CarloScarpa:MuseodelCastelvecchio,Verona(196164).Lightcreatescontrasts:theroomsinthemuseumareplasteredwithroughStuccoallaveneziana.

Scarpausesittodiffusethelight
evenlyandwithoutreflectionsandtoprovideacontrasttothesmooth,darkpedestalsoftheexhibits.PhotobyVaclavSedy/CisaA.Palladio.

Lightandmaterialsaremutuallydependentoneachother.Materialsarekeytounderstandinglightinarchitecturebecausetheydirectlyaffectthequantityandthe
qualityofthelight.Twoqualitiesofmaterialstheirfinishandtheircoloraremostimportantinthisregard.Specularmaterials,suchasglossyfinishes,reflect
lightasamirrordoes,whichcanresultinreflectedimagesofthelightsourcebeingvisibleonthesurface.Mattesurfaces,suchasnaturalstone,wood,andplaster,
reflectlightdiffuselyequallyinalldirections.Ofthethreeaspectsofcolorhue,value,andintensityvalueistheonethatdetermineshowmuchlightisabsorbed
andhowmuchisreflected.Awhitewallreflectsapproximately82percentofincidentlight,alightyellowwall78percent,andadarkgreenorbluewall7percent.1
Coloredsurfaceslendsomeoftheirhuetolightthatisreflected.

Achangeinmaterialscanalterthefeelingofaroomandthelevelofilluminationaswell.Thecheapestwadtoincreasetheamountoflightinadarkroomistopaint
theroomsurfaceswhite.Adarkroom,ontheotherhand,canbecreatedeitherbyusinglittlelightinawhiteroomorthroughdarksurfaces.Withdarksurfaces,a
roomwilllookdarkduringbothdaytimeandatnight.Withlightorwhitesurfaces,however,theeffectchangesdependinguponthelightsourcesused.Thiseffect
canbeexploited.Forexample,theinteriorsurfacesofthechapelofNotreDameduHautatRonchamparewhite,butduetothesmallquantityofdaylightadmitted,
perceptuallythesurfacesgradehornlightgraytodarkgray.

Materialsareimportantemotionallyinrelationtolight.Thesparkleofglass.theglitterofgoldmosaics,thedepthsofdarkpolishedwood,andtheshadowsonwhite
wallsallholdemotionalmessages.someofthemconnectedwithculturalsettings,someofthemconnectedtoindividualrecollection.Someregionshavebuilding
traditionsandmaterialsthatrespondtoparticularlocalconditions,suchasthestuccoallavenezianafavoredbyCarloScarpa.Requiringalaborintensiveprocessof
applicationwithveryparticularmaterials,thestuccoovertimetakesonasofter,moremoistlook,aqualityoffantasyandbeauty.2

Lightemphasizingmaterials
Emphasisonmaterialsisgroundedintheinteractionbetweenlightandmaterial.Highlightsarisefromglossymaterialsreflectingdiscretepointsoflight.Definition
ofsurfacetexturecomesfromgrazinglight.Revelationoftheinnerqualitiesofmaterialsresultsfromlightpassingthroughthem.Darkshadowsresultfromlight
beingdeflectedfromthesurface,andfrommaterialabsorbinglight.
PatkauArchitects:NewtonLibrary,Surrey(1990).Materialdirectslight:PatkauArchitectscarefullychosewhiteceilingsandwallsmadeofplasterboardintheirlibrary,toguidetheoftenweak
anddiffuseddaylightofBritishColumbiadeepintotheinterioroftheirreadingrooms.PhotobyJamesDow/PatkauArchitects.

LightemphasizesthematerialsinPatkauArchitectsNewtonLibraryatSurrey,atthesametimeasthematerialsemphasizelightandfosteritsdistribution.Asthe
architectshavestated,becausethelightoftheVancouverareacanbeverysoft,evenweak,underthefrequentlyovercastskiesofwinter,therobustlightabsorbing
characterofheavytimberandconcrete,inthemselves,arenotappropriatetodistributenaturallightintoarelativelydeepfloorplate.Theceilingsurfacesofthe
libraryhavethereforebeentreatedwhereneededwithmaterialthatdistributeslighttotheinterior.Nearthetallslopednorthglazing,wherethelargeareaofglass
providesabundantlightforreading,theceilingsurfaceistheexposedundersideofthewooddecking.Insuchasituation,caremustbetakensothatthecontrast
betweenmaterialsattheperimeterglazingandtheskyisnottoogreat,causingdiscomfort.Herethewashofdaylightoverthewoodbeamsandontotheundersideof
theceilinghelpstomitigatethecontrastattheedgeaswellasevenoutthebrightnessoftheceilingfromthewindowwalltothecenteroftheroom.Aboutmidway
betweentheglazingandthelowcenterbeam,sheetrocksurfacespaintedwhitewereappliedastheceilingsurface,betterreflectingthedaylightdowntothearea
below.Eachmaterialisusedhonestlytodowhatisneededandnomore,forminganeconomicalbuildingshell.Thelayeringofmaterialsdisclosestherolethateach
playsinthetotalrealizedconstruction.
ArataIsozaki:MuseumofContemporaryArt,LosAngeles(198186).Lightrefinesmaterial:ArataIsozakihadpanesofonyxfittedinthearchedwindowsofhismuseumbuildinginsteadofglass.
Thematerialthatisratherdulllookingfromtheoutsideshinesbeautifullywiththelightbehinditandrevealsthefullbeautyofitsexquisitegrain.PhotobyKatsuakiFurudate.

