LIGHT IN NARROW SPACES

LIGHT IN NARROW SPACES :My project is situated in Lebanon and precisely in Wadih Qannoubine also known as the saint’s valley. The link from the top of the valley to the bottom of it is inexistent which is why my project will not only pave the way and be the entry point to the saint’s valley but also shed the light on the golden product in this valley which is the olive tree. The village I am working in, still deemed as a ‘green village’, is comprised of 70% greenery of which 40% are olive trees. Visitors will get the chance to learn how olives are turned into olive oil, and how with olive oil, soap can be made, in addition to these functions, like in every other corner of this valley, my project will also include a chapel. My project is divided into 3 horizontal spaces, one labeled as functional, the stairs, and the last one labeled as spiritual and sensorial. As for the concept of light; my project is mostly composed by long stairs, which leaves narrow spaces for the functions that are not buried, the width of the lower level of my volume is three meters and the upper level is only two meters, however the light used in this project makes the small narrow spaces, livable. This is where light plays a huge role, in some cases the light made the space feel bigger and more comfortable to be in. In different places light was a guide, the way openings were positioned attracts the visitor in space. In places like in the chapel, light gives a solemn feeling, in the buried functions that do not need a lot of light, tunnels are placed to direction light in specific spots. The same idea is presented in the sculptural stairs i created. You start the journey in my project bathed by the light on the exterior stairs at the top of the valley, when you move into the interior of the project every opening is designed with a specific aim that I discussed earlier on, and in the end you finish this journey bathed by the light again at the bottom of the valley before continuing the trail in Wadih Qannoubine, in this type of project where light isn’t necessarily needed in some spaces like in the olive oil production spaces, it is actually important to use light as the ultimate secret weapon to attract the visitors and guide them. The idea here was not to recreate light, light exist and is used in every architectural project made but it’s not common to turn places that are hard to live in into a satisfying journey just by the simple introduction of light that is meticulously studied to enhance the livability of the space. My point here was to rethink the way i use light to achieve different needs and not to recreate it.