T H E S I G H T O F S I L E N C E
A B S T R A C T
Whether we live in a concrete jungle or somewhere a little more rural, we probably still spend a good deal of our time behind walls and under roofs, forever building barriers between what we think is ours and the rest of the world, out there. Never in time have our own motion in our world been as swift as it is today, never have we fenced ourself off from what is naturally occurring and had the ability to manicure our environment more. The thesis sought out to bring the feeling of stillness and silence that exist in a natural landscape filled with both ambient motion and sound, inside. To add qualities to a room where both contemplation and activation can take place. The thesis covers a study on perception and different motions (both physical and visual) in nature with focus on the slow movement of water. 6 people were asked to evaluate the calming qualities of 22 video sequences; each showing abstract water motion, and from the evaluation derive patterns of motion preferences. The study motivated the development of a set of principles meant to be used by lighting designers to create and shape an overall activating and captivating space, and generated design ideas for a sculptural room element with internal physical movement and light shifts, with the purpose of bringing motion in to a static environment. A mock-up was built to test the idea of a connection between wellbeing and natural, expected but unforeseen motion.
All graphical material in this report is produced by the author. T H A N K S T O . . .
... Katja Pettersson for challenging my geometrical and practical ideas.
... Isabel Rodriguez for providing support in moments of crisis ... my nearest and dearest for bearing with my focus shifts during conversations when a leaf floats down in front of me and my ceaseless thoughts of what is seen
I N T R O D U C T I O N
My favorite place on Earth is the family cabin located on a small peninsula off the east coast in the middle of Sweden. On the one side of the island the open ocean presents itself with all it’s great shifts in character and motion, and on the other side there’s a protected bay surrounded by tall trees. Depending on the wind, and as long as the water isn’t covered with a thick layer of ice, great differences can be shown on the two sides of the island. Walking 3 minutes from a roaring ocean on the one side, to a peaceful glittery bay on the other creates a highly vibrant and multifaceted place.
In the beginning of April this year I spend a day there to record different motions. There were no other people on the island this day. I received a phone call from my sister when I sat on a large stone in the bay under the lukewarm spring sun drinking coffee. She asked me if it was “silent and still?”. “Not at all”, I answered, “But it feels like it is”. The forest was filled with birds chippering, the water ever changing, tiny waves washed up on shore and the trees and the reed slowly swayed in the wind - there was constant movement and sound everywhere, but it felt quiet and still. This is the phenomenon I wish to capture. This is what I believe we have innate appreciation for.
E N T R A N C E
E M P I R I C A L E X P E R I E N C E A N D B E L I E F S
We're developed as a species living outdoor in nature, hence adapted to the constant changes within it. I find myself working in rooms where no outdoor inputs enters. The lack of constant calm, and slightly unpredictable changes in a sterile indoor landscape makes my mind wander oftentimes resulting in a loss of concentration. My belief is that a natural-like motion in the peripheral field can have an activating, yet calming effect.
Ambient music can fill the void of not having natural aural input, I believe ambient movement could fill the void of natural visual input.
The notion of a motion's whereabouts and origin is important for our appreciation for it. Movements in nature always has a context and always stand in relation to everything else, never as a part, always as a full, hence cannot be directly translated to the indoor environment - but an abstraction of the essence of it can create the feeling of contained outdoor movement indoors, in a miniature scale.
D E T E C T I O N
H O W D O W E P E R C E I V E M O T I O N ?
"motion: an act, process, or instance of changing place"
(MERRIAM-WEBSTER.COM, 2019) When it comes to visually detection of motion, it's a change in light in our visual field over time. Researchers suggest we find meaning in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) presented in our focal vision for only 13 milliseconds (Potter et al., 2013). This doesn't mean we register everything happening in or visual field - but the less information the better we are at detecting changes; motions. Detection of changes in the environment has been crucial for our survival as a species. Moving objects can potentially be a life threating prey, or possible food, or a mate (Gregory, 1997). Gregory states that movement is detected in our retina, before we register what we actually see.
