Shadow or Shade

 Shadow - There is something magical about it

There is something about shadow that’s magical, it comes in so many shades, shapes and depth.

I can easily sit and study a shadow for an hour or so, and watch the ever changing hue, the crisp edge changing to a fazed line blending into another shadow as some one passes by, or a Lorry casting its large moving shadow.

Shadow is often predictable, but there is always the unpredictable element that creeps in from unexpected change. Clouds pass by, a mist forms, a flock of birds projects not only a moving shadow, but an animated shadow.

Often we think of a shadow as being cast by the sun, but other sources of light might also cast a shadow, a street light casts its own type of shadow, never moving, unlike the sun who has not only 365 days but each hour, minute, second, to change its shadow.

My Neighbour took a night photo of his new garden layout and I was surprised to see how some solar powered lanterns placed round the lawn border, had cast a unique shadow, to produce a Wonderful pattern.

shadow can make of break a view, I can remember helping to design, the new terminal and Birmingham Airport, the architect, Paul Beeny, wanted the panel groves to cast there own unique shadow on the upper first floor facade, this was pre computer days, with all drawings in pencil and ink, all we could do was visit other buildings to watch the shadow on similar buildings. In the end we had groves, we had shadow, but no control.

Shadow can be both life and death , the edge of a shadow creeping across a wall, can exert a temp gradient that may tear a wall apart, the heat of the sun expanding a material, and the shadow cooling causing contraction, choose wisely I was once told, consider the heat of the sun.

Colour can change as the sun creaps across a fascade, greys blend into a shadow changing the elevation, and its something we should consider. Most CAD programs can show the shadow cast for any location on the planet, and render the change in colour as a day unfolds. Be carefull to include other building shadow, so often missed.

Shadow in detailing can hide the imperfections of so many materials, the architrave against a plastered wall, the skirting board, dealing with uneven floor boards. A simple grove at the interface is all it needs to cast a shadow. Ceiling tiles against the plaster wall is another classic were a shadow will hide the imperfections of a wall.

Shadow from plants and trees often cast a dapple light, thats so cooling on a hot day, lowering the temperature by several degree, a feature we will need to learn as the climate get hotter, out door living some might think is a thing of the past, but trees offer a unique way of cooling a small area with its own micro climate, seating and tables moved as the day passes by.

Is a shadow singular, perhaps not, shadow or shade enhanced by a mist can produce the Most electric feeling, as light mist and shadow on a lake in the early morning. Shadow and mist can cool an area more than just dappled light.

Protecting a room from the buildup of heat and the damage sunlight can reap on furniture, internal blinds offer a barrier, some blinds are total, they blackout all light, but most just reduce the glare offering a more dappled light.

Older houses of a certain class, the English Stately Home use internal shutters to try and reduce the glare, they also offer a level of security, but both internal barriers only stop a portion of the heat from the sun. The blind and shutter are internal, casting a shadow to cool the room, but that area between the glass and shutter, is very warm, allowing convection to transfer the heat to the room. but should the shutter be placed externally, then the shadow can cool without the buildup of heat which almost reduced to a manageable level, the shutter offering both a level of shade and a level of security, and ventilation if the window is a Sash Windows or internally opening windows as preferred on the continent.

This, as you might see in French houses, is the reason most houses have windows that open inward, it allows the external shutter to be closed , but allow the shade and at the same time ventilation of the room from an open window or door.

Often the shutter laths can rotate open and shut to control the depth of shadow and volume of light and air allowed in.

A system used on many offices is a similar system but designed to work with curtain walling glazed system , Bries Soleil again blocking the sun from the outside, casting broad horizontal or vertical shadows, are not internally when its to late. Often Bries Soleil vertical panels and the horizontal version, are motor controlled to tilt the panel to block the sun at the correct angle given the time of day and month of any year.

The suns angle to the earth is not a random phenomena, but a well calculated known figure. A simple study of the earths orbit around the sun will give all the information needed. Fortunately most cad programs have the ability to use that data to show the shadow of any object at any given hour of any day or year.

Orientation takes advantage of both shade and the sun, placing a building to it gets the full effects of the sun on Solar panels, other than aligning the roof to get the sun at a particular angle or time utilising the Sun path for that latitude.

The art of shadow is a lecture I give to my students, I plan on extending it by a few slides to allow for some new photos, when finished I plan to upload it to my new subscriber area, but todays copy is a practice for the Mitchells book.