Usuallytheglazingmaterialisnottheobjectofattentioninaroom.Specialglazingmaterials,however,suchasthinslabsofstone,canbeemphasizedbytheway
theytransmitlight.Underthebarrelvaultofthetrusteesboardroom,overlookingthelibraryattheMuseumofContemporaryArt(ArataIsozaki,19811986)in
LosAngeles,California,onyxhasbeenusedtoglazeasemicircularopeningandfourwindowsbelowit.Theonyxfitstighttotheceiling,sothattheglowofthe
enteringdaylightiscarriedalongtheblackconcreteceilingsurface.Attentioniscalledtotheonyxasitisthebrightestsurfaceintheroom.Thethicknessofthe
materialsavesthewindowfrombeingasourceofglare.Lightrevealsandcelebratestheonyx,makingittheidentifyingfeatureoftheroom.
AntoniGaud:CasaBatllo,Barcelona(1904).Materialdividesroomsintozones:thetiledcladdingofthisinnercourtyardbecomesgraduallypalerfromthetoptothebottom.Inthisway,Gaud
compensatedforthesuccessivereductioninthelevelofdaylighttowardsthebottom.PhotobyMariettaMillet.

InthecentralsixstorylightwellintheCasaBatllo(AntonioGaudi,190406)inBarcelona,Spain,Gaudidesignedtheceramictilesthatcoveritssurfacesto
manipulatelight.Bymodulatingthehue,value,andtextureofthetiles,hemodifiedthequalitiesandquantitiesoflightexperiencedinthelightwellitselfaswellas
intheadjacentapartments.Thetilesrangeincolorfromadeepbluethroughlightershadesofbluetoanoffwhite.Thedeepbluetilesareplacedintheirlargest
concentrationatthetopofthelightwell,onthesurfacesdirectlyundertheskylightglazing,interspersedwithlightertiles.Theeffecthereiscooling,almostasifone
wereseeingthelightunderwater.Atthebottomofthelightwellareplacedthelightesttiles,interspersedwithafewdarkerones.Inbetween,thecolorsgradually
shiftfromdarktolight.Thisdistributionofthecoloredtilesevensouttheperceivedlightgradientinthelightwell,establishingabalancedlight.Thickerpatterned
tiles,whichreflectthelightfromtheircorners,arescatteredamongthesmoothonesalongtheentireheight,addingaglintofsparkle.Inadditiontotheuseof
materialstomanipulatethelight,theshapeofthelightwellwideratthetopandthesizingofthewindowslargeratthebottomservetobalanceaccessto
lightforallresidents.Anadditionalgeometricmanipulationofthesectionofthelightwellistheinsertionofbalconies,withglasspanelsservingasflooringforthe
balconyandasaskylightfortheroombelowThelightthatenterstheapartmentsthroughthewindowsinthelightwellisthereforemoreequalthanintheusual
situationwheretheroomsatthetopgarnerallthelightandtheroomsatthebottomareinshadow.Ventilationaperturesareseparatefromtheglazedwindows,
therebyaddingmorelighttotheinteriorwhentheyareopen.IntheCasaBatllo,lightwasusedinathoughtfulwaywithconsiderationforthewellbeingofthe
inhabitants,theirneedforlightandair,andartfulwaystoprovidethem.Lightwasapparentlyconsideredateachstepinthedesignprocess:concept,developmentof
planandsection,windowsizeandplacement,surfaceshapeandcomposition,anddetails.Thetileworkisnotonlybeautiful,butalsoservesthepurposeof
modifyingthedaylightasitentersthebuildingandisdistributedtotheapartments.Controlanddelightarebothprovided.Thematerialsofelectriclightingfixtures
areasimportantasthoseofbuildingsurfaceswhichareactingasdaylightingfixtures.
ErikBryggman:ResurrectionChapel,Turku(193941).Materialchangeslightmoods:duringtheday,thebrasslightsinthenaveofthechapelreflectthedaylightinadullshadeofyellow.
Eveningsandnight,theythemselvesfillthechurchwithawarmer,goldenyellowlight.PhotobyKariKoski.

