"The Shadow as Threshold"

This image was taken from page 21 of The Black Box, The Concealed Room by Erica Kruger.

I think that this image really expresses the feeling I'm trying to evoke in my design for both labs. The multi - layered, complex shadows created by intersecting spaces, or wall partitions which only suggest separate spaces. I'm interested in how shadows contribute to atmosphere, or mood, and this image definitely demonstrates this. With the partitions, I like the way that a person can walk across a room and because of the different shadows falling across the space, feel like there's a transition. The dark, moody lighting also suit the function that the building must fulfill, I always imagine labs to be rather somber, ominous places.

I like the way Kruger describes shadow as threshold to be “spaces between past and future, life and death, known and unknown.” This sort of mystery is perfectly heightened by the dim lighting and shadowy interior. It also relates to the idea of a lab where experiments are being conducted, never knowing what could happen next.