C A L M N E S S B Y N AT U R E
D O W E H A V E A N I N N AT E A P P R E C I AT I O N F O R T H E M O V I N G , A M B I E N T L I G H T ?
D E P T H
As Johansson (1973) stated, we have an innate understanding for biological movement and based on the gestalt principles we have a strong ability to complete and understand shapes and patterns. If this is true, the opposite should be too. When things misalign or moves in a way that doesn't feel natural to us this is quickly registered by our brains - it doesn't make sense. If we see a movement on a flat screen we miss all the small shifts in perspective and contrast visible in the three dimensional world. Arnild and Kokkonen states that our vision is highly sensitive to textures and that pictures of paintings reproduced in books are so inevitably different and will never provide the full sensually rich experience that seeing the original artwork would.(Arnkil and Kokkonen, 2013) Hence the experience of the subtle differences in a head tilt or the notion of how the current light situation in the room or in nature affect what we see is strong and should not be overlooked.
t h e s i s q u e s t i o n :
C A N T H E E S S E N C E O F N AT U R A L S H I F T S A N D M O T I O N B E D E R I V E D A N D B R O U G H T I N S I D E T O S H A P E A S PA C E A N D P R O V I D E A
M E T H O D O L O G Y
NATURE
Analysis of light fluctuations, movement types and patterns in nature
CALMNESS
Analysis of the felt calming effect of one natural movement type
ABSTRACTION OF ESSENCE Decomposition of movement, derivation of
the bottom line character
PROTOTYPING & TEST
A N A LY S I S O F N AT U R E
How does movement and shifts in light outdoors manifests? What’s causing the change and where is it seen? Which are the significant patterns? Is it a physical movement of matter or solely visual phenomenon (reflections onto a surface, shadows etc.)?
The video sequences was evaluated by a group of people (6 in total) in two steps and was used to identify the qualities in the movement essential for the feeling of calmness and silence. Each person in the test group individually viewed the clips on a 13" MacBook Pro in full screen and while watching. During the viewing they were asked to answer following questions:
• On a scale from 1-7, how calming would
you describe this movement to be (7 being the most calming). Motivate your answer.
• What do you see?
• How would you describe the movement?
B: 3x1
A: 1x3
M O T I O N E X P E R I M E N T
What is perceived as calming?
Video footage from the one chosen movement type was processed by abstracting cropped pieces of the full scene in two different shapes with the ratios 3x1 (B) and 1x3 (A), displaying only abstract sections of the whole image. The different orientations of the boxes were chosen to see whether there was a preference for either horizontal or vertical viewing of a movement.
R O U N D 1 - 12 CLIPS (á 20 s.) IN TOTAL; 6 TYPE A, 6 TYPE B
Six different clips was chosen; three of them of a zoomed section of a horizontal strip (A) of the original video , three of the of a zoomed section of a vertical strip (B) of the original video. The same six clips was then rotated 90 degrees, resulting in a change of perspective. All clips were abstracted from the same video.
R O U N D 2 - 12 CLIPS (á 20 s.) IN TOTAL; 6 TYPE A, 8 TYPE B
The highest ranked clip plus one that stood out during Round 1 followed in to Round 2 together with three new clips from other recordings of the same movement type were chosen. The clips from Round 1 entered Round 2 mirrored horizontally or vertically.
A B S T R A C T I O N , D E S I G N A N D T E S T I N G
The shifts and movement patterns in the most appreciated clips viewed by the group and the author was decomposed and key elemental traits highlighted and used as principles and guidelines during the design process.
L I G H T M O T I O N |
R E S U LT SM O T I O N I N N AT U R E
In nature, motion is ever-present, everywhere, always; some types are so slow they cannot be noticed; some so fast they go unseen; some so powerful they reshape our world; some so tranquilizing they make our mind wander. Natural movement always feels complete, never starts and ends in the wrong way.
In the text that follows, key movement types found in [my] nature, affected by natural events is analyzed and evaluated by the factors of visually detectable motion characteristics. This is a theoretical philosophical analysis with elements of technical and physical explanations.
E A R T H
The concept of 'Earth' has been analyzed from the personal definition as 'all biological things'.
