A journey at Somerset House through the London Fashion Weekend, lighting and M. C. Lam
Both fashion and architecture express ideas of personal, social and cultural
identity, reflecting the concerns of the user and the ambition of the age. Their
relationship is a symbiotic one, and throughout history clothing and buildings have
echoed each other in form and appearance. This seems only natural as they not only
share the primary function of providing shelter and protection for the body, but also
because they both create space and volume out of flat, two-dimensional materials.
While they have much in common, they are also intrinsically different. Both address
the human scale, but the proportions, sizes and shapes differ enormously. And while
fashion is, by its very nature, ephemeral or ‘of the moment’, architecture traditionally
has a more solid, monumental and permanent presence.
http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/documents/skinbones_exhibition_guide.pdf
How does the technology of light influence the way we experience space and what emotions does it evoke within individuals?
"We think of light as one of the most material ingredients within the composition of architectural. it s immaterial in the way that one cannot grab it, grasp it but it is shaping constantly all of us. so we operate with the intake of natural light as one of the most important elements within architecture, many times associated to circulation and different moments of temporally within a building.
How do we see a sculpture without actually see it being lit? Everything that we see in terms of artwork that's exhibited is very natural, you don't see light. That's the most successful kind of lighting. successfully
London Fashion Weekend is Britain’s biggest biannual consumer fashion showcase [...] that offers the rare opportunity to experience trend-setting catwalk shows in the official British Fashion Council Show Space, the same catwalk used for London Fashion Week.
http://www.londonfashionweekend.co.uk/about/about-london-fashion-weekend
INTRODUCING LONDON FASHION WEEKEND, SOMERSET HOUSE AND THE CONCEPT OF LIGHT
To those who are not working in the industry but still want to take part to London fashion experience, LF Weekend is a biannual event that takes place immediately after London Fashion Week, offering the oublic the possibility to attend shows or go through pop-up shops of designers that have been presenting their collections during the week to the elite society of the high end industry. More simply said, LF Weekend is the convention of the fashion industry to get a larger public buy a ticket to visit otherwise hard-tor-reach world.
Indeed, one may think it is a superfluous excuse to get even more funds into an already flourishing industry, yet I find that there is more depth beneath all this strategic marketing.
London Fashion Weekend gives to the those who like to express ideas of personal, social and cultural identity through their clothes, a place where they can dream, where they can meet similar people who have a story and are not afraid to tell that story in the way they dress or create.
I have always been fascinated by the meeting point of Fashion with Architecture. Architecture expresses a similar creative message, sharing the same primary function of providing shelter for the body, creating volume out of two-dimentional materials, addressing the human scale and reflecting the needs of the user and the beliefs of the age; yet it is different through its solid, more permanent and monumental presence.
Recently, I have had the chance to attend the London Fashion Weekend at the Somerset House in London. Finding out that it will take place at William Chambers' spectacular neo-classical gem situated right in the heart of London, between the river Thames and the Strand, the Somerset House, I could not help but heep my eyes and my heart open to dive even further into the experience of these two vast domains and the way they interact.
My Fashion weekend escape was more of an opportunity to disconnect from everyday rituals and go into an environment where there are no conventions, rules or dress codes, where nothing is too colorful, over-sized or architectural, for that matter, to fit the body as long as it puts a feeling though visual language and pours out your individuality.
how does light tell a story
The venue where LFW took place this season is the Somerset House. The main British Fashion Council Tent was erected in its snug courtyard, providing a sense of enclosure ideal for the side of the industry that likes to promote exclusivity.
It is important to mention that the event closes at 7 p.m and so all the arrangements within and outside the Somerset House are made so that they meet daylight requirements.
Millions of items of the outward order are present to my senses which never properly enter into my experience. Why? Because they have no interest for me. My experience is what I agree to attend to. Only those items which I notice shape my mind - without selective interest, experience is an utter chaos. Interest alone gives accent and emphasis, light and shade, background and foreground - intelligible perspective, in a word. It varies in every [p. 403] creature, but without it the consciousness of every creature would be a gray chaotic indiscriminateness, impossible for us even to conceive.
