The article discusses the question of light and darkness as the tools for creating figurative and abstract meanings in architecture. The lessons of light and darkness in architecture are the way of defining architectural space through the phenomenon whose nature is difficult to express and the essence is difficult to perceive. The only help we have is the interpretation of models from close and distant past.

In sacral interiors light is a material that participates in the creation of the form and atmosphere of the temple. Simultaneously, it is an ephemeral material, subject to constant fluctuations. Illumination inside a temple fulfils a function which is not only practical and aesthetic; not only does it separate from the external world and create special atmosphere, but most of all it directs attention to the most important place in the church – the altar. In all historical periods special meaning was attached to light in churches. Today, when the visual factor has dominated the traditional narrative elements rich in contents, light has remained one of the last creators of sacredness in places of worship.

Tadao Ando is one of the contemporary artists who use the advantages of natural light in architecture in a special way. The light in his designs is an essential element determining the plastic expression of the abstract architecture based on the ascetic geometry of forms. The art of interior illumination presented by Ando gives the impression that the structure of the building is subordinated to light and matter. It is not without reason that smooth concrete has been chosen as the main means of expression – a material which, when exposed to sunlight, gives the purist nature to both the lapidary forms of solids and the interiors drawing upon the aesthetics of Japanese minimalism. Light treated coherently with concrete matter should be considered here as the primary determinant of the aesthetic intent for the main idea of the building. Ando’s creative work serves to discuss the significance and role of natural light used in order to achieve sophisticated plastic effects for the architecture which today is commonly known as the “concrete” one.

How to design within the framework of the existing XIXth century buildings in the eternal city, the city which was created to maximize factory and tenement owners profits. As part of restoring the post-industrial city space, fulfilling the PROREVITA programme directives, the authors attempted to find new innovative design solutions to the problem of light in architecture. The article presents the research process to the final solutions – to answer what is light, its role and how to solve real problems in difficult places, such as city tenement yard-wells. There was na attempt to systematize the hierarchy of needs in the shape of a directory of needed processes and further solutions in similar spatial situations. At the same time the areas most important for spatial effects and cultural values in the framework of the process of using light to reveal new historical building values and qualified as Łódź architectural heritage resource.

The cultivation systems used in some of the existing urban vertical farms utilize exclusively or mostly natural light. There are technologies based on the use of both natural and artificial light, and ones without access to sunlight, using only artificial light sources for the plant growth. The technologies used here include LED lamps, compact fluorescent lamps, metal halide lamps and fluorescent bulbs. Studies are conducted on the effects that different colors of light from LED lamps have on the quality and growth rate of plants. Their results allow us to conclude that certain crop growing systems utilizing lighting from LED lamps in urban vertical farms provide yields several times greater than in traditional farm with a comparable cultivation area. One phenomenon accompanying the use of artificial light is the possible occurrence of the light pollution effect.

Light – humans can’t live without it. A long time ago the only source of light was from the sun, moon and fire. Today, we can fully use artificial light thanks to technology development. In architecture and urban planning light plays an important role. Both light and shade creates many opportunities for necessary form and shape in our living space.
Natural climate conditions, especially the number of sunny days, are conditioned by the use of daylight for the needs of modern humans. The use of natural light is important in different climate zones. In the Mediterranean countries, and also in Syria, the daylight is treated differently than in Poland or in the Scandinavian countries. Nightlight, however, depends on client needs and its color and intensity is important in architectural and urban design.
In Syrian developed zones, as one of the Mediterranean countries, much attention is given to the good shape and floor plan design of buildings, in order to make the best use of light and shade.

Juhani Pallasmaa wrote that the mist and twilight stimulate the imagination. The XX and XXI century is a time of constantly increasing light pollution. The darkness that is observed in nature is currently a state that cannot be encountered in the city. At the same time, creative activities that constitute themselves through experiments in lighting are being developed. The limiting of light currently fulfils the role of an intentionally used formal measure that defines the narration of the sense of a work. Architecture exploits both light and darkness, and the interpretation of both of these categories can be performed through referring to their opposite. The author analyses the use of total and partial darkness in architecture, as well as the symbolism of light and shadow, both as opposing measures, as well as those that mutually shape the fullness of a composition.

