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Nazanin Khodadad
This paper examines the possibility that light - an illusory material - not only
can be experienced as a building material, thereby shifting the notion of
architecture of the material to architecture of the immaterial, but ultimately can be
defined and recognized as architecture of light. Light as architecture is a subtle yet
significant distinction between the belief that light can visually and psychologically
manipulate architectural space and architectural elements, versus the notion that
artificially generated light, independent of traditional architectural elements, can be
defined as architecture. There is no question that light creates ambience, and gives
character to any given space, but can light - whether a single solitary beam of light
controlled in a definitive manner or a multitude of lights flooding an area - perform
as a wall, a column or perhaps, in an extreme scenario, a building? Building upon
previous arguments highlighted in Dietrich Neumanns Architecture of the Night,
The Illuminated Building, this paper expands on the opinion that the visual and
psychological meaning of architecture and architectural space can be perceptually
altered through the integration of artificial light but can also create and become the
architectural space itself. This paper juxtaposes the Cathedral of Lights in 1933
Germany and the Tribute in Light, the aftermath response to 9/11, in which
searchlights used in a similar fashion create and ultimately expand upon the idea
that architecture of light is worthy of the discussion.
*****
So what holds us back from making the case of architecture with light to
architecture of light? Cathedral of Lights physically and visually framed the
Nazanin Khodadad 7
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context in which a Nation rallied to spread its nationalistic propaganda. The
Tribute in Light fills an emotional, visual, physical, and psychological void in a
healing nation. Understanding the motivation and the execution of these two
examples, one can begin to move beyond the notion that light mealy highlights and
distorts existing architectural elements to accepting the notion that light can define,
separate, and create form, space and place, the basic fundamentals to experiencing
architecture. Albert Speer used searchlight to define and create an interior space for
holding the rallies. The theatrics and power of this design is not lost on all who
attended or have seen images of the nighttime rallies. However, it was the tangible
and physical limitations of traditional architecture that demanded a more austere
solution to housing hundreds of thousands of Nazis in one formidable ideology.
Speers solution was to design space using light. Similarly, the designers and
engineers responsible for creating the Tribute in Light understood that tangible
physical materials were limited in capturing the grief and horror of such a tragic
loss. The creators of Tribute also understood that the qualities of the immaterial
could best capture the spirit and tenor of such a nation. Throughout centuries,
architecture has been use to capture the spirit of the time and to give credence to
those in power. For New Yorkers and Americans throughout, these towers of light
have become a symbol of this nation. They have taken their place amongst the
buildings in an effort to complete the skyline thereby becoming the architecture
that replace the architecture. The question continues to be: do these two examples
of lighting design belong in the realm of architecture? The answer is a resounding
yes!
Notes
1
Amos Ih Tiao Chang, The Existence of Intangible Content in Architectonic
Form: Based upon the practicality of Laotzus philosophy, (Princeton: Princeton
2
Dietrich Neumann, ed. Architecture of the Night the Illuminated Building,
(NewYork: Prestel, 2002)
3
Henri Focillon, The Life of Forms In Art, Trans. by Charles Beecher Hogan and
George Kubler. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1942) 65-75
4
Ibid.,75.
5
Although the term artificial light is conventionally used to refer to light
emanating from a source that is artificially generated by man, the term artificial
light and artificial lighting is not altogether appropriate. Light and the properties of
light regardless of how it is produced whether naturally generated by the sun or
artificially generated by man, cannot be regarded as artificial. However, in order
8 Towers of Light: Architecture of the Immaterial
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to maintain consistency with conventional thought, this paper will refer to light
generated by man in its various forms as artificially generated light.
6
Neumann, 40.
7
Julia Brown, Interview with James Turrell. In Julia Brown ed. Occluded Front,
James Turrell (Los Angeles: The Lapis Press, 1985), 42.
8
Neuman
9
Mel Gussow, Abe Feder, Master of Lighting in All its Forms, Dies at 87, New
York Times 26 April 1997, in Proquest Historical Newspapers the New York
Times pg 52 ) < http://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/26/theater/abe-feder-master-of-
lighting-in-all-its-forms-dies-at-87.html> (Retrieved 21 June 2013).
10
Werner Oechslin, Light Architecture: A New Terms Genesis In Dietrich
Neumann, ed. Architecture of the Night the Illuminated Building (New York:
Prestel, 2002), 28.
11
Ibid., 28.
12
Neumann, 46.
13
Albert Speer, interview by Roger Clark, sound archive, 29 Dec. 1979, BBC
Four: Audio Interviews.
<www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audiointerviews/profilepages/speera1.shtml> (Retrieved
22 Nov. 2003). On December 29th, 1979 Albert Speer interviewed with Roger
Clark for a BBC audio interview. The question pertained to designing the
Nuremberg rallies and why they were staged at night.
14
Ibid., 48.
15
John Bennett and Gustavo Bonevardi, Tribute in Light, Creativetime.org,
<http://www.creativetime.org/programs/archive/2002/tribute/jl_pm.html>
(Retrieved 18 June. 2013).
16
Ibid.
17
John Bennett and Gustavo Bonevardi, Tribute in Light, Creativetime.org,
<http://www.creativetime.org/programs/archive/2002/tribute/jb_gb.html>
18
Ibid.
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10 Towers of Light: Architecture of the Immaterial
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Internet Sites
Bennett John and Gustavo Bonevardi, Tribute in Light, Creativetime.org,
<http://www.creativetime.org/programs/archive/2002/tribute/jl_pm.html>
(Retrieved 18 June. 2013).
Gussow, Mel. Abe Feder, Master of Lighting in All its Forms, Dies at 87, New
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pg 52
< http://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/26/theater/abe-feder-master-of-lighting-in-all-
12 Towers of Light: Architecture of the Immaterial
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Speer, Albert. Interview by Roger Clark, sound archive, 29 Dec. 1979, BBC Four:
Audio Interviews.
<www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audiointerviews/profilepages/speera1.shtml> (Retrieved
22 Nov. 2003).