William James, The Principles of Psychology, Henry Holt and Company, Inc., New York, 1890, vol. 1, p 402.
It is interesting to see how artificial light within this event takes over the role of shaping our minds and guides us towards certain objects or spaces within a building.
"Kruithof had measured the range of color temperature under which objects appear 'natural' and pleasant at different levels of luminance.[...] We expect illumination to be of a high color temperature (relayively blue) when luminance levels are high because we refer them unconciously to daylight, which has a relatively high color temperature. We expect low color temperatures (a warmer quality of light) when luminance levels are low - perhaps by association with firelight, candlelight, and so forth." (pag.51, LAM)
include light measurements charts
SOMERSET HOUSE
"The clarity with which an object is perceived is influenced by its context." In this case, Somerset becomes the actual context for the event, In regards to the ouside, the gray palette of colors brought to life by the reflective surface of the BFC tent, whereas on the insidem the white walls provide a perfect clean background for exhibiting objects of which color and shape need to be most accentuated. One should also take into consideration the fact that Somerset was turned into a public building
Once the official residence of the Queen of England and later demolished to make way for the new riverside palace on the same site, Somerset House is today a cultural pin-point on the London scene with a very particular public programe that includes temporary exhibitions, restaurants and cafes and free guided tours.
As I immerse into experiencing the London Fashion Weekend, I pay very close attention to I am very much in touch with my emotions. And I have thousands every day. I can feel energy flowing through me, I feel connected though colors, patterns, nature and I respond to light. And as I enter its gates from the Strand, I feel pulled into a darker space, surrounding by stone Doric columns and white arches that reflect somewhat the almost blinding light from what's on the other side if the entrance, the courtyard. Light here feels almost restricted from the visitors of somerset, just so that the impact of reaching the inside becomes even bigger and more powerful, accentuating its
In front of my eyes, a world buzzing with ladies dressed in minimal, geometric, hard-shaped trapezoid dresses. And though these architectural details add a certain character to the place, the true personality lies within the venue itself that LFW has used for the last 5 years.
Although it may seem like there is not much of a connection between LFW and London's architecture, the least poetic truth is that the chosen venues are a crucial part of designers' managing of their brands.
These places almost never make it into fashion reports but for those who attend the event the venue and the clothes hard to dissociate. It is them that will form a perception of the designer, his clothes and the show and later share that perception with the rest of the world. And so architecture comes into the picture as a tool to move an industry forward.
The LFW tent this year is made of a reflective material that not only glares together with all the flashes of the buzzing photographers, but also glares out on a clear blue sky day. Although in contrast with the Portland stone of London's epicenter, the specular addition to the courtyard blends in with the color and environment and makes for a perfect enclosure of this year's show space.
The show is hours away from starting so I make my way though the courtyard and into Somerset from the South Wing entrance, looking forward to see how Somerset makes room for the talented British designers to sell their work. A luminous room where the reception also sits is filled with staff handing fliers on the event, vouchers to brands selling their items in the following rooms, and the map for every floor. Here, the natural light comes inside both though the entrance and the exit, making the space seem like a hub for those either beginning or ending their journey, before exiting though the terrace door.
I make my way into the corridor, to start discovering what are be the fabrics and tones that will make it to High street this season.
directional clues
"One simple form of this sort of consistency (in orientation and guidance) in the luminous environment is the differentiation of public and private corridors with various kinds of lighting systems, colors, and materials. Another is the distinctive illumination of the walls of service cores and vertical circulation elements. A third is the use of decorative light fixtures to call attention to circulation nodes and important destinations."
(pag.27, LAM)
I notice that light changes completely its qualities from the precedent room. The narrow walkway is flooded by artificial light of a slightly lower intensity, coming from above all the way to the other side of the wing. "We are afraid of the dark at least partly because it is inherenly informationless"(pag.56, LAM) The only intrusions of sunlight come from the opening of the side rooms. I am naturally attracted to towards the exterior, so I focus my attention to my right and left. This wing is only occupied by one cafe and restaurant before reaching to the staircase.
