Interactive Parametric Design and the Role of Light in Byzantine.pptVIP

Interactive Parametric Design and the Role of Light in Byzantine Churches Iakovos Potamianos1, Wassim Jabi2 1 Democritus University of Thrace, Greece 2 New Jersey Institute of Technology, U.S.A. ipota@tee.gr , jabi@njit.edu Interactive Parametric Design and the Role of Light in Byzantine Churches Natural light was used in Byzantine churches to strengthen the meaning and symbolism of the liturgical acts. Certain methods employed for lighting the dome and the altar have been investigated elsewhere. It has been shown that the intention of generating light shafts falling onto the altar has determined the orientation of the church main axis in a significant number of churches. In this paper the following issue is investigated: If, in fact, a light shaft was calculated to enter the church through the apse windows and be directed toward the altar is it probable for this intention to have determined the geometry of the apse? Issues involved The light shaft enters at a particular time of day, on a particular celebration date and falls on the point before the altar representing symbolically the descent of the Holy Ghost onto the bread and wine causing their consecration. The time of day when this happens is the third Byzantine hour, i.e. the middle of the morning, which varies according to the season. The celebration day depends on the dedication of the church. Cathedrals are often oriented toward the third hour of the equinox in order to be able to capture light from the side windows in various dates and so accommodate great feasts throughout the year. Observations The geometry of the apse varies considerably from one church to another. It forms various polygons and semicircles, assuming sometimes odd shapes. The variety of polygons is usually attributed to stylistic preference. The orientation of the main axis varies considerably from one church to another The number of windows varies in number usually from one to three to six. The windows vary in size and in distance