Ancient Architectural Lighting Design: Respect Classic Performance Classics

The Spring Festival is approaching, and many cities have quietly lit up the nightscape lighting. The lighting design of modern architecture is often pursuing beautiful and fashionable, and can release the lighting designer's creativity and imagination; but many cities with a long history and cultural heritage, often with ancient architecture, antique architecture as urban characteristics, how should these buildings use Lights shape its unique features, interpretation of its cultural connotations? In this regard, Li Tienan, a professor at the China Academy of Building Research, commented on Chinese ancient architectural lighting with "respecting classics and performing classics", and introduced the issues that Chinese ancient architectural lighting design should pay attention to.

Respect classics with respect

Landscape lighting is a reconstruction of a building's image at night, and a landmark night view may even become a representative symbol of a city. Therefore, landscape lighting not only shapes the image but also embodies culture. For the lighting design of ancient buildings, it is not a simple matter to do this. The main point is that when designing lighting, it cannot be done in accordance with the intention of the designer.

Li Tienan told reporters that compared with modern architecture or Western ancient architecture, Chinese ancient architecture has a distinctive feature: that is, the rules of shape are very strict and unique. Chinese ancient architecture is a form of expression of Chinese culture. After thousands of years of history, it has become a fixed form, and each component has a specific meaning expression. For example, the heights and forms of people's houses of different grades and different identities, and even the colors and decorations of roofs, have corresponding provisions that cannot be violated and cannot be destroyed. In this case, to do lighting design for these buildings, the first thing to do is to read the architecture. For some modern buildings, the lighting designer can be very pleasant to re-create (although this may not be appropriate), use the light to give the building a new connotation and artistic interpretation; for Chinese ancient architecture, lighting designers do It is a serious attitude, respect for the classics, and performance of classics. To study the rules and characteristics of ancient architecture, we must profoundly understand the design concept of ancient Chinese architecture so that we can lay a foundation and find the right direction for design.

Lighting design should reflect the characteristics of ancient architecture

From a design perspective, the lighting design for Chinese ancient architecture and the design of modern architecture are different. Li Tienan explained that modern buildings are mostly in the form of three-dimensional figures. Therefore, lighting for buildings is to cast light into the buildings themselves. In this way, buildings are constructed. The night view of buildings is embodied in the form of entities; while in ancient Chinese buildings there are The difference is that most of it is based on the courtyard as the basic unit. The combination of the yards constitutes the building group. Therefore, the object of lighting needs to be represented by the yard, but the yard is only a space. The performance of the yard is to illuminate the building that encloses the yard despite the construction. It was illuminated, but what they wanted to shape was not themselves, but the courtyard surrounded by them. In other words, what illuminates is the physical building, but it is the "virtuous" courtyard. This is different from Western architecture and modern architecture, according to which "who" is the way to create "Who".

In addition, western ancient architecture emphasizes the closure of space, while ancient Chinese architecture emphasizes the transparency and connection of space. Therefore, this should be taken into account in lighting expression. The walls of Chinese ancient buildings are mostly transparent and often rich in levels. Therefore, to make lighting, we must show the characteristics of such buildings, emphasizing the combination of human and nature, and the communication between people and the outside world. In the lighting design, it is necessary to show a kind of internal and external convergence. Looking from the outside of the building, we hope to have a faint light and a visual connection. On the facade, there are three sections of ancient Chinese architecture, steps - the roof - the roof, these parts should be expressed in different ways of lighting, showing their respective characteristics.

At present, lighting designs of many Chinese ancient buildings often use “curtaining” lighting methods to highlight the outline of the building with bright lines. Li Tienan believes that the aesthetic effect of such a technique is not satisfactory. Because the effect of the outline lamp is prominent in the lamp itself, not the building to be represented, the contour lighting performance is relatively poor, and many contents such as the architectural level, details, and colors are not well represented. Li Tienan believes that it would be better to use floodlighting to create ancient lighting designs and to express buildings more effectively. In his opinion, the lighting design of Beijing Tiantan Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is relatively good. Although only a simple method of long-distance light projection was adopted, the idea was more in place. Lighting parts, light and shadow levels, and light color were all suitable for use. The features also create an atmosphere that meets the architectural features.

In terms of color, Li Tienan does not approve of adopting too brilliant colors. The role of lighting is to show the shape of the building itself. Excessive dynamism and color use will make the building out of its original appearance and design concept. Moreover, the exaggerated dynamics and colors will make the building night scene very prominent, but it will make the night very noisy, and the role of the building night scene is actually to provide suitable "background" for the space of the city's streets or squares, and people. Coexistence does not bother people's lives. Therefore, most of the night scenes should be light and quiet, especially in ancient architectural lighting, and they must be able to play a role in “reminiscent of the past”. Therefore, he does not agree with the excessive use of color, because many ancient buildings themselves carry colors, so it is sufficient to use lighting with good white light. The main purpose of lighting an ancient building is to express its own charm. The use of white lighting is the most preferred choice. It is just like daylight. It can truly show ancient architecture. Simple processing is more expressive than colorful lighting. .

Create a suitable environment

Li Tienan told reporters that the landscape lighting design industry has a misunderstanding: It is more inclined to use a variety of the latest technology, but it ignores the final effect, which is actually the cart before the horse. It is not a lot of cutting-edge technology that can make a good design. New technology or high technology is a good tool for lighting designers, but high-tech should serve the final lighting effect and use it only when it is needed. If blindly using the new technology as a “stud” that attracts attention and blindly emphasizes sensory stimulation, it will deviate from the original aesthetic intention of the nightscape creation. To do design and creativity first, traditional equipment and methods will have good results if used properly. He also praised the "not deliberate" effect: seeing the light instead of seeing the light, feeling the gorgeous and delicate lighting design, but it can feel the charm of the building. Li Tienan said that many Japanese architectural lighting design is more appropriate, the tone of the building is relatively simple, lighting design is not exaggerated, is very exquisite, and create a warm environment with the built environment.

Some ancient buildings that are well-preserved in China may be affected by certain film and television works. In the building or in the entire courtyard, there are red lanterns. It feels like you are living The low-end commercial fair or some kind of entertainment venue seems to Li Tie-nan that this is absolutely destroying the calm architectural atmosphere of ancient buildings. The lighting of ancient buildings must convey an atmosphere of “quietly watching and accommodating”. Therefore, ancient architectural lighting designers should understand Chinese classical culture, and a cultured country must have respect for cultural relics.

In addition, the lighting for ancient buildings, there is one thing that can not be ignored, that is, the protection of ancient architecture. Therefore, when designing, it is necessary to pay attention to whether the used light source will damage the building, and especially pay attention to the damage caused by infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, and excessive illumination to the paintings and wooden structures in ancient buildings. At the same time, mechanical damage should be avoided. Lamps should be best hidden to avoid damage to ancient buildings and to avoid affecting the architectural beauty.