Workshop: Exploring Relationship Between Light And Space
Date: 19 October 2019
Time: 10:00AM – 12:00PM
Venue: REXKL
The last of this year’s series of workshops before iNYALA exhibition kicks off in November 2019, we had Shin Tseng — a household name in Malaysia’s architecture scene and also the co-founder of REXKL to speak on the uses of natural lighting within the built environment. It began with the Geographer Cafe and the Chin’s Residence, both Shin Tseng’s project at Malacca, he shared how the light cast from the airwell and the staircase design became the catalyst of the space.
He also elaborated on the Bon Estate project in Bangsar where the courtyard was used as a source of natural lighting for the building. Perforated panels on the facade also served as shading devices, creating a “forestry” effect through shadows casted. Reflecting on these projects, Shin Tseng stressed on the importance of binding the relationship with natural light by understanding the property and selection of material utilised.
Next, Shin Tseng talked about the design process of the Temple of Light for Mindvalley which was proudly featured in Inc. Magazine as World’s 10 Most Beautiful Offices of 2019. He first took us through his precedent studies including the psychology of light and human emotions in relation to colours by exploring light further with scientific explanations. He also looked to past projects by master architects and artists such as Antonio Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia, Le Corbusier’s Ronchamp Chapel and Olaf Eliasson’s artworks on how natural light was strategically managed. It is undoubtedly human emotion can be connected to the context or environment created through refraction and reflection of light.
He then guided everyone through his tedious experimentation with natural light during the project: first studying the sun path around the site, then pinpointing various areas and opportunities where natural light can be manipulated. Mezzanine floors were used to help manage the natural light while interior office structures were chosen as white, being the most reflective colour to help bring other colours to life. The interesting and colourful nature of the office space has even made the workers to come to work early to experience how the sunrise affects the space.
Before ending the workshop, Shin Tseng shared tools he used to play with light angles, colours and effects. The Pantone Studio App is best to experiment with different colours while the Sun Seeker App helps to track the sun path around the site easily. Not forgetting the LightSpace App is an augmented reality application that virtually creates light in a designed space.