Objects in this element can be, as previously mentioned, seen singularly or as a large group and then form a surface. Trees goes in and out of shape, swaying, surging, steadily rolling in the wind. Grass and reed can be seen as the combination of many object, forming one whole body, undulating, billowing in the wind.
E A R T H M O T I O N E X A M P L E : m a t t e r | v e g e t a t i o n W AT E R
The concept of 'Water' has been analyzed from the personal definition as 'anything fluid'.
Water has many shapes and forms. We see it drip, flow, fall, stream, rise like fog and mist, crack in it's solid state. Water can form a body and reshape the landscape, it can be the flat canvas on which the lightest gust of wind is detectable or the clay that rhythmically tells the story of the forces of nature.
W AT E R M O T I O N E X A M P L E : r a i n | h a z e | i c e | o c e a n | m i s t | r i v e r
W I N D
The concept of 'Wind' has been analyzed from the personal definition as 'an invisible force'.
Wind is the catalyst and motor in many natural visible motions, but like light left unseen if nothing stands in it's way.
The wind provides us with unpredictability and the only thing we know for certain is that we cannot accurately predict where it will blow in the next moment.
W I N D M O T I O N E X A M P L E : b r e e z e | g u s t | s t o r m | t o r n a d o F I R E
The concept of 'Fire' has been analyzed from the personal definition as 'Anything burning or the effect thereof'.
Fire is 'our' element, the one we control and start. We bring it inside, use it as a tool for our survival. Fire brings us light, joy, and warmth, it gives us the glitter during our celebrations. But fire has two faces. The other is a disastrous and destructive force that awakens when let free. Despites this, we have this mesmerizing, ever-changing, chaotic, rolling and mysterious element close to heart.
L I G H T | s u n | m o o n | s t a r s
The concept of 'Light' in terms of motion has been analyzed from the personal definition as 'the distant visual result of separate motion'.
We cannot see the moving light itself, just like the wind it is invisible if nothing stands in it's way. But the light is constantly moving, forever present outdoors.
R E F L E C T I O N S
Reflections are subtle or direct. They are moving with everything in motion, and everything that is seemingly static. They are the secondary, tertiary, quaternary effect of the direct light beam that picks up every bit of information that comes in it's way. They makes the water sparkle and creates a venue for morning mist to dance. Reflections gives us depth, and provides information on the textures we can see.
T H E
U N T O U C H A B L E M O T I O N
S H A D O W S
They are the reflection's constant companion, filling in every nook and cranny beams of light cannot touch directly. They follows the movement of objects and the light. Shadows can cast a bidimensional, distorted image of that which the light touches on neighboring surfaces or objects, or enhance internal contrast and display the depth to the object or the surface itself. It always comes with a message. A message about what lays before it.
"The jewel which sparkle and shine in darkness, loses it's elegance as a gem in broad daylight, and in the same way, I mean, there's no such thing as beauty without the effect of the shadow."
(TANIZAKI AND EMOND, 2013) (quote translated from Swedish) P E R S P E C T I V E
The change in perspective is the result of a separate motion, one in which the viewer can awaken movement in a static world.
Motion due to change of perspective of oneself or that of other.
"...the phenomena of contrast and gradation, two principles which may be said to make up the artist's world, and to constitute the chief elements of beauty."
T H E F O R E S E E N U N E X P E C T E D E V E N T S
Nature provides us constant shift and things we know for certain is that we will never know exactly what will happen, but that something will happen. I wish to state that beauty and a sense of stillness lays in the utterly uncontrollable but the awaited. That, in which we can sit in and watch happen, be immersed in without having to take action. It's a sight of silence.
M O T I O N C AT E G O R I Z AT I O N
The way I see it, the bit of nature's motions and shifts we can visually detect can be put in to groups. The groupings are elastic and a motion that appear in one category might also take form in another. It's rarely one thing or the other, it's often a combination; nevertheless everything is interrelated and correlated.
C AT E G O R I E S :
a l t e r a t i o n | t r a n s f o r m a t i o n | f u n d a m e n t a l | r i s i n g | f a l l i n g Following page provides a detailed scheme over physical and visual motion in nature arranged under these groups.
