SOUND SKETCH

LIGHT AND HUMAN HEALTH

The human body is so complicated and very sensitive to our environment. Numerous recent chronobiological studies have revealed the influence of light on our health, both mentally and physically.  Our natural circadian causes our body to behave with different responses to light patterns.  When daylight decreases our body produces a hormone called melatonin that promotes sleep.  This hormone is sensitive to both natural and artificial light.  Another factor the human body has with light is the effects of blue wavelengths in decreasing the levels of melatonin.

Cancer is a common disease among night shift workers and shift nurses, who have to work against the body’s natural instinct of being awake during the night. There can be architectural solutions for this problem by having both dark and light spaces designed specifically for the workers activity needs.

Lights relationship to the body’s health requires special attention to individual needs. Each person may have different preferences to the amount of light, color and intensity of light.  It is necessary to think about the individuals using the space, and create a design with controllable lighting systems. Designs for the elderly, and individuals with disabilities are critical because of the quality and quantity of light necessary for their movement and activities in the space.

These findings reveal the important roll of interior architects in design considerations of daylight on interior spaces.  Creating spaces that cause less Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) by balancing the amount of red and blue light in their artificial lighting design creates a space with less undesirable physiological, mental, and behavioral effects on the end user. 

REVEALING THE NATURAL LIGHT

As described in the “Light Revealing Experience” essay, our experience of light comes from places that we know:  the house that we grew up in, our school, the cities that we’ve lived or visited, and many other environments.

During winter, one of the most pleasant moments of my childhood was when I felt the morning sunlight on my skin. The morning light shined through a large picture window and filled the living room. Although the size of the window caused energy loss during the summer and winter months, the area that it lit up was warm and soothing.

 Often, living or spending time in a place can help us understand the attitude, and patterns of light.  Such is the case in my current home, when it had taken me an entire year to figure out the intensity of the sun light as it shined into the dining room during the summer months, and specifically the afternoons. The different qualities of light can dramatically alter our understanding of the Sun’s movement. Observing the transition of the light in a small cozy dining room as a source of heat and light, even when the window shade is drawn to prevent the suns glare, is enchanting. This experience reveals different roles of light throughout the day.

In considering climate problems, engaging the lighting conditions into design solutions allows light to play a major role in the creative process.  As in Iranian historical architecture, empty frames were used in various weather conditions. They were constructed from wood, and then covered with glass to form a window. Also, they could be assembled in a way to shape a wall for a balcony. These balcony walls had successfully prevented the sun from shining directly into the space during hot and humid weather conditions.  This design feature helped facilitated air circulation while creating beautiful patterns and textures of light on the surrounding surfaces. Other design features of these frames had them completely covered with various colors of glass for both the hot and dry conditions. 

  

 Another experience I can recall was walking through a historical shopping center called a “Bazaar”, and seeing light as an image of nature.  Typically, the Bazaar is a permanent enclosed merchandising area with controlled climate conditions, and has streets of shops where goods and services are exchanged and sold. Walking through with stores on either sides, surrounded by sounds and attractions, is a surreal world. Suddenly, I saw a beam of light coming through an opening of the ceiling as an unexpected phenomenon.  It was a pleasant surprise, in an unlikely place. 

 The use of skylights as a design solution can bring light to the inner portions of a building that would otherwise be dim, but careful considerations in its application must be anticipated.  As in any design solution it can be successful or unsuccessful. A successful example of this design features is used by Steven Holl at the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki, Finland. Holl’s use of a skylight brings diffused light into the inner space, and brightens the entrance hall in an artistic and spiritual way. An unsuccessful attempt with the use of a skylight is the main building of the Engineering Department at the University of Mashhad. The skylight in the lobby brings straight and intense sunlight into the building. It has no filtration and makes it too hot during the summer months. The designer disregarded the fact that light has two simultaneous aspects of illumination and heat that might make visiting such buildings an unpleasant experience.

In adding to my past experiences of light, studying this course with detailed reading and experimentation will be helpful in understanding the patterns of daylight, and the manipulation I could use to create lively spaces.