The Dark Side…. Shadow Effects In Architecture

There are a bewildering number of solid materials that need to be joined together to build any structure.  Architects and builders use their best judgment in selecting materials and then puzzle out how these materials can be joined together to create, not just a sturdy building, but one that is useful, pleasing, inspirational and hopefully cherished for many years.  As designers and builders we are intensely focused on the tangible materials at hand. But as our buildings take form, other less tangible qualities emerge.  When completed, a building is often richer and more dynamic than the original conception.  This phenomenon has much to do with the play of light and shadow on and within the building throughout the course of the day and over the seasons.

Light is difficult to draw.  In an introductory art class I was asked to do a drawing of a photo.  The drawing was modestly successful but lacked real depth.  The instructor then suggested that I lay a piece of trace paper over the photo and shade in just the shadows in the photo.  When the trace was lifted from the photo the composition was easily recognizable but stronger by far than the first drawing I had done.  From this exercise I learned to see shadows and to use them as a powerful element in design.

SALA Architect Katherine Hillbrand

Camouflage
Shadows can obscure or minimize elements of the building that are less inviting however necessary.  For instance, due to site conditions there may be only one way to position a garage.  This may mean that the garage doors become a part of the structure’s presentation.  If the garage doors are painted or stained dark and recessed a few feet into the surrounding walls the doors will be shaded and they “read” as a mere interruption in the wall, the impact is minimized.

SALA Architect Katherine Hillbrand

Allure
The most compelling structures are often blended into their setting.  The whole place is not revealed at once but emerges slowly.  If parts of the structure are deeply shaded, there is a sense of mystery, and intrigue that draws us in for a closer look.

SALA Architect Katherine Hillbrand

SALA Architect Katherine Hillbrand

Definition, Articulation, Emphasis and Sculpting
Baroque architects and builders were masters at sculpting space and form.  Shadows created by carved surfaces dramatically mold and define the architecture of that period.  We can use the same techniques to draw attention to significant elements of a building. Bordering shadows describe the edges of physical form.  They accentuate the shape of an unshaded portion of the building.

SALA Architect Katherine Hillbrand

Reducing Mass
There are large expanses on some structures that beg for division, some interruption that relieves the monotony or overwhelming scale.  Staggered walls or recessed openings with extended surrounds create shadows that play an important role in dividing the wall mass into pleasing proportions.

Creating Patterns
Just as picket fence castes patterns of shadows on the ground, so certain projections on a building cast patterns of shadows that enliven the surface of the structure.  Repetitive elements such as vertical or horizontal railings create shadows that grow and shrink and become a subtle reminder of the passage of time.  The shadows are much like the interruptions and pauses that create rhythms in music.

SALA Architect Katherine Hillbrand

SALA Architect Katherine Hillbrand

Unifying
In some cases, certain parts of a structure may feel at odds with the whole composition.  Because of its position or programmatic requirements, an ill-mannered part of the building may stand out too proudly or the overall structure may seem disjointed due to competing forms.  Shadows that invade these discordant forms can reunite them with the overall structure.  For instance, the shadow of a window or door trim that is extended beyond just the size of the opening, integrates and engages the opening more completely into the wall.

SALA Architect Katherine Hillbrand

Balance
Balance is one of the more subtle aspects of good design.  If we think of forms as having weight, each form wants a counter ‘weight’ to keep it in balance.  Large forms need to be balanced with a number of small forms, fat with thin, flat with sculpted, dark with light and so forth.  Even though a shadow has no real weight, by contrast, it has perceptual weight and can be used to balance solid forms in a composition.

SALA Architect Katherine Hillbrand

SALA Architect Katherine HillbrandKatherine Hillbrand recently won the AIA Minnesota Architect of Distinction Award for 2014 featured in Midwest Home. Katherine has written about other comprehensive aspects of architecture on the SALA Blog. Check them out in her prior posts. If you’d like to see more of Katherine’s projects, check out her profile page!