Although I was inpatient to dive into the clothes, something about the tall window and the sudden wash of light coming from the adjacent rooms makes me want to start my so called shopping spree with a large latte first. The lights hanging from the ceiling are placed just above the tables, creating the perfect conditions for those who want to sit down and go though their maps or read. They also bring a warmer feel to the diffuse natural light coming from the clouds that made their way above Somerset.
Going on with the journey, it is now time to explore what LFW has to offer. But just I though I'd bump into the shoes and dresses of the West wing, I reach to a majestic staircase.
With natural light coming from above, spotlights all along the staircase, illuminating the steps towards the first floor, I give into my curiosity to explore where does the six meter long Nelson Stair lead to, whilst also admiring the balloon installation.
The first floor is nothing less that what I portrayed it to be. Although with the same layout as the ground floor with the corridor leading into the better lit rooms, there is almost no one going on the corridor from one room to the other, and instead, they're using the alternate openings to go from one pop up showroom to the other. Of course, the highlight shines on the clothes using track lighters on the ceilings and wall washes to brighten the name of the designer. In the middle of almost every room there is a table with accessorize varying in color, depending on the influences of their creators but always brought to life by direct pendants lighting them from up above.
The sharp shadows that they create on the floor contrast with the luminous air of the room,
It is almost as if the artificial warmer light symbolizes the consumeri
Moving forward to the central area of the first floor where the emerging designers exhibit their ready-to-wear, I enter the brightest and most crowded room so far, with four different windows towards the river bank. "when all buildings were designed around a single, fixed light source -the sun- the difference between great architecture and mere building could be measured to a large degree by the skill with which that source was used. The shoes and sizes of rooms, and the materials and details in them, were determined largely by the appearance the room would take on when rendered by daylight." (pag10,LAM)
The natural light plays a major role in this space, as all the clothes are distributed in the proximity of the windows. Together with the bright white of the surrounding walls that reflects even more light upon the rest of the room and the high ceiling which gives air and a lightness to it, this is by far the most crowded room yet and still, there is a energy to it take makes it stand out from the rest. Is the choice of this room to host the wave of Britain's next top selling business intentional? I wonder. The names of the artists are written in back letters on the wall next to the windows which makes them hard to read in the blinding contrast created from the outside.
"Since the brain is constantly monitoring the visual environment for new information which might be of significance with the regard to biological or activity needs, things which are unexpected or which contrast with their visual backgrounds because of some unusual quality are likely to be treated as figures by the visual-processing system, attracting the attention of the beholder"
(pag.19, LAM)
As I notice a jacket that I like, I immediately go towards it to feel its fabric and once I reach it, closer to the wall, I can now see who its creator is. Lucilla Gray matches the name on the label to that on the wall and I finally feel like I have my pick. I check the price and suddenly, I'm brought to the harsh reality. There appears to be no student discount for high end products! Go figure. I carefully put it back next to its monochrome similar pieces nonetheless, and decide I should go for the Accessories, in attempt to have more luck at purchasing the new "en vogue".
Reaching now to the Stamp Stair, I descend into yet another corridor and what amazes me is the exposure to light. The door located just in front of the last step is inviting towards the outside terrace, almost begging for a minute of stare at the river outside. But continuing to the corridor, I notice the drastic change from the sunlight to the enclosed walkway that almost makes me feel trapped in a maze, eager to go anywhere that opens up more space.
I find myself moving rapidly through the contemporary jewelery room and into the bags and shoes area, this time in the East wing. Following a similar layout to the clothing department, the accessories differ from all the resy though the more minimal approach to lighting. One can only see wall sconces illuminating the arched entrances from one room to the other and the rest is kept to the simplest. A few mirrors along the wall facing the courtyard and that's about it.