Whereas in the past shadow was a constant companion of light in architecture, the task of a contemporary architect is usually to care for the lighting of the building. The lack of shaded spaces due to the use of extensive glazing and regular artificial lighting equals the lack of mystery – the field for imagination. Depriving architecture of the shadow means blurring of the boundaries between interior and exterior, day and night, real and virtual world, as well as social supervision. Buildings, whose creators, in addition to light, employ the “matter” of shadow as an element of architectural narrative, are not frequent examples. These include the works of Daniel Libeskind, Fumihiko Maki, Eduardo Menis, Steven Holl. While creating the right mood, they also convey symbolic content.

The article addresses the issue of contemporary arrangement of restoration in historic housing. Light in the context of historic buildings is a vast subject, which can be divided into two groups. The first of these is day light, the second is artificial light. Both, light of natural origin – day light, and anthropogenic origin- artificial light, can be analyzed in the context of the interior and exterior of the building. In the example, we have selected nine properties located in Cracow which illustrate contemporary light solutions taking into account the above indicated division.

In each historical period light played an important, mystical role in sacral buildings. In the sacral architecture of the second half of the 20th century the search of diversified methods of adding light to interiors so as to reach the atmosphere of concentration and silence necessary to introduce a different climate than in other public utility buildings can be observed. Already Le Corbusier in his three sacral projects preferred dimming rather than over-illuminating interiors. Contemporary methods of composition and new materials enable to search for reflections of the natural light, frequently for its specific proportioning and gleam, evoking the unique experiences of being separated from the reality, so desired by designers. Well considered illumination of sacral interiors provides the atmosphere of concentration and meditation, appropriate for contemplation and prayer.

Light, the natural as well as the artificial one, is an indispensable architectural material, the importance of which is equal to that of wood, stone, concrete, brick, steel, and glass. It has been so since the birth of humanity, it is so today, even in the times when technology dominates what Rasmussen called ‘experiencing architecture’. In residential, office or industrial buildings, light fulfils most of all a utilitarian role. Its access to individual rooms is governed by detailed regulations, which also provide for values of artificial light necessary to illuminate each square metre of the floor area, depending on the function. Monumental or more private, sacral buildings and cultural facilities, are a special field for experimenting with light. It helps to build emotions, necessary to perceive a work of architecture in an appropriate way. It brings out shapes, emphasises colours and properties of materials. The paper is devoted to the role of light in the process of building of an architectural form of iconic cultural facilities, taking into account Polish examples.

The subject of this article is an analysis of selected examples of the modernist housing architecture, in which influences and inspirations resulting from the intention to incorporate the means of operating the sunlight can be observed. Analyses were performed with reference to urban and architectural solutions. Ensuring proper lighting conditions, in addition to the necessity of creating suitable ventilation conditions, the accessibility of recreational areas and other hygiene-sanitary conditions, has become one of the foundations of modernist movement at the beginning of 20th century. The article discusses the following forms of urban planning (new type of compact quarter, linear compositions, detached and tower block settings) - from the perspective of access to sunlight. According to the architectural solutions (depending on different approaches toward incorporating sunlight) the article discusses miscellaneous examples across Europe – north, where the demand for it is particularly high, and southern efforts nurturing partial shading in their designs. The final part of the article examines contemporary trends in the architecture of modernism, where the use of sunlight is also an inspiration for architectural solutions.

The diversity of architectural designs is increasingly becoming a pretext for exploring further spatial solutions. Architects are outraged in the sketching of buildings, which by the use of the sun become more and more three-dimensional and spatial. Light plays a special role here. Daylight first of all. It makes the architect gain a multi-layer effect in the perception of solids from the outside and inside spaces. For many of us, projects such masters as Tadao Ando are the inspiration for the use of light. Others look at the three dimensions of Steven Holl or Morphosis buildings. Two local examples of the quest for depth, use of light or play with shadow and planes is the reception building, designed in Cracow and the church in Wroclaw. In the case of a building in Cracow, the hybrid function of two contradictory elements seems to be a pretext for unusual solutions not only functional but spatial, where light, shadow, reflections, reflections and green play the main role. The church in Wroclaw also follows the play of light and shadow by building spaces of dignity, humility and prayer.

