Out of “touch”? − An experiential pedagogical approach to daylighting in architecture and interior design education

School of Design, Edinburgh College of Art, The University of Edinburgh, UK

Abstract

A new challenge is emerging. Contemporary built environment pedagogy demands engagement with both analogue and digital tools for simulation and verification of lit architectural environments. The use of analogue tools within architectural design education grasps onto the historically valued craftsmanship of drawing and physical models to measure, represent and understand our lit environment ambiance. Digital tools can provide efficient, simultaneous and precise verification of lit architectural interior space through 3D computer modelling and calculation software. However, the understanding and representation of daylit scenarios is becoming more numerically complex as lighting metrics and software gain in accuracy and dynamic range. With the majority of easily accessible software tools focussing on numerical verification, the ephemeral ambience that daylight in particular creates in interior architectural spaces is becoming ever more difficult to grasp for the architectural design student and practitioner. This paper seeks to challenge the exclusive use of digital tools for the understanding and representation of lit interiors by proposing that this methodology cultivates design epistemologies that are out of “touch”. Questionnaire findings and workshop studies are presented as pedagogical constructs are proposed inviting physical, experiential learning of lighting principles in collaboration with numerical and digital modes of learning to provide connections and translations to develop through ‘touch’ing light.