Arquitectura às Escuras - A Experiência Espacial Desenhada pela Luz

Abstract

We do not see light. What we actually see is the space and objects it reveals. This work invites the observation of light as a physical phenomenon and, above all, the way it interacts with architecture, shaping spaces and transforming atmospheres. Light is a tool that, subtly or dramatically, draws the urban landscape and reveals the character of each piece, from the public sphere to the most intimate interior. When we speak of light, we refer to an element that, in its wake, generates multiple interpretations, transcending the mere functionality of illumination. The boundary between natural and artificial light is subtle. Fire, for instance, can be seen as a lighting system manipulated by humans, yet also as a natural phenomenon, given that the flame is a material derived from nature. In this study, a term has been defined to encompass all non-stellar light that arises through ingenuity and experimentation: synthesised light; the object of study as an entity that introduces a new layer of perception. The focus is the visual language emerging from the interaction between light, architecture, and space. Light, simultaneously material and immaterial, manifests itself through a play of presence and absence. Shaped and directed to create specific atmospheres, it transforms spaces into sensory experiences, prompting us to question the role of illuminated space and confronting us with its scenic, almost theatrical, nature. Throughout day and night, space is ever-changing, and light, in constant metamorphosis, expands spatiality, reveals details, and creates shadows and mystery. In public space, this dynamic of light and shadow suggests directions, invites interaction, and at times, commands respect. This study is structured in two parts: the first addresses scientific, technical, and historical aspects, while the second is dedicated to developing a lexicon of lightinduced atmospheres, enriched by an explanatory taxonomy and a Reference Map, featuring two case studies per category. Finally, the annex presents a case study that revisits the explored questions, outlining directions for a light in symbiosis with architecture and space, materialised in the form of a manifesto of best practices in the domain of protagonist light.