Take Shelter in the Sun

• Main Author: Chang, Xinzhi
• Other Authors: Architecture, Jones, Kevin William, Ishida, Aki, Jones, James R.
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: Virginia Tech 2020
• Subjects: Light; Orientation; Time; Identity; Church; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/100893

For humans, architecture is a shelter for dwelling. People seek protection and a sense of belonging in their surroundings. Architecture should reveal the time passage, changes in weather and the character of the place in order to make a place for people to dwell. Sunlight, as an abstraction of the sun, can be received by architecture and connect the place with the universe. This thesis explores how to apply sunlight research as a meaningful tool in architecture design. The research focused on two criteria: orientation and identity. Orientation and identity are the two elements that make a location into a place and make a space into a room. Master of Architecture This project is a church located by the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Light and color are used as means to reveal the movement of the sun and express local memory. The thesis focuses on how sunlight can be introduced into a room and the atmosphere that can be created. As a result, the church is able to tell about its surroundings and make people comfortable.