THE COURTYARD
Expectations influence evaluation of the surrounding environment
"When bright light sources are directly visible, or when their images can be seen reflected from some specular surface such as a piece of glass or a wet roadway, pattern becomes even more important that usual as a signal. Pattern is an easily perceptible form of order, and triggers expectations of completeness and consistency. [...] Expectations and a patterned context draw the eye to an omitted element of the pattern , which becomes a de facto focus, whether intended or not."
(pag.41, LAM)
The way in which the tent cleverly reflects the surrounding architecture helps it to both disrupt the pattern of a neo-classical architecture therefore focus attention towards itself and blend in the courtyard of an existing Chambers' masterpiece.
There is, on one hand, the tent that occupies the courtyard, used as a runway stage and a clothing store and there are, on the other hand, the first and second floor of the East, South and West Wings of Somerset which showcase pop-up stores of established and up and coming designers featured within the shows. So one can notice the relationship that is created within the inside and outside of the hosting building and that while the promotion of the industry happens within the center, the actual business moves throughout the building.
One may wonder why so much hustle for high-end brands that already have a well established clientele? Well, the point of FW and its catwalks is the spectacle that it delivers to the public. The unusual venues, the exclusivity: if not more than that, these parades sell perfume to those who still want to be associated with this lavish lifestyle and cannot afford the clothes.
INSIDE SOMERSET
This division of space seems very strategically chosen, as the building itself actually extends the bands' image in a much more effective and exciting way that the Mayfair's boutiques could. Pop-up shops allow versatility that the fixed layouts of their previous stores cannot provide.agimilar pieces noneth
Reaching now to the Stamp Stair, I descend into yet another corridor and what amazes me is the exposure to light. The door located just in front of the last step is inviting towards the outside terrace, almost begging for a minute of stare at the river outside. But continuing to the corridor, I notice the drastic change from the sunlight to the enclosed walkway that almost makes me feel trapped in a maze, eager to go anywhere that opens up more space.
I find myself moving rapidly through the contemporary jewelery room and into the bags and shoes area, this time in the East wing. Following a similar layout to the clothing department, the accessories differ from all the rest though the more minimal approach to lighting. One can only see wall sconces illuminating the arched entrances from one room to the other and the rest is kept to the simplest. A few mirrors along the wall facing the courtyard and that's about it. "Absolute luminance levels do have a relationship to sensations of glare and distraction, but it is the patterns of light sources and the nature of their relationship to other elements i the visual field which largely determine the overall quality of the luminous environment." (pag11, LAM)
"Concepts, not hardware, are the missing ingredients in the conventional approach to the design of the luminous environment" (pag12, LAM)
THE COURTYARD
There is, on one hand, the tent that occupies the courtyard, used as a runway stage and a clothing store and there are, on the other hand, the first and second floor of the East, South and West Wings of Somerset which showcase pop-up stores of established and up and coming designers featured within the shows. So one can notice the relationship that is created within the inside and outside of the hosting building and that while the promotion of the industry happens within the center, the actual business moves throughout the building.
One may wonder why so much hustle for high-end brands that already have a well established clientelle? Well, the point of FW and its catwalks is the spectacle that it delivers to the public. The unusual venues, the exclusivity: if not more than that, these parades sell perfume to those who still want to be associated with this lavish lifestyle and cannot afford the clothes.
INSIDE SOMERSET
This division of space seems very strategically chosen, as the building itself actually extends the bands' image in a much more effective and exciting way that the Mayfair's boutiques could. Pop-up shops allow versatility that the fixed layouts of their previous stores cannot provide.
Both fashion and architecture express ideas of personal, social and cultural
identity, reflecting the concerns of the user and the ambition of the age. Their
relationship is a symbiotic one, and throughout history clothing and buildings have
echoed each other in form and appearance. This seems only natural as they not only
share the primary function of providing shelter and protection for the body, but also
because they both create space and volume out of flat, two-dimensional materials.
