ELEONORA NICOLETTI

Architectural surfaces can be transformed with minimal resources by breaking white light into its colours and redirecting them to walls, ceilings or floors. This can be achieved by using materials and components with particular optical properties. We are all familiar with the rainbow pattern of CDs and DVDs. When positioned near a light source, a CD can cast rainbow effects onto architectural surfaces, as shown in the photo. In fact, the structure of a CD surface, with its cl

Would we still need urban street lights if architectural surfaces could emit light with no need of electric power? The luminescent façade frame of the Media-TIC building in Barcelona already suggests the possibility of illuminating cities with smart coatings as a zero-energy, outdoor lighting solution. Photoluminescent coatings are also referred to as phosphorescent, luminescent, illuminous or luminous paints. I have had the opportunity to try STARGLOW Paints by GLOWTEC, whi

During the information age architecture has become much more interactive. Designing engaging spaces often involves integrating electric and electronic circuits into architectural elements. In some projects those circuits can affect the overall shape. Sketching electronics can be part of an architect's design process, made easier by the use of conductive ink which allows you to draw and test your circuits straight away. Bare Conductive Electric Paint is an amazing, quite affor

The installation Crest by Zaha Hadid Architects looks like a simple gesture, something that you could almost draw in the air with an arm movement. It shows “how little” it can take to an architectural object to be a communicative presence: in fact, it approximates a single curved surface reflecting natural light. Its challenge was to look like an abstract surface with no thickness while being self supporting. This was made possible by an experimental process involving the use

Installing solar panels on buildings provides clean energy, lowers electricity bills and can reduce the use of fossil fuels as well as carbon dioxide emissions (overlooking the panels production process). Most common solar panels look like large, glossy, dark blue tiles put on top of existing roofs by overlapping their modularity onto the roof’s completely different texture. In my opinion, the visual outcome of that operation is not very successful. Some completed architectur

Photoluminescent or phosphorescent pigments are smart materials capable of emitting light after absorbing certain types of radiant energy. More precisely, they absorb invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation from ambient light and re-emit that energy as visible light in the following hours. Unlike other materials, they don’t reflect light, but they are an actual light source. The duration of the glow effect depends on the amount of radiant energy absorbed. The material appears qu

In Architecture and Disjunction Bernard Tschumi used the term mask referred to the ambiguous, perceptible appearance of architecture, covering and unveiling other masks imputable to the society and the economy of every era. Architectural skins have changed through time in parallel with transformations in those other realities. Glass façades were a consequence of the industrial revolution and blurred the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces. Commercial culture intro

How does architecture communicate? In 2001 the Italian authors Roberto De Rubertis and Matteo Clemente explored this subject in their book on perception and visual communication in architecture and gave and interesting list of ten morphemes used in architecture to communicate. According to their study, a group four morphemes relate to structure, form, distribution and furniture, while all the remaining six morphemes essentially relate to surface. In fact, the authors mention