DISSERTATION ON

WTHOUT LIGHT AND SHADOW THERE IS NO ARCHITECTURE

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirement for the award of degree of
Bachelor of Architecture

Submitted by
Aakash Gupta
B.Arch Semester 7th

Guided by
Ar. CHANDAN KUMAR

College name
Ganga Institute of Architecture And town planning
 Hypothesis

LIGHT AND SHADOW- SPIRIT OF

ARCHITECTURE

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 Certificate
In the partial fulfilment of the B.Arch degree program, this is to
certify that Aakash Gupta has worked on the Dissertation
entitled without light and shadow there is no architecture
under my guidance and supervision.

(Dissertation Guide)
(Director)

External Examiner 1 ..

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ACKNOLEDGEMENTS:

I express my great indebtedness and sincere thanks to Ar. Chandan Kumar, Ganga
Institute of Architecture and town planning, for her valuable guidance and support
throughout the dissertation work. Her discerning guidance, valuable suggestions and
constant encouragement throughout the course of work shall not be forgettable. The
freedom and complete faith that she bestowed on me throughout, inculcated a deep
sense of responsibility to achieve the desired objectives of the project.

I also thank the assessors from various backgrounds for the guidance during the
project. Without their help this work would have never been accomplished so
successfully. And last but not the least I would express my hearty thanks to all friends
and my family who have extended their support for the success of this independent
study.

DECLARATION:

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I, AAKASH GUPTA, hereby declare that the dissertation entitled WITHOUT
LIGHT AND SHADOW THERE IS NO ARCHITECTURE submitted in
the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Bachelor of Architecture is my original research work and that the
information taken from secondary sources is given due citations and
references.

Date:

Place: .
NAME

B.ARCH

SEMESTER

CONTENTS

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction...
1.2 Aim.
1.3 Objective...
1.4 Scope
1.5 Limitations ..
1.6 Study will include
1.7 Methodology

2. LIGHT, SHADOW & ARCHITECTURE

2.1 Shadow and Architecture...
2.2 Light and Architecture
2.2.1 How Shadow become matter of interest
2.3 Light and Shadow

3. TYPES OF SHADOW
3.1 Attached Shadow
3.2 Shading
3.3 Cast Shadow

4. SHADOW THROUGH ELEMENTS

4.1 Shadow through Columns
4.2 Jali Shadow
4.3 Light and Shadow through translucent barriers
4.4 Focus of light
4.5 Shadow through Arches

5. SHADOW ALGORITHM
5.1 Hard Shadow
5.2 Soft Shadow
5.3 General method of casting shadow
5.3.1 The method of Oblique Projections
5.3.2 The method of Circumscibing Surfaces
5.3.3 The method of Auxiliary Shadow
5.3.4 The Slicing method
5.4 Uses of Conventional Shadow

6. SUN AND ARCHITECTURE

6.1 Azinuth lines
6.2 Altitude lines
6.3 Date lines
6.4 Hour lines
6.5 Reading the sun position

7. PHILOSOPHIES
7.1 Louis I Kahn
7.2 Le Corbusier
7.3 Peter Zumthor
7.4 Ar. Juhani Pallasmaa
7.5 Tadao Ando

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 8. CASE STUDIES
8.1 Salk Institute, LA, Jolla, California
8.2 Koshino House- Ashiya, Hyogo
8.3 Church of Light, Ibaraki, Osaka
8.4 Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India
8.5 Live examples

9. CONCLUSION

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

As we all know that light is essential for various activities and shadows are intrinsically
connected with light. Light is inseparable from the notion of form and space and so is
shadow from light. The ambience of a space is affected by the quality of light and
shadows. Treatment of light and shadows has been a typical feature of traditional
Japanese architecture which understands and lays importance to the design of areas in

shade from a source of light.

To plan the building as a pure mass of shadow then, afterwards, to put in light as if you
were hollowing out the darkness, as if the light were a new mass seeping in.

