Light has primary function to enlighten the darkness. However, as development and progresses in media has caused big change in our life, the range of usage and application of light is broadened. There are many examples where an image was expressed by ...
Light has primary function to enlighten the darkness. However, as development and progresses in media has caused big change in our life, the range of usage and application of light is broadened. There are many examples where an image was expressed by designing the light in a space or the territoriality and identity were promoted by use of light. And these days, light is actively used as a communication tool in a space.
This thesis is based on an idea that a new prospect of light is required and at the same time the theoretical foundation should be established to take active advantage of light. It is suggested as the main hypothesis of this study whether light could be an object that interacts with space when field is regarded as space in the sense that the construction of space is relations of objects and ground or field.
The framework of this thesis is that light is treated and planned as an object, one of design elements. This thesis tries to enlighten theoretical ground where light could be perceived as an object, and based on that, it tries to find with what characteristics light is expressed when light is observed as an object in space.
This thesis provides evidences for the conclusion that the characteristics of object generally defined in art could be also used to express the characteristics of light in space. In other words, light could be recognized as an object. In addition, this thesis defines the characteristics of light as an object in modern space by tracking the pattern in which light gives expression during the verification process.
This thesis consists of five chapters.
In chapter one, background of the study, objectives, applied methodologies and scope of the study are provided. This study analyzes, among various features of light, light that is perceived as an object and suggests that theoretical foundation on elements and characteristics of light as an object is required.
In chapter two, the conceptual scope of study is described. As the theoretical background of the study, the definition and types of object are explained and the meaning and expression of object in space design are defined. The characteristics of object in art reviewed in this chapter is used as criteria in constructing the framework for the analysis of the characteristics of light as an object in chapter four.
Chapter three provided theoretical review of light as the theoretical background for the study hypothesis. It compares general interpretation of light and the changes in interpretation of light in modern science, and tries to suggest the feasibility of basic position of this study that is based on interpretation of light based on modern philosophy and physics. Two theories are suggested. The first one of light, Goethe's, is the basis of gestalt psychological approach to study light while the way of thinking is changed from rationalism into ecological intuitionism. The second one, field theory, is the basis of this study in that light can be perceived as an object in scientifical and physical aspects.
In Chapter four, analysis criteria are established to verify study hypothesis. The applied methodology is to analysis the contents based on literature review. Key words related light in space design are extracted and the frequency of those key words are quantitatively measured. Taking advantage of the result, the characteristics of light as an object are divided into three categories, 'light as symbolic information', 'light as communication medium' and 'light as topological form'. In addition, it is identified that light is perceived and expressed as an object through comparison with generally defined characteristics of object in art provided in Chapter 2.
In chapter five, analysis of cases is performed. The cases are selected based on space analyzing criteria established in Chapter 4. Qualitative analysis is performed on the cases categorized into natural light and artificial light.
Basic analysis elements are evaluated for each case. And each case is allocated to one of three categories, 'light as symbolic information', 'light as communication medium' and 'light as topological form'. Through this analysis, it is found that light as an object has prevailing characteristics of 'light as symbolic information' and 'light as communication medium'. The conclusion elicited from above mentioned study methodologies and process is as follows.
Firstly, it is identified that light in space can be perceived as an object. Space is where objects and objects and objects and environment interact with each other. These interaction among subjects are explained using field theory.
In other words, it is acknowledged that light is one of objects constituting space, materials and space are non separable and mutually depending unity and conclusively human can perceive light as an object in space. Additionally it is identified that light is an object constituting space by finding elements of object in art can be applicable to light in space.
Secondly, light as an object in space has prevailing characteristics of 'light as symbolic information' and 'light as communication medium' among threecategories, 'light as symbolic information', 'light as communication medium' and 'light as topological form'. This result is common in both natural light and artificial light. In case of artificial light, the characteristics of 'light as communication medium' is more dominant one. On the contrary, the characteristics of 'light as topological form' is rarely found in modern space.
This can be interpreted as the phenomenon caused by the shift of paradigm in the modern world where the interaction between human and environment is more emphasized.