This architectural style would involve using static mirrors to concentrate and reflect sunlight in a way that lets the light move swiftly across and around walls just from the natural movement of the sun.

For a basic example imagine sunlight shining directly down a long hall, onto the wall. Because of the angle a slight turn of the earth creates a significantly greater movement of the light playing on the wall.

Of course this isn't one of the actual possible styles: For the light to be concentrated enough to be easily visible and yet at a sufficiently oblique angle to move swiftly down the hall it would have to be bright enough to cause rapid sunburn. But clever use of mirrors, archways, windows, passages, and crystals can let the sun move quickly down the hall without burning anything.

For another example imagine the morning sun shining at a steep angle against the ground. Shadows move much more quickly in the morning.
-- Voice, Jan 22 2012

"Slipstream" http://www.uva.co.uk/work/slipstream
[FlyingToaster, Jan 22 2012]

Not sure faster movement per se is desirable, but engineering the play of light as part of the architectural esthetic is good, and engineering the *dynamic* play of light is better.

Surprising that Frank Gehry hasn't already done this. Wasn't there a spot outside the Walt Disney Concert Hall that had to be fenced off because the curved exterior wall focused the sun at that point?

(Anybody remember CJ Cherryh's _Wave Without a Shore_?)
-- mouseposture, Jan 22 2012


I recently saw a sculpture that consisted of a series of mirrors set in a line at different angles. Once a minute the sun would change mirrors, causing a new spot to shine.
-- FlyingToaster, Jan 22 2012


I was just looking for one myself: it's a new (2010?) sculpture at the Eaton Centre mall in Toronto; runs part of the length of the glass-topped building.

[edit:] found it <link>... dunno where I got the idea it was a clock.
-- FlyingToaster, Jan 22 2012


I like it.
If the mirrors must remain static then simply curving them inwards or outwards will have the effect of speeding up or slowing down the crawl of light.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jan 22 2012


Engineering the dynamic play of light as part of the architectural aesthetic was done at least 5,000 years ago, in the Orkney Islands. Not with mirrors, though.
-- spidermother, Jan 22 2012



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