The area of study of this dissertation will be based on the idea that if the lighted parts of
an object are too light, the form of it is difficult to perceive, and if the parts in shadow
are too dark no form will be seen. When light falls on a relief perpendicular to its
surface, there will be a minimum of shadows. The intricacies will hardly be visible.
Similarly perception of texture also depends on minute differences in relief. The

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dynamic nature of the shadows cast by sunlight gives an immense potential to
effectively design and create shades and shadows. Ordinary day-to-day phenomenon
like openings along a long corridor create patches of light and shadow and breaks the
monotony of the long walk. Elements of buildings such as sunshades, jaalis, screens,
louvres, etc cast shadows which have shapes. The phenomenology of shadows is an
important aspect of spaces.

1.1 AIM

To study the relevance of light and shadow in architecture.

Without Light and Shadow, there is no architecture.

1.2 OBJECTIVE

To study, in brief, the role of shadows in spatial design throughout the history of
architecture in a chronological way.
To study the role of shadows in the design of contemporary spaces, taking up
examples and case-studies
Attempt to formulate/arrive at generalities to assist the incorporation of 'shadow-
design' in the basic design of spaces and building.
Study does light and shadow have power to give form to architecture.
Detailed study of parameters of different types of shadows affect the building.
To analyse how the light and shadow became the matter if interest in
architecture.
Study of LIGHT AND SHADOWS THROUGH TRANSLUCENT BARRIERS

1.3 SCOPE

The study will analyze the role of self-shadows and cast-shadows (formed under
natural light) in spatial design.
Understand and analyze the effects of the two different types of shadows (with a
visual boundary and without a visual boundary)
Study changes in the use of light and shadow throughout the history of
architecture

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 By studing how the light and shadow reacts with the building and how it reacts
widout the light and shadow.
Light & Shadow- The Spirit of a Building.

1.4 LIMITATIONS

Shade/shadow is seen as absence or relative deficiency of light. Hence, a direct

quantification is not possible.
The study has been limited to use of natural light in buildings to streamline the
topic of study due to time and text limitations.

1.5 THE STUDY WILL INCLUDE

Visual perception of the spaces

Basic understanding of tones, intensity etc

Understanding the role of light and shadow based on the data collection. Live
examples.

How shadow react with different objects, colour, texture.

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 Chapter 2

Light, Shadow and Architecture

2.1 SHADOW AND ARCHITECTURE

A shadow is a region where light from a light source is obstructed by an opaque object.
It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it.
The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or reverse projection of
the object blocking the light.

Shadow of an object mainly depends on 3 criteria

1- SOURCE OF LIGHT.
2- SURFACE CREATING SHADOW.
3- THE SURFACE ON WHICH SHADOW IS FORMED.

Shadow also plays an important role in proportion. It depends on the environment and
the scale of the surface on which shadow is dealing. For example shadows in city level
is used to shade streets. And in unit level it is used to shade small areas.

The intensity of shadows depends upon the opaqueness of the object. The more
transparent the materiel less the intensity of the shadow.

Voids become solids when the surface blocks the sunlight e.g.

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It is with shadows that the designer models his building, gives it texture, "color," relief,
proportions. Imagine a building executed in pure white marble and exposed, not to
sunlight, but to uniformly diffused light that would cast no shadows. The building would
have no other apparent form than that of its con- tour. It would seem as flat as a great
unbroken wall. Cornices, colonnades, all details, all projections within the contour lines,
would disappear. The beauty of all the carefully wrought details, the fine balance and
proportion of masses that had engaged the skill and enthusiasm of the designer, would
vanish.

Shadows: make tangible what is intangible

2.2 LIGHT AND ARCHITECTURE

Light creates a feeling of emotions. The origin of light is natural light, which is also
known as daylight. There must always be space for natural light; even when people
design artificial light, they will want it to look like natural light.

Light controls people's behavior and emotions. It can make people even happier. When
people design light for space they need to put in position of people working in that
space. Even lighting seems very functional. For example when people in the park, the
streetlight and underground artificial light make people feel uncomfortable. But if it were
natural light, people would feel comfortable. Users will create a new space from the
feeling, which combines the comfort provided by natural light, and the users own
feelings and emotions.

Light is the soul of architecture design. Light allows us to see, to know where we are
and what around us. Beyond exposing things to view and feel, light models those
objects to enhance visual and to help us define the physical world. Nothing would be
visible without light, light also makes it possible to express and show to the mind's eye
things that eludes the physical one. Light helps us redefine the relationships of people
with the environment and with themselves. It is divided into natural light and artificial
light.

