Contrast is the story of light and its counterpart, darkness. The absence of light is as critical to architecture as its presence. Through the relationship between light and dark we are able to determine the form of architecture by the manner in which space and surface is revealed.

The degree of light and shade not only informs the way we see but also the mood and expression of our environment. The act of working with light requires an understanding of how to maintain darkness.

This can be through the elimination of light or the casting of shadows. Shadow, like light, has quality, quantity, direction and focus. In natural light it changes in perfect harmony with the movement of the sun. In an artificially illuminated world, whilst the contrast between light and shade can be predicted and controlled it is often subject to the effect of multiple sources.

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