ceiling lights & chandeliers
the architecture of natural light
shelter and natural light are fundamental elements of architecture . the first is concerned with protection from natural elements ; the second with the creative and sometimes spiritual interaction between the man made and the natural worlds . one is solid and static the other illuminates and animates . br architects through the ages have preoccupied themselves with how to marry these two opposing aspects of architecture a marriage that at its finest transforms natural light itself into a building material . seen through the eyes of an architect and photographer the architecture of natural light is the first publication to consider the many effects of natural illumination in contemporary buildings . this comprehensive and thoughtful survey begins with a brief introduction exploring the advances and experimentation of architects throughout the centuries . each of the following seven chapters is devoted to a specific quality of natural light including evanescence atomization and luminescence and examines the particular uses of light through many disciplines from art history to film and literature . with more than fifty case studies of buildings from around the world this volume considers works by some of the worlds most influential architects including tadao ando steven holl herzog & de meuron peter zumthor frank gehry alvaro siza alberto campo baeza rafael moneo rem koolhaas jean nouvel fumihiko maki and toyo ito among others . br for all those seeking to create space that transcends the physical the architecture of natural light is a powerful and poetic yet practical survey that provides an original and timeless approach to contemporary architecture .