I posted a short note on my Blogger site, I have been in and out of using Blogger for years, and added many new titles, but never kept them up, mostly because of work presure, but now I am free of all that, I have made a new site, copied all the blogs over and slowly I will delete the names till only “Frog Up or Down” remains, as my comments blog, like YouTubes Shorts a place for quick short comments not articles. so please head over there and see my little posts. This substack page is my longer article repository.

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But today, I want to expand on Shadow, I used to work freelance, and a long post I got was for the then New Birmingham Airport. The Archites Paul Beeny, wanted to have a band of ribbed panels that played with the light, This was my first exposure to shadow, and it has stayed with me ever since.

I love to watch a building facade change as light sweeps across the face of the building, changing as it his stone, or brick, and the contrast between solid and Glass.

And its here I think I want to concentrate this article, looking at light from the sun in contrast to reflected light from a window.

I must admit, this is something I had not picked up on till this short little YouTube video, looked at the subject, and made me drop everything and concentrate on researching this extraordinary effect.

I suppose my first port of call, as always these days was to open a long conversation with Gemini, I say long, because Gemini strayed away from the subject, and although it was interesting, I had to dig it back to the main theme, but it was an interesting discussion, so perhaps this should also be your first port of call, with your choice of AI.

My next path will take several days and I must admit to several hours just watching a building, I want to see how the sun realy affects a building, and I am going to choose carefully, the building I want to watch. I am planning on visiting an older building that used to be a Lloyds bank building on New Street, Birmingham City Center, its opposite the ramp to New Street station, and the alterations to the roof includes a stainless steel mansard, roof, that reflects light back onto the surrounding buildings, its a little bit more extreme than I might normally looked at, but its going to be fun.

Now I have made my choice, I will do what I always teach , thats to do my desk top survey, and plan out what where and how.

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What, is already desided, How, is to sit and watch, when, is to be desided, I want a sunny day, as this is the real focus, that means I choose on the day. not always easy.

But first the desktop survey care of Google Maps, I like the satalite maps and the so usefull Street View.

From the map I can see that the part of the building I want to observe, is North facing, so to get the real light working on the buildings I need to attend first or last thing just after sun rise or just before sun set to get the effects I an looking for.

https://youtube.com/shorts/tP23XvP3YCk?si=ISk-iamp8L4xHilv

Its been a while since I last walked past this building and a lot has changed, mostly with the installation of the Tram Tracks, very interesting., but the light on this street view taken in August 2022, show a very interesting light and shadow contrast on the Stevenson Place facade of my building and just a climpce of light hitting the stainless Steel mansard behind. It looks like an early morning shot given this shot is south west ish. I tried to follow the Street round but there is no continuity between the timing of shots, the street view from Stevenson St I wanted was June 2022, and no shadow, something I now need to consider in my time there.

Well Plans are made, and all I need is the sunny day.

But this will not stop my research on Shadow , I went to YouTube and made a simple search, Architecture and Shadow, my first video was with is Dami Lee a licensed architect in Canada, who uses her expertise to show may aspects of Architecture, something I think is lacking in the teaching of Technologists, and probably why an Architects course is 7 years or more not the three for technologists. Something I need to address in future Articles.

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But I think for now I will create a new section in my CPD, spreadsheet, yes I still keep a list of my CPD, I may be retired but these every day things never go away.

But back to the video, Dami talks of the reflection pool, or is it a mote, with incredible shots of light reflecting on a plain wall, and into a low cncrete ceiling,

She quotes Jun’iChiro Tanizaki “Were it not for Shadows, there would be no Beauty” I must admit to asking Gemini about Jun’iChiro Tanizaki and suddenly realised I had a copy of his book, but rather than alter Geminis text, read below

:

Gemini:

That is a beautiful and profound quote, and you have the person and the source exactly right!

The quote is by the great Japanese novelist and essayist Jun’ichirō Tanizaki.

The quote comes from his most famous and influential essay:

* Title: In Praise of Shadows (陰翳礼讃, In’ei Raisan)

* Published: 1933

I have a more recent copy translated into English

The line cited is often found in the following, slightly longer passage from the essay, which elegantly summarises its core aesthetic argument:

“We find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates. Were it not for shadows, there would be no beauty.“

In Praise of Shadows is a poetic exploration of traditional Japanese aesthetics, particularly in contrast to the glaring brilliance and relentless light of the modern West (as it was perceived in the 1930s).

Tanizaki argues that Japanese beauty is found in the dimness, the patina of age, the subtlety, and the shadows that hide and enhance objects, especially in architecture, lacquerware, and Noh theatre. It is a love letter to:

* Architecture: Deep eaves and dark wood that create pools of shadow.

* Lacquerware: Bowls and utensils that are most beautiful when seen dimly, with a soft, smoky luster rather than a brilliant polish.

* Aesthetics: The idea that true beauty is not in the object itself, but in the mystery and nuance created by its surrounding darkness.

Given my interest in Construction, materials, and draughtsmanship, I found the essay’s discussions on traditional Japanese architectural design, the use of natural materials, and the way light is intentionally managed to be fascinating.

Something I plan on exploring more.

Finaly my sub title is to remind you all, that the real New Year on the 21st Dec here in the UK, is fast approaching, the exact time is 15:03 GMT so I have made a note in my diary I might try to be online on my TikTok account, if I can make it work !

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