QUALITY OF LIGHT

• Intensity

  • The combination of color and intensity defines the quality of light that enters a space. The amount of light that is projected on a surface is known as the intensity of light. With increasing intensity of light, the contrast between direct and ambient light increases. 

• Color

  • The sun is the only source of natural light that our planet has. It is a source of white light that contains a vast spectrum of electromagnetic waves. The light we receive at the Earth’s surface travels through the layers of the atmosphere and gets refracted in the way. 

  • The daylight appears mostly to be rich in the shades of yellow because the bluer shades (shorter wavelengths) gets refracted into the atmosphere. Due to the rotation of the earth, light travels through the varying thickness of the atmosphere, we observe a blue-rich diffused light early in the morning that turns orange, to bright yellow, and then again to blue.

• Factors affecting the quality of Light

  • Natural Factors 

    • The change in intensity and colors during the diurnal period is constant but the fact that atmospheric conditions are ever-changing changes the intensity and color of the light coming from the sun.

  • ​Artificial factors

    • ​As the quality of light changes by passing through a medium, building elements can be designed to use reflections, refractions, and deflections to change the intensity and color of light. 

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIGHT AND SPACE
The interface is any kind of element that makes the interaction between light and the space. These interfaces can be designed to modify the quality of light as per the function of the space. Conventional buildings have windows as an interface but there are innumerable examples in history that illustrate interfaces as oculi, colonnades, domes, etc.
 

COLOR PSYCHOLOGY
Colors play a major role in altering the mood of the observer. Starting from shades of blue, they induce the feeling of calmness and peace among the people they are exposed to. Towards the middle of the spectrum, green depicts nature and its elements. Green promotes the feeling of serenity in the surroundings. Warmer shades like yellow bring energy and a sense of positivity to space. Red, the last shade in the spectrum of light becomes alarming and seeks the attention of the users. 
 

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLOR AND SPACE
When a surface enclosing any given space is colored comparatively in a darker shade, it makes the surface seem closer to the viewer. Multiple surfaces can be colored in a scheme to draw the attention of the user or change the visual volume of the space (contraction and expansion). 
 

QUALITY OF LIGHT, SPACE, AND FUNCTION

• In residences, spaces that accommodate a larger amount of people and have a higher level of movement and activity (living rooms, lounges) require more openings in an arrangement that expands the space and allows diffused light to enter. 

• Spaces that vary in their function (lounges, bedrooms) should be designed to receive the high intensity of both the blue-rich and the yellow-rich light. The spaces must have openings to make consecutive surfaces to feel lighter visually expand the space outwards. 

• Spaces that require concentration and solace (study rooms and libraries) should allow warm-toned diffused light to come through the interfaces. The placement of interfaces should allow the space to expand in any of the horizontal axes and should expand upwards to make the space taller.