2.2.1 HOW SHADOW BECAME A MATTER OF INTREST

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The projection of shadows is a problem that plagued artists and art theorists of the
Renaissance. When the representation of the visual world of three dimensions again
became a task for painting, the problem of representing light, and the shadow caused
when an object impedes the path of light, became increasingly important. Shadows that
overlie the objects creating them-the modeling shadow of painting-give the effect of
relief. Shadows cast by one object on to another make the objects seem to stand out,
and help us to locate them in space. Cast shadows also give clues to the shape,
direction, relative distance from the eye and position of the source of light.' To the artists
and art theorists of the Renaissance the proper depiction of shadows therefore held
great interest.

2.3 LIGHT AND SHADOW

A building is never experienced all at once or from a distance. The journey through the
building influences the perception of the user. Among all the arts, architecture engages
the most with our sensory perceptions. The complete experience of architecture can be
gained only when elements like colour, texture, material, detail and light and shadow
are incorporated. Architecture speaks through the silence of perceptual phenomena.
The sensations and the perceptions of the user are controlled by the various elements
like light, colour and sound.

Perception is the process or method of gaining or gathering information through the

various senses. At times, an object could even be perceived in a different way because
of the pre conceived notion the person has about the object. In the case of visual
perception, the decision on how the space is perceived is left on the mind of the
occupant. Every time we move or act, the environment around us keeps changing and
hence our perception about the environment also changes.

Architecture could be perceived in many different ways through the various senses. In
architecture, visual perception is the most important as sight is the most dominant
sense which helps us to appreciate the minute distinctions.

One may conceive a space as a 'container' of material objects whose framework needs
to be filled, but this conception may differ from person to person because of their

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experience within the space.

Chapter 3

TYPES OF SHADOW

1. Attached shadow

2. Shading

3. Cast shadow

3.1 ATTACHED SHADOW

The attached shadow falls on the body itself like a cantilever

roof causing a shadow on the faade.

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3.2 SHADING

The second type belongs to bright and dark contrasts, which are inherent to the form
and depend only on the source of light, e.g. a ball shaped pavilion, which even under a
cast sky shows a darker zone in the lower part.

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3.3 CAST SHADOW
The third, cast shadow could be the result of a high house generating shadow on the
street due to the projection of the building outline.

Chapter 4

SHADOW THROUGH ELEMENTS

4.1 SHADOW THROUGH COLUMNS

As per Louis Kahn, Greek architecture introduces

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 the concept of light,no-light through columns.
In ancient times columns showed people the
day time through the length of shadows
In modern times it is used both for visual effect
and light obstruction apart from structural
element.

4.2 JALI SHADOWS

Mostly jalis are aesthetic usage of light and shadow

Jalis create patterned shadows over a building or on the exterior
In some cases they are used to bring in or allow partial light
Jalis reduces the intensity of light.

4.3 LIGHT AND SHADOWS THROUGH TRANSLUCENT

BARRIERS

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 Light can travel through any medium. Therefore architects use this
property of light to emphasize their architecture.
Translucent materials serve as a filter to the direct sunlight hence making
the inner spaces pleasant and comfortable

4.4 FOCUS OF LIGHT

Light shadows sometimes play as black and white/ good or bad
Walls or ceiling cut outs focuses the source of light
These pictures include usage of light and shadow as a form of giver for
silent spaces
Axel Schultes in his idea of crematorium tried to use shadow as the
symbol of sad and light as the hope of existence of higher entity.
Tadao andos church of light is built in such a way that it restricts light from
all directions making the entire building dark and the wall facing east
allows light in the cruciform and is the only prominent religious symbol in
the church .
As per Louis Kahn- Even a space intended to be dark should have just
enough light from some mysterious opening to tell us how dark it really is.

4.5 SHADOW THROUGH ARCHES

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 Apart from being structural elements arches also show light and
shadow technique performed by architects
Shadows created by arches in some cases increases or decreases the
depth of the path it follows
Louis Kahn The outside belongs to the sun and on the inside people
live and work. In order to avoid protection from the sun I invented the idea
of a deep intrados that protects the cool shadow.