H O W
DESCRIPTION OF MOTION TYPE RISE EXAMPLE OF MOTION TYPE FALL MOTION VISIBLY DETECTED IN TRAN SF ORMA TIO N FUND AMENT AL AL TERN ATIO N A c h a n ge i n v i ew p o i nt, a d i f f e re nt p e rs p e c t ive , a n d o p t i c a l e f f e c t s . T h e d i s t a nt v i s u a l re s u l t o f s e p a rate m o t i o n . Tra n s f o r m s f ro m o n e a b s t ra c t s t a te to a n o t h e r. C a n f o l l ow a r hy t h m o r a p p e a r s e e m i n g l y u n p re d i c t a b l e . S U N PAT H T I M E W I N D D E P T H R E F L E C T I O N S S H A D O W S S U N & M O O N A E R I A L P E R S P E C T I V E R A I N B O W S C H A O S C O M B U S T I O N C R Y S TA L L I Z AT I O N C L O U D S F I R E G R O W T H / D E AT H L I G H T N I N G C H A O S F L U C T UAT E H E AV E S H A K E S U R G E S WAY S W I N G V I B R AT E WAV E S T O R N A D O V E G E TAT I O N WAT E R WAV E S D R I P F L O W F L O AT S T R E A M S P I R A L M AT T E R R A I N S N O W S T R E A M S V E G E TAT I O N B R O W N I A N M O T I O N W I N D L I F T B U B B L E S F O G H A Z E M I S T S M O K E G o i n g i n a n d o ut o f s h a p e w i t h i n a n d a ro u n d i t s e l f O s c i l l ato r y Ro t at i o n a l Tra n s l at i o n a l Eve r y t h i n g d e s ce n d i n g Eve r y t h i n g a s ce n d i n g
MOTIONS IN NATURE (EXAMPLES)
sun
depth rainbow scattering
aurora reflections lightning clouds flame wind waves trees grass waterfall snow stream
leaves particles rain
haze smoke
bubbles
A N A LY S I S A N D A B S T R A C T I O N O F WAT E R
For this project the movement of calm water is analyzed, abstracted and purposefully to move indoors.
M o t i o n E x p e r i m e n t
22 sequences were derived from tree different video recordings recorded with an iPhone 6s (information on original footage and each clip on following pages). Every sequence underwent the same editing process where they were blurred, set to monochrome and had the contrast slightly enhanced, all to generate an abstract image where the motion spoke for itself more than the context of where it's found.
Original footage 'X' is the one where most sequences is extracted from and is also the one recorded that one day, in the cabin, when the atmosphere felt still and silent but was everything but. 'Y' and 'Z' uses footage from a water surface with similar qualities but different surroundings.
Figure 2: Still images of original video footage from which cropped sequences has been derived and analyzed.
Figure 3: Bubbles marking areas of used cropping area. Numbers within referring to said area.
Area 1: Reflection of adjacent forest. The small waves carries the mirrored treetops all the way in to shore.
Area 2: Water washing over pebbles on shore.
Area 3: Zoomed in image of the edge of woodland displaying an abstract image of a mirrored fir tree with dramatic shifts in contrast.
Area 4: Sequence showing mainly mirrored trees where the reflection of one brighter trunk reveals the water's motion.
Area 5: Clear wave pattern on [almost] open water.
Area 6: Reflections of direct sunshine and an adjacent with glass and steel railing.
C L I P N A M I N G
X-XXx: Test round no.
X-XXx: Original direction of clip (A = Vertical, B = Horizontal, C = Vertical )
X-XXx: Area of cropping
X-XXx: Viewing direction of clip (a = Vertical, b = Horizontal)
X-XXxx: Mirroring of clip used in 2nd round (c = Horizontal, d = Vertically)
ex. 1-A1a and 1-A1b is the same clip, where the first one is the original and the second one rotated 90 degrees.
