The shape of light
Architectural design is a balance of form, material and light. Being able to master all three is key in perfecting a design concept.
Taking lighting into account while designing a building is not only a good practice, but can also help with required codes down the line. Perfecting the way light permeates a space can put a building on the fast track to a more sustainable design and higher comfort level to the final user.
The mutual interference between light and form is crucial and can become the driver of how architects compose their spaces, some notable examples are Jean Nouvel's Institut du Monde Arabe or the Al Bahar Towers from Aedas Architects.
Lighting is a complex phenomenon that can be challenging to evaluate through traditional means like 2D renderings. An increasing number of designers are adopting Virtual Reality to visualize and experience how light behaves under certain conditions. In this example, VR has been used to simulate the impact of a dynamic blind within a room:
Through Mindesk, architects and interior designers can connect Rhinoceros, Grasshopper and Unreal Editor. This allows them to simulate, in real time, how light will behave within their projects and experience this result in Virtual Reality.
How this is implemented:
- The room project is loaded in Rhinoceros or Unreal Editor
- The parametric blinds scripted into grasshopper
- Mindesk is launched form both Rhinoceros and Unreal Editor
Mindesk keeps Rhino, Grasshopper and Unreal environments consistent while running the VR experience.
If you would like to try this technique on your project, you can apply for Mindesk's Unreal integration closed beta here.