Chapter 5

SHADOW ALGORITHM

5.1 Hard shadows

This section discusses shadow algorithms for hard shadows, where the display of the
umbra section alone is required .Calculation of hard shadows involves only the
determination of whether or not a point in the scene is in shadow of opaque objects

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5.2 Soft shadows
The inclusion of the penumbra region along with the umbra, for a higher level of visual
quality. The umbra region is due to full occlusion from the light, and the penumbra
region is due to only partial occlusion from the light. The degree of partial occlusion
from the light results in different intensities of the penumbra region.

5.3 GENERAL METHODS OF CASTING SHADOW

The problem of casting shadows may be reduced to the problem of representing

the rays which pass through points in the shade line of an object, and finding the
points at which those rays strike another object.

According to the character of the objects which cast or receive the shadows,
however, this problem requires various methods of attack. Of these methods,
four, which arc those most generally applicable in dealing with architectural
forms, are outlined below. They will be called:

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 1. The Method of Oblique Projection.
2. The fletched of Circumscribing Surfaces.
3. The Method of Auxiliary Shadows.
4. The Slicing Method.

A brief preliminary consideration of each of these here follows:

5.3.1 THE MEHTOD OF OBLIQUE PROJECTION

This method consists simply in drawing the forty-five-degree lines representing

the rays tangent to an object or passing through its shade edges, to find the

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 points of the shade line; and in finding the points where these rays strike any
other object involved in the problem. The shadow will evidently be an oblique
projection of the object casting it.

To find on any front plane the shadow; any point, one needs to know only the
elevations of the plane and of the point, and the distance of the point in front of
the plane. For, since the ray R moves equally downward, backward and to the
right, in elevation, of the point A will lie on the elevation of the ray passing
through A, the forty-five-degree line. Evidently, then, the plan might have been
dispensed with in determining.

5.3.2 THE METHOD OF CIRCUMSCRIBING SURFACES

The application of this method depends on the principle that at a point of
tangency of two surfaces, whatever is true of one surface is also true of the
other; for such a point is common to both. If, then, we have a surface whose
shade line is to be determined, and we circumscribe about this surface a tangent
surface whose line of tangency and shade line are readily determined, it is
evident that the point at which the shade line of the circumscribing surface
crosses the line of tangency of the two surfaces will be a point of the shade line
of the given surface.
For, whatever is true of the circumscribing surface on the line of tangency will be
true of the given surface on that line; and the point where the shade line of the
former surface crosses the line of tangency of the two will be a point of the
shade line of the former; therefore it will also be a point of the shade line of the
latter, or given surface.

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5.3.3 THE METHOD OF AUXILIARY SHADOW
The application of this method depends upon the principles
that, (a) if upon any surface of revolution a series of
auxiliary curves be drawn, the shadow of the surface will
include the shadows of all the auxiliaries, and will be
tangent to those that cross the shade line of the surface, at
points which are the shadows of the points of crossing; and
that (b) the point of intersection of two shadow lines is the
shadow of the point of intersection of those lines, if they are
intersecting lines; or the shadow of the point where the
shadow of one line crosses the other line, if they are not
intersecting lines.
It is evident from the above that if we have the intersection
of the shadows of two lines, or their point of tangency, we
may pass back along the way through the intersection or
tangent point of the shadows until we arrive at the
intersection or tangency of the lines casting those shadows.
The application of this method is much facilitated by the
choice of auxiliary lines whose shadows may be cast as
readily and as accurately as possible. It is often possible,
also, to choose such a plane to receive auxiliary shadows as
will simplify the construction.

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5.3.4 THE SLICING METHOD

This method consists in (a) cutting through the object casting the
shadow and that receiving it with vertical planes parallel to the
rays of light, and (b) in determining points of shade and shadow
by drawing rays from points in the slices cut by the auxiliary
planes on the first object, to those in the slices cut on the
receiving object.

5.4 USES OF CONVENTIONAL SHADOW

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 One of the purposes of the casting of shadows on architectural drawings is to
render those drawings easy of direct interpretation. Evidently, the greatly
projecting parts of a building will cast wider or deeper shadows than those parts
which project less. It is also evident that the width and depth of shadows will
depend upon the direction of light. That is, given a certain direction of light, the
projections of parts of a building beyond other parts will be measured by the
widths and depths of their shadows.

