Daylight, Design and Place-Making

Daylight, Design and Place-Making examines the role of daylight in creating and revealing the wonders of heritage and contemporary architecture. Shifting from a purely technical approach to daylighting, this book places importance on the creation of meaningful aesthetics through an understanding of context and culture.

Cultural applications of light in architecture differ depending on various historical, technological, and social characteristics. Increasingly, there is a revival of interest in contemporary architecture using daylight as an essential contextual ingredient in the design process. By examining the architecture of daylight in different locales and setting these in their historical contexts, the book argues that appropriate use of daylight will ensure not only visual and thermal comfort in the urban setting and aid in energy efficiency, but also will contribute to the overall identity of new buildings, particularly in urban regeneration projects.

This book brings together an analysis of technical aspects of daylight performance and environmental impact, with discussions on the psychology of daylighting and its influence in shaping perceptions of our built environment. It will be an ideal read for academics and researchers interested in architecture and cultural studies.

Hisham Elkadi currently holds the position of the Dean of Architecture and the Built Environment at the University of Salford in the United Kingdom and lead the Sustainable Urban Futures (SURF) research group. He obtained his PhD from the University of Liverpool in 1989. Prior to his appointment, he was the Head of School of Architecture at Deakin University, Australia. Hisham has been involved in research and urban outreach initiatives in the UK, Italy, Egypt, Turkey, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Australia.

Sura Al-Maiyah is Senior Lecturer in Urban Technology at the University of Salford in Greater Manchester. Prior to her current position, she led the Masters Course in Sustainable Architecture at the School of Architecture, University of Portsmouth. Her research interest is in daylighting design, visual and thermal performance of buildings, and sustainable development of heritage sites. She has extensive experience in assessing the visual performance of historic buildings dating back to her PhD at Ulster University. Sura has led and collaborated on a number of research projects and served as a reviewer for several journals and conferences.