IntheResurrectionChapel(ErikBryggmann,193941,renovated1984)intheTurkuCemeteryinFinland,thebrasslightingfixturesreflectdaylightwithacool
yellowthatwarmstoanamberglowwhentheincandescentlampsareturnedon.ThematerialanddetailsofthefixturerespondtotheincandescentIight.The
verticalbladesthatbaffleviewsofthelampglowwiththelightreflectedbetweenthem.Thecrownofbrassloopscirclingthetopcatchthelight,asdosimilar
crownshigherup.Thepoolsofgoldlightinthecoolinteriorlendawarmthandpointsofattractionsimilartotheglowofafire.Thelightfurnishedbyelectric
lightingfixturesiscontrastedwiththedaylightinbothcoloranddistribution.Whilethedaylightwashesthesurfacesoftheinteriorwithfairlyevenlight,theelectric
lightingfixturesactaspointsoffocus.
Pitknen,LeihoandRaunio:LightsinSt.HenrysChurch,Turku(1980).Lightchangesmaterials:duringtheday,theglassreflectorisalmosttransparentandprovidesafreeviewofthebrickwall
behindit.Atnight,itshinesintheglowofthelightsourcemountedbelowitasayellow,opaquepanel.PhotobyMariettaMillet.

InHenrysChurch(Pitknen,LaihoandRaunio,1980)inTurku,Finland,thematerialofthelightingfixturesappearsentirelydifferentunderdaylightandunder
electriclight.Withdaylightstreaminginfromlargewindows,thewhitescreenmaterialisalmosttransparent,andthebrickwallshowsclearlythroughit.When
illuminatedfrombelow,thewhitematerialbecomesareflector,castingthelightbackdowntothecongregation.Asitdoesso,itobscurestheviewofthewall
directlybehinditandcastsawarmglowoverthenearbywallsurface.Thematerialswitchesbetweenrevealingwhatisbehinditandreflectingwhatisinfrontofit,
asdoesascrimcurtainintheaterproductions.Throughit,onebecomesmoreawareofthedifferencebetweenthenatureofdaylightandelectriclight.
LeCorbusier:NotreDameduHaut,Ronchamp(1950).Lightchangescolourimpressions:here,theirregularlypositionedwindowsrevealtheextremethicknessofthewallsinthechurchbuilding.
Thesurfacesofthewalls,whichareactuallycoveredinwhiteplaster,haveadifferentappearanceinthebacklightingtheyseemtobemorepalegreytodarkgrey.PhotobyAchimBednorz/
BildarchivMonheim.

Lightmutingmaterials
Materialscanalsobechosentomutetheeffectsoflight,tomakedissimilarmaterialsappearsimilar,ortomakethelightseemunchanging.Theshojiscreensin
traditionalJapanesehousesdiffuseallthedaylightthatenters,whethertheskiesoutsidearesunnyorovercast.Thelightisfirstshadedbythelargeoverhanging
roofsactingasaparasol,sothattheinteriormutedeffectisconstant.Theinteriorsurfacesarecarefullycraftedtointeractwiththelight.JunichiroTanizakiexplores
thisconnectionbetweenlight,materialsandcultureinhisbookInPraiseofShadows,inwhichheexplainsthetraditionalpreferenceofJapanesepeoplefor
shadowsandsoft,brokenlight:

Wedoourwallsinneutralcolorssothatthesad,fragile,dyingrayscansinkintoabsoluterepose.Thestorehouse,kitchen,hallways,andsuchmayhaveaglossy
finish,butthewallsofthesittingroomwillalmostalwaysbeofclaytexturedwithfinesand.Alusterherewoulddestroythesoftfragilebeautyofthefeeblelight.
Wedelightinthemeresightofthedelicateglowoffadingraysclingingtothesurfaceofaduskywall,theretoliveoutwhatlittleliferemainstothem.3

InteriorofaJapanesehouse.Materialevensoutthedifferencesinlight:characteristicoftraditionalJapanesehousesaretheirfaroverhangingroofsandtranslucentshojiwalls,whichkeepthe
leveloflightintheroomsinsideataconstantlylowlevelduringtheentireday.PhotobySamuliSiltanen.