In as much as the lighting of most architectural objects will be by the direct rays
of the sun's light, the sun is by common convention assumed as the source of
light in architectural drawings. The rays of light are therefore assumed to be
parallel. Since for practical purposes the sun may be considered to be at an
infinite distance, the rays of light are considered to be parallel, the convergence
of its rays, which is infinitesimal for any such distances as, would appear in
architectural work, being neglected.

Now, if by common agreement a certain conventional direction of light be always

assumed in the rendering of architectural drawings, the forms represented by
those drawings may be readily interpreted from the forms and extent of the
shadows which the different parts cast. Furthermore, it will be best not only to
use a direction of light generally agreed upon, but a direction which will be as
nearly as possible an average of different directions of sunlight. It is further
evident that it will be much easier to cast shadows with certain directions of light
than with others, and that it will therefore be most convenient to choose such a
direction as will render the construction as simple as possible.

For all the above reasons it has been universally customary in architectural
practice to consider the direction of light as being parallel to that diagonal of a
cube drawn from the upper left front corner to the lower right back corner, the
bottom of the cube being parallel to the ground and its front parallel to a front
plane. A ray having this direction is called the "conventional ray," and will
hereafter be referred to as the" ray R."

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 Chapter 6

SUN AND ARCHITECTURE

Sun path diagrams can tell you a lot about how the sun will impact your site and
building throughout the year. Stereographic sun path diagrams can be used to
read the solar azimuth and altitude for a given location.

6.1 Azimuth Lines - Azimuth angles run around the edge of the diagram.

6.2 Altitude Lines - Altitude angles are represented as concentric circular dotted
lines that run from the center of the diagram out.

6.3 Date Lines - Date lines start on the eastern side of the graph and run to the
western side and represent the path of the sun on one particular day of the year.
In Ecotect, the first day of January to June are shown as solid lines, while July to
December are shown as dotted lines.

6.4 Hour Lines/ Analemma - Hour lines are shown as figure-eight-type lines
that intersect the date lines and represent the position of the sun at a specific
hour of the day. The intersection points between date and hour lines give the
position of the sun.

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 6.5 Reading the
Sun Position
(Step-by-Step)
1. Locate the
required hour line on
the diagram.
2. Locate the
required date line,
remembering that solid
are used for Jan-June
and dotted lines for
July-Dec. Annotated stereographic sun path diagram.
3. Find the
intersection point of the hour and date lines. Remember to intersect solid with solid and
dotted with dotted lines.
4. Draw a line from the very center of the diagram, through the intersection point,

out to the perimeter of the diagram.

5. Read the azimuth as an angle taken clockwise from north. In this

case, the value is about 62.
6. Trace a concentric circle around from the intersection point to the
vertical north axis, on which is displayed the altitude angles.
7. Interpolate between the concentric circle lines to find the altitude. In
this case the intersection point sits exactly on the 30 line.
8. This gives the position of the sun, fully defined as an azimuth and
altitude.

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 Chapter 7

PHILOSOPHIES

More Light Matters, after the break

Louis kahn- Greek architecture taught me that the column is where the light is not
and the space between is where the light is. It is a matter of no-light, light, no-light,
light. A column and a column brings light between them

LE CORBUSIER- Architecture is the skillful, accurate and magnificent plays of

volumes seen in light

Architect Peter Zumthor listed the following as one his favourite ideas: "to plan
the building as a pure mass of shadow then, afterwards, to put in light as if you were
hollowing out the darkness, as if the light were a new mass seeping in"

Ar Juhani Pallasmaa on shadows: "The imagination and daydreaming are

stimulated by dim light and shadow. In order to think clearly, the sharpness of vision
has to be suppressed, for thoughts travel with an absent-minded and unfocussed
gaze.

Tadao Ando, a Japanese self-taught architect, also does similar works which reveal
the beauty of shadow by the use of light. In his words,

I try to relate the fixed form and compositional method to the kind of life that will be
lived in the given space and to local regional society.

Ando, in his design, uses this dramatic and contrasting effect of light and shadow
which gives a feeling of serenity and tranquility, which is the kind of experience people
look for in any type of building ,whether a church or a house.

