As we begin to move into the warmer months of the year with clearer skies and bright sunshine, I have been reminded of the lovely and sometimes chance effects that occur as a result of the ‘path of the sun’.

Effective architects will spend much of their time designing for either letting the sun in, or keeping the sun out or harnessing it to create power as a matter of course in good design. However, it is important to also understand that other opportunities exist in design to harness the more creative effects of the sun and the varying atmospheres it can create, apart from letting the winter sun in and keeping the summer sun out.

As we have developed our design understanding over the years we have better understood the ways in which design elements like screens, curved walls, batten details, colour/ material selections, the use of water all create opportunities to engage the sun as an element that can create patterns, colours, shadows, that all in some part allow the building to act as a kinetic sculpture. Screens have the opportunity to create patterned light, curved walls the capacity to create softer shadow shapes in regular shaped rooms, vivid colours the capacity to change the light as it hits a wall or ceiling or the surface of pool water and the reflection it can create as examples.

So I’d encourage you all to ask your designer to consider these more fluid opportunities when thinking about how the sun can not only effectively warm and power your home, but how with well thought out design elements, also create a myriad of often beautiful shades, shadows, colours and textures if the design allows it to :).

Image to the left showing a projected curved shadow from an archway and thin shadow lines from the balustrade creating a nice play of shapes to what would have otherwise been a purely geometric, functional service area of the home.