Within the past century living conditions in Polish cities improved significantly. Post-war deficiency was solved by so called the pre-fab (concrete slab). Vast areas intended for housing estates enabled to design buildings in considerable distances that allowed the inhabitants to have intimacy and better lighting of the interiors. Along with the change of the political system in Poland, there was a change in designing housing estates that started to look like sets of objects randomly put together. Serious shortening of the distances between buildings and numerous ways to maximize managing investment plots had bad influence on the apartments quality. The aim of the article is to draw attention to the low level of lightening living space in multifamily buildings erected within the last decade. Various examples of developing Cracovian housing estates show that not only the problem is in the lack of direct sunlight in the apartment but also, even more – the lack of scattered natural light. Relentless property market and progressing liberalization of building law have been making the situation even worse.

The main purposes of the research presented in the article are following: 1) indication of the possibilities of the use of natural and artificial lighting in urban composition and 2) indication of contemporary urban and landscape solutions in cities (mainly public spaces), which are outstanding examples of the use of natural lighting and artificial illumination.

Colour, Le Corbusier’s daughter of light, becomes nowadays one of the most important elements in creation of built environment – both architectural objects and its surroundings. The role of colour in shaping of the night-time image of buildings and spaces is also increasing. The main goal of the article is to present and summarize different aspects of the lighting in red colour, which is considered to have the strongest effect on human beings, together with the reflections on colourful illumination in built environment. Red illumination of the urban spaces may, in addition to its functional and aesthetical aspects, also evoke emotional feelings in observers, as well as influence their behavior and modify the reactions or evaluations, through strong impact on imagination and recalled associations. On selected examples author will discuss various applications – symbolic, functional and decorative – of monochromatic red illumination in architectural space.

The natural sun light has always been an active factor in formation of local architectural traditions. The sun path impacts the settlement planning, building architecture, and interior zoning, comprising main elements of the architectural identity. In the folk architecture, the light played a symbolic, compositional or decorative role. In particular, eastern orientation of the altar in Ukrainian churches added symbolical lighting effects to the interior, while reflection of the sun light on church domes emphasized the magnitude of the building. The traditional south orientation of the front façade of houses actually resulted in a colorful, irregular composition of the Ukrainian village, contrast coloristic image of buildings and distinctive image of the scenery. Since the architecture of the Eastern European region is closely connected to the landscape, with the light as one of the main elements, its role in formation of the regional identity should be evaluated appropriately.

In the article perspective directions of development of furniture design are reviewed and revealed based on analysis of current conditions and trends of its evolution, including the following basics: providing consumers with a wide choice of different furniture considering the vital needs and incomes of different groups of the population; a further research of new ergonomic solutions in furniture design; development and implementation of new environmentally friendly and durable materials in furniture, that ensure the health of a person; search for new and improving modern structures and materials, the use of universal and transforming furniture; introduction of innovative methods, including information technology and software management of furniture; a comprehensive consideration of the different aestethic tastes of consumers taking into account the different socio-cultural traditions. This structuring of the prospects of the development of furniture opens up the possibility of a comprehensive approach for the predicted directions of creating high-quality furniture in the near future, and will contribute to the most reliable sources defining the requirements and conditions of their realization in modern architectural environment.

The work of an architect is the shaping of space. An architect introduces, alters or removes its elements, which influences composition and thus the formal evaluation of an image. It is impossible to optimally compose all the views of a three-dimensional space, however, there are usually distinct observation points, views from which are treated as signature ones, becoming icons associated with certain locations throughout the world. Within such spectacular views, we can single out characteristic elements of an ideal composition2: focal points and accents, a harmonious background and colours, a balanced interplay of unifying and differentiating factors. This composition, which is theoretically possible to design, is, in the real world, also shaped by light. Daylight sharpens it or tones it, at times adding spectacular effects, for instance through backlight. Meanwhile, artificial light can alter a composition of space in a fundamental manner, either hiding or exposing its fragments, painting entirely new images with other dominants and backgrounds. Thanks to night-time illumination, areas which are ascribed little value during the day take on a new value, while those which are already acknowledged have their excellence underlined.