Sciography in Architecture

SCIOGRAPHY IN ARCHITECTURE

SCIOGRAPHY OF GEOMETRICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL FORMS- SHADES AND SHADOWS ON BUILDING FACADES

Sciography is the study of shade and shado in architecture! Shade and shados are used in architectura" graphics to #a$e draings #ore easi"y understood %y e&pressing %oth the third di#ension of depth and the for# of surfaces' hether (at or rounded' s"anted or )ertica"!  The con)entiona" direction of "ight is the diagona" of a cu%e fro# the top "eft front corner to the %otto# right rear corner' so in p"an and e"e)ation )ies the direction of "ight is seen as the diagona" of a s*uare!

 The shape of the shado is dependent on+  The position of the shade

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"ine!  The position of the

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o%ser)er  The direction of "ight

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 The for# of the surface

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on hich the p"ane of the shado fa""s! Shados are para""e" to

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the "ine #a$ing the shado hen the "ine is para""e" to the p"ane

 The shado of any p"ane ,gure on a para""e" p"ane is identica" in shape' si-e and orientation ith the ,gure! Shados of para""e" "ines are para""e" hen they fa"" on the sa#e p"ane or para""e" p"anes! To deter#ine the shado cast %y a co#p"e& for#+ .rea$ don the co#p"e& for# into its si#p"est geo#etric co#ponents!

 The o)era"" shado pattern i"" %e a co#posite of these shados! A shado/s pro,"e is continuous' e&cept here interrupted %y a surface in "ight! A shado/s pro,"e changes direction ith e)ery change in for# that recei)es the shado! 0hen the o%ser)er "oo$s at the end of a straight "ine so that it is seen as a point' then the shado cast %y that "ine appears as a straight "ine' regard"ess of the for# of the surface recei)ing the shado!  The shado of any straight "ine on a p"ane surface can %e "ocated %y ,nding the shados of the ends of that "ine!

Shados of cur)ed "ines can %e deter#ined %y 12 degree pro3ections of critica" points! The purpose of shades and shados in the rendition of site p"ans is threefo"d+  To indicate the height of #asses a%o)e the ground p"ane

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 To pro)ide a contrast in )a"ue to e#phasi-e the %ui"ding for#

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 To indicate signi,cant changes in topography!

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Shados are used in p"an draings to aid our perception of the depth of the space %eing portrayed! The intent is not to render the actua" condition of sun"ight at a speci,c point in ti#e! The shados cast %y the cut e"e#ents and o%3ects ithin the space #ere"y gi)e us an indication of their height a%o)e the (oor or ground p"ane!

In section draings' shados are cast %y a""' (oor and roof e"e#ents' hich are cut' as e"" as %y pro3ecting e"e#ents ithin the space! The depth of the shados cast %y the cut e"e#ents depend on ho far the cut is in front of p"anes recei)ing the shados!