Thelumemateriale(literally:materiallight)ofVenice4seemstoglowinBoston,Massachusetts,attheIsabellaStewartGardnerMuseum(WillardT.Sears,
18991901).ThewallwaspreparedinasimilarwaytothetraditionalVenetianstucco,andconsistsofplasterimpregnatedwithcolorintroducedbyusingawashof
pinkpaint.ThelightofBostonisnotthelightofVenice,buttheappearancecanfooltheeyeoncertaindays.Thesurfacesseemtoglowinandofthemselvessothat
thelightismorerealthanthematerial.Likewise,intheexhibitionofglassballs,NiijimaFloats,byDaleChihuly(1992attheSeattleArtMuseum),thelightthatis
castbytheglassseemstobethepointofthepiece.Itisnottheballsthemselvesthataresoimportant,butthepatternsoflightthattheycastonthesurfacebelow.
Thematerial(oftheballs)transformsthelightwhichthentransformsmaterial(therestingsurface).
WillardT.Sears:IsabellaStewartGardnerMuseum,Boston(18991901).Lightcreatesanaffinitywithaplace:theLoggiaintheinnercourtyardisadetailedreferencetoVenetianmodels,and
eventheplasterwasmixedtoaVenetianrecipe.However,theresultisonlyconvincingtothehumaneyewhenthedaylighthasthatsametypicalsilverysoftatmosphereasinVenice.Photoby
MariettaMillet.
DaleChilhuly:NiijimaFloats(1992).Materialtransformslight:inthisinstallationattheSeattleArtMuseum,itwaslesstheglassballsthemselvesthatwereattheforethanthecontinuously
changinglightreflectionstheythrewonthesurfacesoftheroom.PhotobyMariettaMillet.

LouisKahnwasveryawareofthenatureofamaterialsresponsetolight.KahnsselectionofconcreteandtravertineasmaterialsfortheKimbellArtMuseum
(19661972)inFortWorth,Texas,wasrelatedtohowtheirsurfacecharacteristicsshapedthatresponse:

Travertineandconcretebelongbeautifullytogetherbecauseconcretemustbetakenforwhateverirregularitiesinthepouringarerevealed.[...]Time,hebelieved,
wouldunifyallmaterialseventually,butthearchitectcouldachieveunitybycarefullychoosingcertainmaterialswood,travertine,concretewhicharesosubtle
thateachmaterialneverruinstheother[...]Andthatswhythechoice.5
LouisKahn:KimbellArtMuseum,FortWorth(196672).Lightmodulatesmaterialcontrasts:thesurfacesofthewallsinthemuseumaremadeoftravertine,thearchofexposedconcrete.
Accordingtothedirection(directorindirect)andnatureofthelight(daylightorartificiallight),eitherthecontrastsbetweenthematerialsareemphasisedorthematerialsappeartoblendintoeach
other.PhotobyRobertoSchezen/Esto.

Thetravertine,unfilledandunpolished,hascertaincharacteristicwaysofreactingwithlightthatcomplementsthereactionofconcretetolight.Asthelightchanges
outsideandinsidethesurfacesofthetwomaterialsshiftsubtlyinrelationshiptoeachother.Firstoneseemswarmer,thentheotherdoes.Firstoneappearstobe
lighter,thentheother.Oneseemstohaveaglossysurface,andtheotheramattefinish,andthentheyswitch.Onelooksmoremottled,thentheotheronedoes.The
surfacesrespondtothechanginglight.Lightistherealmaterialhere.

"Ithinklightisasmaterialasanythingelse."

JamesTurrell6

MariettaMilletisProfessorEmeritaintheDepartmentofArchitectureattheUniversityofWashington,whereshehastaughtundergraduateandgraduatedesign
studios,lightingandcolorseminars,daylightingandelectriclighting,climateresponsivedesignandbuildingperformance.ShewasapartnerinLoveland/Millet
LightingConsultantsandistheauthorofthebookLightRevealingArchitecture,publishedin1996byVanNostrandReinhold.

ThistextwasreprintedfromthebookLightRevealingArchitecturebyMariettaMillet,1996,withkindpermissionofJohnWiley&Sons,Inc.

ThisarticleisfeaturedinD/AMagazineissue#3,formoreinformationvisitDA.VELUX.com.

References
1 Reflectancecanbecalculatedbymeasuringtheincidentilluminationinfootcandles(1footcandle=1lumenpersquarefoot)onasurfaceandthen,underthesamelightingconditions,
measuringtheluminanceinfootlamberts(1footlambert=about3.426candelapersquaremeter)ofthesurface.Reflectanceisluminancedividedbyincidentillumination.

2 Zambonini,Giuseppe:NotesforaTheoryofMakinginaTimeofNecessity,in:Perspecta24,p.323.RecollectionsofEugejiodeLuigi,alongtimecollaboratorwithCarloScarpa

3 Tanizaki,Junichiro:InPraiseofShadows,Newhaven1977,p.18

4 Seealso:MarcoFrascari:TheLumeMaterialeintheArchitectureofVenice,in:PerspectaNo.24,1988

5 InterviewwithLouisKahn,byMarshallMeyersin1972.ReportedinLoud,PatriciaCummings:TheArtMuseumsofLouisI.Kahn,DukeUniversityPress,Durham1989

6 Millin,Laura(ed.):JamesTurrell:FourLightInstallations,TheRealCometPress,Seattle1982,p.18

ByMariettaMillet