1 3
2 4
1 - A 3 b 1 - A 2 b 1 - A 1 b 1 - A 3 a 1 - A 2 a 1 - A 1 a
Top-to-bottom linear, oscillatory and [slight] chaotic motion. The wave pattern is clear and easy to follow. Distinct and sharp contrasts between
sky and woodland. Described as: "Organic"
Abstract chaotic motion with no clear pattern. The movement creates whirls and current displaying smooth
gradients in the water. Described as: "Flickery"
Abstract linear and oscillatory motion with a pattern that is easy to follow. The tree reflection creates a sharp and distinct edge which clearly
reveals every wave. Described as: "Worrisome"
Figure 4: Still images from each clip used in experiment. The images
Left-to-right Described as: "Loose"
Chaos Described as: "Mixed"
Left-to-Right + Up Described as: "Uneasy"
1 - B 3 b 1 - B 2 b 1 - B 1 b 1 - B 3 a 1 - B 2 a 1 - B 1 a
Right-to-left motion with clear contrast between woodland and sky reflections. This sequence exposes a wider selection of trees from the forest creating this [almost] snake
pattern.
Described as: "People walking"
Abstract chaotic motion where the waves seems to roll in from both the top and the right. Lots of movement,
hard to read.
Described as: "Somewhat scary but soothing"
[Calming score marked in top corner]
Abstract [mainly] linear and oscillatory right-to-left motion. This highly zoomed sequence spans over
the with of two small waves. Described as: "Unpleasant"
Top-to-bottom Described as: "Natural"
Chaos
Described as: "Soothing"
Top-to-bottom Described as: "Anxiousness"
2 - A 1 a d 2 - A 1 a
2 - A 1 a c
2 - A 3 b d 2 - A 3 b 2 - A 3 b c
Figure 5: Original and mirrored sequences from Round 1
R
OUND 2
MIRRORED
S E C O N D R O U N D
The clip with highest score from Round 1 was 1-A1a and the clip was therefor brought in to Round 2. Clip 1-A3b got the lowest calming score but two of the evaluators ranked the sequence as one of their favorite motions and got brought on to a second evaluation for that reason.
6,1
3,1 2,8 3
5,8
2 - C 6 b 2 - C 5 b 2 - B 4 b 2 - C 6 a 2 - C 5 a 2 - C 4 a Left-to-Right + Oscillatory Described as: "Boring"
Right-to-Left
Described as: "Disappearing"
Chaos
Described as: "Naseaus" Top-to-Bottom
Mainly dark footage from the reflection of trees. The white tree trunk from a birch expose the oscillatory
motion.
Described as: "Calming Snake"
Top-to-Bottom
Clear wave pattern on a smooth surface.
Described as: "Familiar"
Chaos
Fast shifting reflections of a nearby pier with it's glass railing.
Described as: "Messy"
Figure 6: New sequences from the same motion type.
A N A LY S I S O F A S E Q U E N C E ( A 1 a )
1 0 S . S E Q U E N C E ( 1 5 F P S ) = 1 5 0 F R A M E S
3 0 S . S E Q U E N C E ( 5 F P S ) = 1 5 0 F R A M E S
WAVE LINE
The meandering line indicates the motion of the waves in a graphic form based on the distance of the waves' tree reflection capacity. The further towards shore the reflection travels,
the larger the squiggle.
INTENSITY
Red lines marks the threshold for wave intensity. The longer the reflection travels, the more to the left its shown - the thicker the blue line in the diagram. If the reflection only passes the right most red line, a thinner blue line is
used to expose this.
TIME LINE
Every field marks the passing of a second.
PHASE MARKER
The ellipses indicates the (approximate) pitch in seconds between reflection
travel waves. 0,5 s. 1 s. 1,5 s.
Total: 73 Avg: 0.82/s. (12.2/10 s.) Large: 11 Medium: 17 Small: 45 WAVE COUNT:
G E N E R A L C O N C L U S I O N O F E V A L U AT I O N
Motions in which a pattern is detectable is generally more pleasant than the more spontaneous. Those with motion (contrasts) that just seem to appear with no real explanation have a tendency to feel stressful.
