Cozette Kosary, M.A., B.E.D.
UX Researcher and Strategist
Colored Light Oasis
Individual Project, 3 Week Time Frame, Fall 2007
Published In Archone. Newsletter of the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University
Colored Light Oasis was a temporary light installation that used colored plastic cups and a reflective color technique to achieve an environment that displayed the four elements of light: color, glow, intensity, and shadow.
After spending a semester studying the limitations of light as an Architectural Medium under Jill Mulholland, I got the idea of generating a space of Reflected Color for the Final Fall Light Show. The overall space would exhibit three distinct areas in which the viewer’s focus would shift from the object generating the colored projections to the projections and finally to the shadows the viewer creates themselves.
After various testing methods, colored cups in various forms and PAR Lights placed at different angles were used to reflect the colored patterns onto concrete. As one would walk through the spaces, their shadow would change the colors on the wall allowing the viewer to feel as if they were a part of the design.
Project Overview
Programing Phase
Inspiration:
Inspiration for this project was drawn from Dale Chihuly and his use of sculpture, color, and light as a medium.
Site Analysis:
The Site chosen for this project was The East Section of The Pit (an area of Langford A’s courtyard leading to the entrance of the basement). It is comprised of a gated entrance to the old Mechanic Block (gated area that originally housed the buildings HVAC units), The Mechanic Block, and the Wall in from of the Mechanic Block. This area was ideal for housing the post that would support the wall of cups and offered the most concrete surfaces used for the projections.
Conceptual Model:
A ¼” model of the space was built to get an overall feel of the environment. A wall of chicken wire masked in colored saran wrap was used to depict the size and angle of the wall of cups.
Reflected Light Diagram:
This diagram was generated to test materials displacement and color projection coverage. PAR Light Sources, Glass, Soap and Plastic Materials were tested against this diagram. Once PAR Lights and Plastic Cups were established as the materials this diagram was used to determine the distances the cups and lights were to be placed to get the final colored projections.
Schematic Design Phase
Material Testing:
By testing material malleability and opacity the most effective material could be determined for creating colored projections.
The first material evaluated was Glass. The material could be glued together to create unique forms that the light would pass through to make the projections. However this material was heavy, lacked malleability and was too expensive to cover the project's scope.
The second material evaluated was soap. The material could be molded into various forms. However the material was dense and lacked the proper opacity to generate large projections.
The final material evaluated was plastic in the form of cups. Two types of cups were used, Tumblers and Colored Stemware. The Tumblers didn’t allow for much malleability however they were donated to the project and had the best opacity. The patterns on the Tumblers also made a unique prism effect when light passed through. The Colored Stemware exhibited great opacity and malleability.
Projection Testing:
Once the materials were established, object and light source placement were tested to determine possible colored projections. Through testing displacement, three desired effect: Organic Effect, Layering Effect and Gradient Effect, were established.
The first effect established was the Organic Effect. This effect was created when the cups were placed at a close distance to both the light source and the surface reflecting the projection.
The second effect established was the Layering Effect. This effect was created when placing multiple light sources at different angles behind multiple colored cups. The prism effect resulting from the light hitting the Patterned Tumblers and helped to establish a range of hues.
The final effect established was the Gradient Effect. This effect happened when the cups were lined up and placed closer to a single light source then the surface reflecting the colors. At this distance, the cups lost the prism effect resulting in a solid hue of color and by placing a range of colors side by side, the hues melded together to form a gradient from one color to the next.
Design Development Phase
Construction Phase
After one week of material and projection testing, came a two-week construction period in which three distinct areas were generated to create a Colored Light Oasis for the Final Fall Light Show.
The first area established was the entrance. This area placed the viewer behind the light source allowing them to see how projections work. This area was achieved by exhibiting the Solid Organic Projection Effect. The PAR Lights’ intensity against the organically shaped stemware at a close proximity created an abstract floral pattern on the concrete walls allowing the viewers to differentiate between the surface, objects, and the light sources.
The second area established was the wall of cups. This area exhibited the Layering Projection Effect and allowed the viewer to walk between the cups and the concrete surface. As the viewer walked along the wall of cups, they could capture the glow and beauty of the cups without seeing the light source. Then when the viewer walked along the concrete surface, the intensity of the colored projections was combined with the viewer’s shadows creating a change in the projected image. The viewer only slightly realized the effect of their shadow because the changes in colors’ intensity were subtle and they thought the lights were moving.
The final area was the gradient wall of color. This area used the Gradient Projection Effect and placed the viewer in the closest proximity to the projections and concrete surface. As the viewer would walk through this area, their shadows became the main focus because at different positions their shadows would reflect the opposite color of the projected color. This area resulted in the most satisfaction for the viewer because they felt as if they were a part of the art.
By combining these three distinct areas and the three projection effects, the viewers were able to immerse themselves in a Colored Light Oasis. They were able to see different perspectives on how reflected color works and to gain a tangible example of how light, color, and plastic cups can be combined to transform a space.
*This project was exhibited in the Light Show for 4 hours and then deconstructed the following day. A total of 550 cups and 6 PAR Lights were used.
