AIA & IDCEC Continuing Education

Course Description: Le Corbusier is attributed with the quote that “architecture is light”. Indeed, most architects spend a lot of design time working natural and artificial lighting into buildings in ways that are both functional and beautiful. Of course, it is really the interplay of that light onto materials and surfaces and the way it is spread throughout a three-dimensional space that produces a total experience. Factor in time of day and different lighting conditions, and the total process is a very dynamic one, not just a static event.

Among the materials that are part of an architect’s palette for incorporating light into buildings, coiled wire fabric is becoming a more widely used medium. With variable light transmission or reflection qualities, it provides a very customizable but cost effective and durable option for achieving a wide range of design outcomes.

This course delves into the specifics of this versatile material and looks at the variety of ways that it enhances architecture through the use of light. Starting with an overview of the material, we then look at the ways it can be a means of control and enhancement of both natural daylight and electrical lighting. Further, we explore its use as a surface where still or moving imagery can be projected. Ultimately, it is the combination of design prowess, materials, and lighting that create beautiful, functional architecture as seen in examples cited.

Course Description: Building components like glass, glazing, and even opaque assemblies can be subjected to forces from man-made events that require protection and security. At the same time, architects and interior designers don’t want a purely industrial or harsh appearance to be the dominant feature of that protection. Rather, the goal is to find a solution that respects the overall design of a building while still providing the ability to be protected and resilient.

This is particularly true where blast protection is part of the building design criteria as is the case in many government buildings and other public facilities. Recognizing these concerns as a design issue is the first step in determining an appropriate design response. Therefore, in this course, some of the basic issues of different degrees of security related to different building situations are reviewed. Then, some specific strategies are explored using protective, coiled wire fabric as a design solution to create buildings that can remain resilient in the face of identified security threats and challenges.