While they have much in common, they are also intrinsically different. Both address
the human scale, but the proportions, sizes and shapes differ enormously. And while
fashion is, by its very nature, ephemeral or ‘of the moment’, architecture traditionally
has a more solid, monumental and permanent presence.
http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/documents/skinbones_exhibition_guide.pdf
How does the technology of light influence the way we experience space and what emotions does it evoke within individuals?
"We think of light as one of the most material ingredients within the composition of architectural. it s immaterial in the way that one cannot grab it, grasp it but it is shaping constantly all of us. so we operate with the intake of natural light as one of the most important elements within architecture, many times associated to circulation and different moments of temporally within a building.
How do we see a sculpture without actually see it being lit? Everything that we see in terms of artwork that's exhibited is very natural, you don't see light. That's the most successful kind of lighting. successfully
London Fashion Weekend is Britain’s biggest biannual consumer fashion showcase [...] that offers the rare opportunity to experience trend-setting catwalk shows in the official British Fashion Council Show Space, the same catwalk used for London Fashion Week.
http://www.londonfashionweekend.co.uk/about/about-london-fashion-weekendINTRODUCING LONDON FASHION WEEKEND, SOMERSET HOUSE AND THE CONCEPT OF LIGHT
To those who are not working in the industry but still want to take part to London fashion experience, LF Weekend is a biannual event that takes place immediately after London Fashion Week, offering the oublic the possibility to attend shows or go through pop-up shops of designers that have been presenting their collections during the week to the elite society of the high end industry. More simply said, LF Weekend is the convention of the fashion industry to get a larger public buy a ticket to visit otherwise hard-tor-reach world.
Indeed, one may think it is a superfluous excuse to get even more funds into an already flourishing industry, yet I find that there is more depth beneath all this strategic marketing.
London Fashion Weekend gives to the those who like to express ideas of personal, social and cultural identity through their clothes, a place where they can dream, where they can meet similar people who have a story and are not afraid to tell that story in the way they dress or create.
I have always been fascinated by the meeting point of Fashion with Architecture. Architecture expresses a similar creative message, sharing the same primary function of providing shelter for the body, creating volume out of two-dimentional materials, addressing the human scale and reflecting the needs of the user and the beliefs of the age; yet it is different through its solid, more permanent and monumental presence.
Recently, I have had the chance to attend the London Fashion Weekend at the Somerset House in London. Finding out that it will take place at William Chambers' spectacular neo-classical gem situated right in the heart of London, between the river Thames and the Strand, the Somerset House, I could not help but heep my eyes and my heart open to dive even further into the experience of these two vast domains and the way they interact.
My Fashion weekend escape was more of an opportunity to disconnect from everyday rituals and go into an environment where there are no conventions, rules or dress codes, where nothing is too colorful, over-sized or architectural, for that matter, to fit the body as long as it puts a feeling though visual language and pours out your individuality.
Indeed, one may think it is a superfluous excuse to get even more funds into an already flourishing industry, yet I find that there is more depth beneath all this strategic marketing.
London Fashion Weekend gives to the those who like to express ideas of personal, social and cultural identity through their clothes, a place where they can dream, where they can meet similar people who have a story and are not afraid to tell that story in the way they dress or create.
I have always been fascinated by the meeting point of Fashion with Architecture. Architecture expresses a similar creative message, sharing the same primary function of providing shelter for the body, creating volume out of two-dimentional materials, addressing the human scale and reflecting the needs of the user and the beliefs of the age; yet it is different through its solid, more permanent and monumental presence.
Recently, I have had the chance to attend the London Fashion Weekend at the Somerset House in London. Finding out that it will take place at William Chambers' spectacular neo-classical gem situated right in the heart of London, between the river Thames and the Strand, the Somerset House, I could not help but heep my eyes and my heart open to dive even further into the experience of these two vast domains and the way they interact.
