Natural Light in Architectural Design

Natural Light in Architectural Design: Element and Determinant Roger Neal Goldstein Submitted to the Department of Architecture on May 7, 1976 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture. The importance of natural light in our lives cannot be exaggerated. The religious, emotional, physiological, and perceptual effects of daylight upon human behavior have emphasized its unique role in every culture on earth. In the creation of his shelters, man has always tried to maintain a visual connection with the outside world. The two-way nature of this "window", however, has also allowed the penetration of light into the interiors, enlivening our activities by its dynamics of color, intensity, and direction. Through an understanding of the unique characteristics of this important architectural "medium", and the historical and cultural precedents for its rational use, the quality of light in the places we design around ourselves will surely enrich our existence. Thesis Supervisor: Wayne V. Andersen Title: Professor of the History of Art TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENT S 2 ABSTRACT 3