The more time the sequences were viewed the more people gave in to the feeling of calmness and some sequences that at first glimpse was seen as stressful and unpleasant became more enjoyable.
Generally, when the motion seemed to come from the 'right' direction it felt calmer and more pleasing.
Motions that was long and 'complete' was easier to appreciate.
N AT U R A L I S T I C L I G H T P R I N C I P L E S
For the perseverance of the natural, the non static and interesting. These principles are not meant to be used in every room, always. They should not function as the absolute truth. They can be used as a tool to bring the qualities of nature inside, to create volume in a room or remind us about the tranquility that exist in the always finished, ever-changing natural shifts. The careful and wild perfect imperfection that has evolved over the millions of years. Layers should be used respectfully and in harmony.
T H E S T E A D Y
The layer of stability and constancy, the one that just 'is', that is always 'On'. This is a clear blue sky or an overcast day. It comes from above and give us the possible to navigate on the ground.
Indoors this should be the passive static light that gives height and ground to a room.
T H E E X P E C T E D
Patterns and rhythms. This is the field of rapeseed swaying back and forth, the waves rolling in, the spacing of trees in a forest or the mountains seen on a distance.
Indoors this should be the light that gives depth to the room, the real shape giver.
T H E P R E D I C T E D U N E X P E C T E D
Highlights, the slightly shifting. This is the sunlit dance of a fluffy particle in a light breeze, the one cloud covering the sun for a few seconds or the reflection of water on a rock.
Indoors this should be the details, highlights (possibly visibly shifting)and that which spark curiosity.
T H E C O N T R A S T S
Layers of light visible through the non existence of other, the difference between what is and what is not, the shadows under the trees.
R O O M B O X - M O C K U P
The room box is a tool for enhancement of the predicted unexpected. A sculptural element in which the viewer can visually sink in to, one which embodies the four principles of naturalistic light in one element and brings movement to a static environment. The room box could fill the void of alteration and create a feeling of stillness. The idea is to create an element with internal motion in both matter and light. A housing which let light though and reveals the abstract nature inside. This is not a useful luminaire, it should not be a functional lamp. It's a highlighted distraction, background tool for reverie and a breaker of the complete stillness, to create stillness.
R E Q U I R E D Q U A L I T I E S
Steady movement, no quick changes, like a fully leaved birch tree stood outside, swaying in the light breeze. All matter is already there - nothing pops up suddenly. Goes in and out of shape.
The room box shouldn't be the brightest spot in the room. It should be the focal point if one choose to focus on it, never through brute brightness.
Should not mimic a fireplace, not a flat screen. The box should produce naturalistic movement with depth, and flow, in a constructed way. It's not a substitute to the full effect of the moving light of a hearth which produce grand visible shifts in the whole room. The box should provide shifts in the visible small scale, but add to the feeling of shift in the whole room.
The goal is to not having to focus on what is moving but instead feel tranquility in that something is moving. The box should reside movement in both matter and light.
A N T I C I PAT E D Q U A L I T I E S
A subtle differences in contrast, sharpness, gradient and illumination behind the layer of paper should speaks the words of depth just like that of something moving through mist. Not like a flat screen. Light is not emitted from it, it’s shining through it. It’s alive and has a third dimension, affected by the way the viewer tilts their head and moves around in the room. The box is a room within the room, it gives body to the light. The room box will not solve any problems, nor will it substitute a morning walk in the forest or the feeling of a light breeze in the face by the ocean. The room box is the doorway between the indoor and the outdoor. The synthesis of natural processes and a planned environment. It's a reminder of the constant uncontrollable, inevitable changes happening in the world and in our lives. Conversion. Convergence.
P R O P O S E D P L A C E M E N T
1
HOUSING2
3
4
5
6
1 . L E D D I O D E L A Y E RBoard with 20 LED Diodes (4000K) divided in five groups (see Figure 11) 2 . D I F F U S I O N F I LT E R
To diffuse the light and eliminate hard shadows
3 .W I R E S C R E E N For mounting of tape strips H O U S I N G
Housing of 4mm birch plywood; untreated on the outside, white on the inside to create a distinct contrast between the background and hanging flow strips.