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Shadow has a great importance in architecture which we see is realized by only some
architects like Louis Kahn, Sverre Fehn and Tadao Ando. If architecture is to be
experienced, it can be done by using light and shadow.

A space is experienced by what we see and what we interpret. This perception comes
from the amount of light a space integrates and the way the light is taken in. In
architecture, light and shadow can be experienced in a space by the use of different
elements and materials. As said by Kahn, it is a matter of light and no light; a pathway
when shaded through some trees seems to be more comfortable to walk on instead of
one open to sunlight. Here the tree becomes the element and pathway, the space.

Kahn believed that the dark shadow is a natural part of light; Kahn never attempted a
pure dark space for a formal effect. For him, a glimpse of light elucidated the level of
darkness: A plan of a building should be read like a harmony of spaces in light. Even a
space intended to be dark should have just enough light from some mysterious opening
to tell us how dark it really is. Each space must be defined by its structure and the
character of its natural light.

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 Chapter 8

CASE STUDIES

8.1 SALK INSTITUTE, LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA

The Salk institute is no doubt its Kahns most influential design. The concept was to
surround the primary spaces with shadow-giving walls which he described as
wrapping ruins around the building.

The plan was a top lit central space surrounded by series of independent room
buildings and the concept followed with shaping the servant spaces in plan and section
within the structure.

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The institute had to be designed such that Picasso could be invited to meet the
scientists. Thus the institute is to be a place where science and art could meet, a place
of new experience.

The buildings each have six stories, with the first

three floors containing laboratories and the last
three with utilities. These spaces are connected
to protruding towers that contain spaces for
individual studies linked with bridges. The
separation of the laboratories and the individual
study spaces was intended by Kahn,
establishing the different activities.

Like in most of the Kahn's buildings, the entrance is not directly seen. After passing
through a small foyer, there appears a central court surrounded by the three floor height
inside of the building and lightened from above. Such an open space with 'just right'
amount of light and created shadow not only serves as the access to various rooms but
also encourages informal meets and discussions.

Due to zoning codes, the first two stories had to be underground, sinking the
laboratories in the courtyard. In order for these spaces to receive ample sunlight, Kahn
designed a series of light wells on both sides of each building .The laboratories above
ground are also well-lit spaces with large glass panes for their exterior walls.

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The effect of light and shadow in the buildings was emphasized by the correct choice of
materials like white stone and grey concrete which serves as a monotonous three
dimensional canvas for the shadows to cast on. Shades turns into essential element to
reveal the arrangement and form of the created volumes.

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Page | xxxii
8.2 KOSHINO HOUSE ASHIYA, HYOGO

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Another outrageous example created by famous architect tadao ando in the city of
Ashiya. Koshino house represented a fresh start for tadao ando as he explored the
form, structure and light architecture in this project. He introduced the idea of
connecting spaces of inside and outside and making them communicate by creating
gaps in the walls and between the wall and roof.

The house originally consisted of two parallel, rectangular concrete boxes. The volume
closer to the entrance contains a double height living room and a kitchen, and the lower
block on the downhill side, has a series of six identical rooms.

The most unusual feature about this house on the pleasant wooded site is that the
visitor approaches it from the above. Therefore, they are fully aware of the footprint of
the house.

This project was an attempt to create architecture as landscape as is placed on the

site.

In Koshino house, ando has arranged a large variety of openings. These openings
which make an orchestrated effect within the house and create an unusual ambience
through light and shadow are the beauty of the house.

The double-height living room which offers a view of the outside garden and landscape
is lightened by the gaps between the roof and the wall from above. This light highlights
Another cascading series of
the large concrete walls and casts shadow within whole of the living room making the
windows in the hallway, outside
sitting cool and calm.
the bedroom and the gaps
between the walls and the
ceiling allows the light to enter
the interior space emphasizing
the texture of the walls and the
solidity of the structure.

Thus, light and shadow in this

case is not experimented by the
arrangement of forms and
structures (as we observe in
the Pol houses in India) but by
the degree of permissibility of
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light by varying opening sizes.
More of his projects like Kidosaki house in Tokyo, Church of light in Osaka, Benetton
Communication Research Centre in Italy and Meditation Space of UNESCO in France
reflect such use of light and shadow in architecture.

