Pavilion of Light

1)PHENOMENA

Light rendering a Surface

In the film Blade Runner, the play of light and shadows in a controlled environment plays an important role in guiding the movement of the eye. The curation of light and its interaction with different surfaces creates specific atmospheres-smoky/blurry foregrounds, sharply lit patches, subtle wash on a surface, etc. The mechanics of this phenomenon involved three coordinates-light source, medium of transmission and the receiving surface. When light is emitted, particles in the air become the primary surfaces to be illuminated. The gradual rendering of these particles in time is what the eye recognizes as a beam of light hitting a surface. Here, the particles of the surface get simultaneously lit in conjunction to the intensity of light source. Therefore the nature of surface modulates the quality of light.

Act of Hiding via Layering

In the film Dunkirk, the phenomenon of hiding is constructed as a response to the emotion of fear. It is established through layering, wherein materials of different opacities or translucencies along with the movement of the eye play an important role. For example, the presence of dust particles, fluids, etc on a surface form various layers which determine the visibility-whether something can or cannot be seen through it. Also, the body crunches and curls behind/under/around these layers to prevent it from being seen. As a result, the eye moves in a hasty pattern scanning through these layers to be able to decipher the presence of something that is not very clear.

1.1)Experiments

WhatsApp Video 2021-11-01 at 10.54.24 PM.mp4

Light illuminating particles in air

Dust particles hiding a surface

1.2)Drawings

Light-A Surface Phenomena

Hiding through layers of different Opacities

2)MATERIALITY

As an intersection of experiential and material possibilities of these phenomenon, the intent is to explore how different intensities of light contribute in determining the visibility of specific layers of objects, particles, and textures. For example, the presence of dust particles over a laptop screen can be seen only when the display goes off. Similarly, dust particles present in the air are visible when the headlight of a vehicle is turned on. Even in a room with almost no light, the presence of a material like a gift wrapper can be recognized since such a light condition creates a bodily movement of scanning through hands, similar to how the eye scans in the act of hiding. When various materials are layered at particular positions, their ability to transmit different qualities of light and alter shadow formation on various textures acts as a phenomena in determining the visibility in space.

Jute

Alum

Glycerine in contained in plastic

Wool

Wicker Chair

Black Polythene

White Polythene

Perforated Cloth

3)DEVELOPING AN APPARATUS

3.1 Light and Materiality

3.2 Light through Apertures

Kinetic Apertures

3.3)Weight Mechanism

The source surface is held in equilibrium by a system of spring and pulley. A gradual increase of weight(sand) in an hourglass shaped container causes the surface to slide and align with subsequent surface which controls the size of the aperture and reveals the space in parts.

Working of the Apparatus

Frame 1

Frame 2

Frame 3

Pavilion

3.4)Pascal's Law

Application of force(human weight) lifts the floor plane of a space which in turn modulates the distance between the source surface and receiving surface leading to changing light intensity.

Apparatus

Pavilion

3.5)Crank Mechanism

Apparatus

Pavilion

3.6)Pulley Mechanism

The surfaces are connected with a system of pulleys where one surface acts as a weight to initiate the movement in the other connecting surface.

Movement along z-z axes

Movement along x-z axes

Roof movement along z axis

When one surface is moved, it slides and pushes other surfaces to create an intersection of apertures causing different degrees of illumination, thereby initiating the act of hiding and revealing. Here, light travels through different material layers such as timber, frosted glass, polycarbonate sheets, tinted glass, etc so as to produce differently lit spaces each time.

4)SITE

Plan

The site is located in Bogota, Colombia. It is a park which acts as an in-between space and a shortcut that connects smaller lanes to the main roads in the neighbourhood.

On Sundays a part of the road is shut for activities like cycling, skating, running etc...so the site becomes an extension of the road where people set up stalls, walk their dogs, eat, play, etc while on the weekdays, it is mostly used by commuters as a path to bypass the longer route.

Sensorium

The site unfolds in three layers with different experiences.

First-the outermost layer that is connected to the main road and remains quite noisy

Second-the core region, that receives ample sunlight during the day

Third-an edge connecting to a lane which is not so crowded, hence this is the silent most area of the site.

5)PROGRAM

Since the city has a lot of these parks, it brings a certain monotony to the experience of recreation and thus they become dead isolated spaces and hotspots for mugging. The experience of such space eventually gets reduced to an endless loop of just walking. Thus, a large green patch might not singularly contribute in making it a recreational public space. It probably needs a form for the people to interact with.

Hence the programme is a merger of coworking and recreational space.

6)DESIGN

Public-Private spaces

Ground as a public space

Cut Plan @2.0m

Cut Plan @5.0m

The plan works with a grid of 6*6m,in which various shortcuts get established due to the staggering. It mingles with the existing pathways and thus invites the public to be a part of the building. Hence the lower level becomes a public space for people to pause and the upper level serves as a private coworking space.

The pavilion operates as a private and semi private space during the weekdays, but opens up to become a completely public space during the weekends. The sliding of the panels creates various shortcuts for commuters who use the park, and thus the pavilion becomes a park itself. It also encloses and opens up spaces, creating everchanging pockets of light.

It becomes a form with which people can interact and experience the ever changing play of light, thus adding to the layer of publicness.

The kinetic apertures are configured in such a way that one surface coincides with another surface and modulates light through materiality.

7)DETAILS

Steel Beam to Timber Joist

Flange Cleats

Steel Beam to Steel Column

Steel Column to Ground

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