L:30 cm | W: 40 cm | H : 55 cm
4 . V H S TA P E S T R I P S
Hung unevenly spread out over the wire screen. The tape provides desired qualities; lightness, shiny and black 5 . S M A L L FA N
Creating wind motion inside and makes the strips move and flow
6 . D I F F U S I O N F I LT E R
Translucent front to obscure the interior and function as screen on which the multiple diffuse shadows created by diode layer is cast and the depth can be seen
G E N E R A L A M B I A N C E [ G ] Always 'ON' but vary in intensity
D E E P E R [ D ] To create a balanced depth
W I D E R [ W ] To create a balanced width
R I G H T [ R ]
To be able to change from side-to-side FRONT
BACK
L E F T [ L ]
To be able to change from side-to-side
Figure 12: Photo of front side of room box.
The white stripe on the top is caused by an overlap of the diffusion filter - this was a cause of filter with limitation and not by design.
Figure 13: Photo of upper section of room box.
From the top: LED Diode Layer (1) group [W] lit up, Diffusion Filter (2), Wire Screen (3), top of VHS Tape Strips (4).
R H Y T H M
E S S E N C E
A N A LY S I S O F N AT U R A L M O T I O N
The overall motion analysis is solely a scratch on the surface on what's out there for us to perceive. It's more a guidance within the art of seeing and connecting.
A N A LY S I S O F W A V E S
Through analysis and the evaluation of the natural wave and reflection movement four principles and a room box that follows the interpreted essence of what calmness and stillness looks like, was developed. The principles are solely tested in theory and the mock-up room box is nevertheless just a mock-up an its effect on establishment of stillness and a feeling of silence is solely empirically reviewed - but to me it raises the feeling of aw. The room box is something to disappear in to and away with.
The lack of sound in Lynn's experiment could cause stress in the test subject I believe that when we experiencing something that is exactly that of something we're familiar with, the lack of the one component (sound) that is so powerful to the hearing population of the society, annoys us. Since the room box doesn't have
a natural sound, the lack of noise shouldn't affect the
The challenge in using the principles as a tool for designing light in a space, lays in that to be able to recreate the feeling of the always complete but never fully finished. The concept of natural motions are never final, they oscillate and waver infinitely, take new shapes and transform in to something else.
"Not only do we shut our eyes to the unity of the impulse which, passing though generations, links individuals to individuals, species with species, and makes of the whole series of the living one single immense wave flowing over matter..."
(BERGSON, 1911) Everything has a harmony in nature but the strict average doesn't apply to natural motion. Nature is more flexible and chaotic than that of what can be decided though statistical calculations, and the principles should be treated the same. There is no right or wrong, just suggestions pointing in the direction of balance and beauty. This thesis didn't aim to solve a fundamental problem. It south out to shine a light on a slice of beauty in the natural world, bringing it inside and in an man made (artificial) and organic shape. The Nobel physicist Frank Wilczek said in a podcast that:
"It’s not that there’s some metaphysical concept of beauty that rules the world — beauty is a human experience. It’s something that has to do with how humans react to the world and perceive the world."
Beauty for me lays in the revealed, the concealed and the humble treatment in and the acknowledgment of the imperfect. We are so attuned to see patterns and detect changes in symmetry that maybe literal symmetry shouldn't be sought for unless fully achieved, that beauty and calmness can lay in the purposeful misalignment. Nature, as perceive it, is rarely fully symmetrical - but it feels
exact nevertheless. Maybe the principles of dynamic lighting
is the principles of nature; perfection through imperfection, quite foreseeable but always mysterious/mystical.
F O R T H C O M I N G
I wish to create a version of the moving stillness and silence in the room. The room box should be transformed in to the room element and house not only the shift in light intensity in the moment, but also those that exist throughout the day in color temperature. The mock-up box-shape has its limitations and can only be perceived from one face - the element should be able to affect the viewer no matter the angle of viewing. It might be hanging, have a body of translucent glass, not fully spherical, but simple and organic.
"Simplicity is complexity resolved"
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