8.3 CHURCH OF LIGHT, IBARAKI, OSAKA

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When describing this project, architect refers to a quest for a relation between light and
shadow, and for the need for a shelter for the holy spirit.

The church of Light is another structure which directly affects peace and harmony as
soon as you enter it.

The box-shaped building, large enough to inscribe three spheres 19feet in diameter, is
penetrated by a wall at a 15 degree angle. The diagonal wall which is completely free
standing divides the main space into the chapel and a vestibule. From the vestibule, we
pass through an opening in the diagonal wall and turning 180 degrees find ourselves in
the chapel.

The extraordinary element in this work of Ando is the cruciform slit in the wall at the far
end of the chapel. The slit is enlightened by the morning sun creating a cross of light.

The inside is like a pinhole camera and the cross is dazzling. The cross is like an
ornament within the empty space. This shining surface of the church captures the
attention of the people and thus helps them to concentrate in their prayer. The shadow
created by the walls makes the inner structure soothing and pleasant and increases the
comfort level of people.

The church offers both representational

and abstract nature. A patch of light is
cast on the floors of the church and the
natural materials are under shadow and
still.

This is how an architect plays with the

human psychology through his
architecture and brings them closer to
God and nature just through a pinch of
light!

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8.4 INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, AHMEDABAD, INDIA

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The Indian Institute of Management is, or should be, among Louis Kahns master
works.

The extensive campus complex combines all the characteristic elements that make
Kahns work unique. Vastly monumental, IIM IS A FEAST OF LIGHT AND SHADE,
VISTAS AND VIEWS, CONNECTIONS AND TRANSITIONS.

Huge open spaces depict the freedom of thought, the principle that embodies IIM.
Distinctive of Kahns work, large circles are carved out of north and east faades of the
main buildings and dormitories.

Student building and student dorm have been placed diagonally to take advantage of
winds from south west. All the openings are designed to overlook the adjacent and
landscape garden. Windows are high to get glare free light.

In dormitories the position of the staircase and washroom are meant to protect the living
room from sun and glare without obstructing and the breeze and ventilation. The dorms
are placed one behind the other to obtain the much needed breeze and cross
ventilation.

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 Concept
Kahn conceived the Indian Institute of
Management as a mixture of austerity and
majesty, including spaces for informal
interaction and achieving a balance between
modernism and tradition, which captured the
timeless spirit of India.

Features
Distinctive features of these buildings include
the many square arches and brick structures
on the walls with carved circles shading the
inner walls.

Spaces
The special social conditions and site
determined the organization and
layout of spaces.

With the location given to the three

main parts of the whole school, the
residence of students and teachers
houses managed to maximize the
airflow and thereby improve
ventilation. The intense light and heat
were attenuated by covered
walkways, light boxes and interior
courtyards. All these elements are
integrated in the whole plastically.

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EXAMPLES

Shadow can not only be seen within a house

or an institution but also outside on a larger
scale on streets.

The image (first on right) shows the

arrangement of the houses along the narrow
streets in the old city of Surat which
immediately suggests the importance of
shadow for the people living in and moving
around that area.

The shadow creates a break in the street

receiving the direct sunlight. Thus this space
remains cooler and hence pleasant.

Similarly we see how important shadow is to

the people who sell items roadside.

Thus, shadow is not just an aesthetic element

but also serves a comfortable
atmosphere.

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Chapter 9
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 CONCLUSION

The complete experience of architecture can be gained only when elements like colour,
texture, material, detail and light and shadow are incorporated. Architecture speaks
through the silence of perceptual phenomena. (Steven Holl, 2006, p41). The sensations
and the perceptions of the user are controlled by the various elements like light, colour
and sound.

Light can only be experienced through shadow.

A building can be experienced through its spaces.

Light and shadow shapes the experience of a space!

We saw how we come across the effect of light and shadow in a structure. They not
only enhance the elements of the building but also provide a cozy environment to walk
into. They remind us not just of the existence of the sun but also (because they change
so markedly as the day goes by) of the passage of time.

Thus, this study defines the significance of shadow in architecture and in our lives.

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