Roles Of Daylight In Architecture

“Architecture is not created in a vacuum. It is usually a response to the context in which it becomes constructed reality.” –Bert Bielfeld (p.13)

Based on Nova Scotia Association of Architects (2014), Architecture is the art, science, and business of building; and in line with this are we, the Architects, who are described by the word versatile. We create and build designs for a certain structure such as a residential home, office, skyscrapers, schools, malls, parks, churches, etc. Everything starts with a commission-or contract- from a client who demands something an architect must give. Steven Hall (2013) described Architecture in 4 words: Abstract, Use, Space, and Idea. Architecture inspires our clients and deeply moves them with ideas in

The roles of daylight are considered from two perspectives: art & science, emotion & quantity, or heavenly & earthly. The manipulation of daylight through building designs reflects the creativity of combining and resolving of the ideal struggle between artistic purpose and technical understanding of light. This shows that architecture and light are intimately bonded. Through history, the role of daylight has been one to determine between romantic and plain. It has been often considered as either to be unique in terms of artistic purposes or to meet functional requirements. In fact, light always provides both. For example; in a church, the light is serious and inspirational but it is sufficient to read once the eyes have adopted. Another example is the need for bright conditions in a kitchen which is integral to the character such as a space tends to have. Daylight is to be used both as an appealing medium and as a practical technique to reduce our dependence on electric light. The combination and complementarity of daylight quality and quantity gives us the potential to achieve sustainable and beautiful architecture. (Baker & Steemers, 2002) This is supported in Section 3.3.1 of Guidelines on Energy Conserving Design of Buildings, “The lighting design shall utilize the energy efficient lighting equipment. The lighting system shall be so chosen as to provide a flexible, effective, and pleasing visual environment in accordance with the intended

(Luo, 2009) Daylighting Systems without shading are used to pass on daylight to areas away from the window or opening and Daylighting Systems with shading are systems that rely on diffuse skylight and reject it or sends the direct sunlight to the ceiling or to locations above the eye level. The Daylighting strategies depend on the availability of the natural light and are also affected by the climate and seasons. Daylighting strategies designed for cloudy conditions aim to distribute the light to the interior spaces when the sun is not present. (Johnsen & Watkins, n.d.) Tregenza and Wilson (2011) summarized the Daylighting strategy into 3 aims: [1] to create a diffuse field of light outdoors; [2] to reflect light upwards on to the ceiling of the rooms; and [3] to avoid bright surfaces near the horizontal line of view. (p.88) In relation to this, Baker and Steemers (2002) said that the position, shape, and size of the windows in a room have a strong influence and effect on the distribution and level of daylight. Its objective as a good window design is to avoid strong variation of illuminance. In rooms where the use of windows is intended to be similar throughout the plan, it is appropriate to locate it higher to provide a more even distribution of daylight. The appropriate size of a window should relate to the required and wanted internal illuminance which is related to a person’s activity and the