Arch 570 Natural Lighting Fall 2024

Instructor: Bruce Haglund  

Teaching Assistant: Luja Maharjan maha0489@vandals.uidaho.edu 

9:30-10:45 Tue & Thur, ED 441

Office: AAS 208
Phone: 885-5740
E-mail: bhaglund@uidaho.edu

Course Description

"I have come to believe that some of the greatest gifts that architects can give to the occupants of their buildings are beautifully daylit spaces, with ample views out to the surrounding world, spaces where the rhythm of the planet can be fully experienced. The creation of such buildings, and the cities that enable their success, is an enduring contribution to the well-being of humanity."

-Lisa Heschong

1.     Course Concept: The course is structured as a seminar/workshop in order to maximize hands-on experience with the various prediction and modeling techniques. The course has two threads that intertwine its heart and its spirit. The spirit of the workshop is a term-long investigation of the nature of Palouse light. Students will present their findings at intervals throughout the term. The heart of the workshop project will be research and design of an integrated LED and daylight system for a building in Moscow or elsewhere (just one room), which will be measured, modeled, redesigned, predicted, redesigned, and tested in the daylighted artificial sky as well as outdoors and via digital models. Each student will be a member of a small group working on the building project. Each group will be responsible for a short presentation of each phase of this project—see schedule. Presentations will be similar to design studio presentations with class members and the instructor acting as critics. In addition to presentation, each group will compile a reproducible portfolio explaining their process and summarizing their semester's work. 

The final digital portfolio will be in 11" x 17" (maximum) format with illustrations. For the model/remodel project each redesign phase will be written up in the following format:

a) Introduction: describe what is being done and how your team is doing it (one page).

 b) Date/measurement/illustrations/calculations: present the technical aspect of the research or redesign phase as clearly as possible. Annotate data and illustrations.

c) Conclusion: describe what you discovered about your study building and what you found out about the prediction method (one page).

Each assignment should be handed in as a digital file at the presentation. At the end of the term a PDF of the entire folio is due. The final submission should include both the Palouse light study and all phases of the artificial sky model and remodel with a project introduction and a project conclusion.

Note: Guest lectures will be recorded and available for you to view at your leisure.

2. NAAB Criteria 

This class meets the following NAAB Student Performance Criteria (2014) in whole or in part: A.1. Professional Communication Skills, A.2. Design Thinking Skills, A.3. Investigative Skills, B.6. Environmental Systems, B.7. Building Envelope Systems, C.1. Research.

3. Grading

This is graduate level seminar course and will be graded accordingly. Final grade is based on participation in the process and on the final folio.