Defining New Metrics for Contrast and Variability

Abstract

In the previous chapter, we conducted a survey of contemporary global architecture to develop a typological language about the range of contrast-driven effects in daylight design. Each example was placed within a larger matrix to establish a gradient from high contrast on the left to low contrast on the right (Fig. 4.1). Using this system of categorization, we distilled each column of the matrix into a single abstract digital model to facilitate a more directed discussion about the specific characteristics that distinguish each space. We introduced new terms: ‘spatial contrast’ and ‘temporal variability,’ which describe intuitive differences in the distribution of daylight between each space and the overall placement of each example within the gradient from left to right. This chapter will examine those characteristics presented by the typological matrix and will introduce three new metrics: spatial contrast, annual spatial contrast, and annual luminance variability that contribute to a more holistic understanding of contrast and temporal variability in architecture.