DYNAMIC
EFFECTS 
NavigationISSUED: 11 April, 2002
DUE: 2 May, 2002
Exercise
8:
Devising a way to communicate the dynamic character of daylight
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As discussed in class, our previous exercises have not addressed the communication of the dynamic aspects of daylight in architectural space. This is in large part because changes in time are difficult to represent in the media normally used to document our exercises or, indeed, in the methods used for architectural representation today. Yet of all the properties of daylight in architectural space, dynamic temporal variation may be the most tantalizing. This exercise asks you to design a method for documenting and presenting the dynamic aspects of daylight in an architectural space. The space may be hypothetical (either an existing or new model) or an existing full scale space (or I guess a full scale space constructed for this exercise). I would encourage you to use this exercise as a vehicle for the investigation of light in your current studio project. You may select the time period represented by your method. I assume that this would range from 10 minutes to a full day but in either case would preserve temporal continuity. The method of your presentation may address quantitative or qualitative aspects of light or perhaps both. Representation can be literal or figurative. |
During class we briefly discussed a roster of potential techniques for this exercise. I anticipate that this roster will include:
1. Diagrammatic: patterns of change as contours on a diagram, the surfaces of a model, or in the volume of a model. An example was the French Blue et Jaune exhibit.
2. Photographs: still photos could represent variation with the use of sequence (perhaps projected via a lap dissolve unit), stills in a flipbook, multiple exposure on a single frame, very long exposure on a single frame, or the static display of sequential photographs. Recent work with the Campbell Scientific data acquisition systems has produced the capability of remotely firing a motor-drive Nikon camera on a predetermined schedule of exposures.[1]
3. Graphs: Bar graphs, animated isolux diagrams, three-dimensional model "graphs".
4. Videotape: use of new technology for time-lapse video. The Building Science lab has a somewhat dated capability of producing VHS time lapse video images.1 I also have an attachment for SONY camcorders that produces time lapse images.
5. Drawings: Flipbook, life drawings of light, image of one view painted under range of light conditions.
6. Narrative, music or poetry.
There are many, many ways to approach this problem. I encourage you to develop a method that might be useful in the afterlife (after Arch. 245.) Have fun and good luck.[1]. The only two problems with much of our Building Science lab equipment are expense and complexity. The Nikon still (personal) and Panasonic video devices are fairly valuable and probably not appropriate for unattended use in public spaces. Each system will also require a bit of time commitment in order for you to learn its operation (probably only a couple of hours each). If you are game to try it though, we can work something out.
