent, Brightness is measured in foot-candles or lux, Most light-bulbs are labeled accordingly.

Lighting levels should be designed in relation to the tasks at hand : partly for human comfort, efficacy and of course for energy conservation.

Color of the light (or sky) plays a major factor in our ability to read the correct color We’ve all tried to find our car in an old parking lot with the mercury vapor lights, the ones that renders color so poorly that we have difficulty finding our car. We also know the soft seductive glow of a candle and camp-fire with the warm glow and flickering intensity that signals intimacy.  The “color” rendition of the light bulb or lamp as it is called in the trade is measured through various scales  (CRI, Kevin, Stokes etc)   , some produce a warmer , some cooler tones which can be appropriate for different purposes, materials and situations.