My Fashion weekend escape was more of an opportunity to disconnect from everyday rituals and go into an environment where there are no conventions, rules or dress codes, where nothing is too colorful, over-sized or architectural, for that matter, to fit the body as long as it puts a feeling though visual language and pours out your individuality.
how does light tell a story
The venue where LFW took place this season is the Somerset House. The main British Fashion Council Tent was erected in its snug courtyard, providing a sense of enclosure ideal for the side of the industry that likes to promote exclusivity.
It is important to mention that the event closes at 7 p.m and so all the arrangements within and outside the Somerset House are made so that they meet daylight requirements.
Millions of items of the outward order are present to my senses which never properly enter into my experience. Why? Because they have no interest for me. My experience is what I agree to attend to. Only those items which I notice shape my mind - without selective interest, experience is an utter chaos. Interest alone gives accent and emphasis, light and shade, background and foreground - intelligible perspective, in a word. It varies in every [p. 403] creature, but without it the consciousness of every creature would be a gray chaotic indiscriminateness, impossible for us even to conceive.
William James, The Principles of Psychology, Henry Holt and Company, Inc., New York, 1890, vol. 1, p 402.
It is interesting to see how artificial light within this event takes over the role of shaping our minds and guides us towards certain objects or spaces within a building.
"Kruithof had measured the range of color temperature under which objects appear 'natural' and pleasant at different levels of luminance.[...] We expect illumination to be of a high color temperature (relayively blue) when luminance levels are high because we refer them unconciously to daylight, which has a relatively high color temperature. We expect low color temperatures (a warmer quality of light) when luminance levels are low - perhaps by association with firelight, candlelight, and so forth." (pag.51, LAM)
SOMERSET HOUSE
"The clarity with which an object is perceived is influenced by its context." In this case, Somerset becomes the actual context for the event, In regards to the ouside, the gray palette of colors brought to life by the reflective surface of the BFC tent, whereas on the insidem the white walls provide a perfect clean background for exhibiting objects of which color and shape need to be most accentuated. One should also take into consideration the fact that Somerset was turned into a public building
"The clarity with which an object is perceived is influenced by its context." In this case, Somerset becomes the actual context for the event, In regards to the ouside, the gray palette of colors brought to life by the reflective surface of the BFC tent, whereas on the insidem the white walls provide a perfect clean background for exhibiting objects of which color and shape need to be most accentuated. One should also take into consideration the fact that Somerset was turned into a public building
Once the official residence of the Queen of England and later demolished to make way for the new riverside palace on the same site, Somerset House is today a cultural pin-point on the London scene with a very particular public programe that includes temporary exhibitions, restaurants and cafes and free guided tours.
As I immerse into experiencing the London Fashion Weekend, I pay very close attention to I am very much in touch with my emotions. And I have thousands every day. I can feel energy flowing through me, I feel connected though colors, patterns, nature and I respond to light. And as I enter its gates from the Strand, I feel pulled into a darker space, surrounding by stone Doric columns and white arches that reflect somewhat the almost blinding light from what's on the other side if the entrance, the courtyard. Light here feels almost restricted from the visitors of somerset, just so that the impact of reaching the inside becomes even bigger and more powerful, accentuating its
The white ceiling with beautiful
In front of my eyes, a world buzzing with ladies dressed in minimal, geometric, hard-shaped trapezoid dresses. And though these architectural details add a certain character to the place, the true personality lies within the venue itself that LFW has used for the last 5 years.
Although it may seem like there is not much of a connection between LFW and London's architecture, the least poetic truth is that the chosen venues are a crucial part of designers' managing of their brands.
These places almost never make it into fashion reports but for those who attend the event the venue and the clothes hard to dissociate. It is them that will form a perception of the designer, his clothes and the show and later share that perception with the rest of the world. And so architecture comes into the picture as a tool to move an industry forward.
The LFW tent this year is made of a reflective material that not only glares together with all the flashes of the buzzing photographers, but also glares out on a clear blue sky day. Although in contrast with the Portland stone of London's epicenter, the specular addition to the courtyard blends in with the color and environment and makes for a perfect enclosure of this year's show space.
The show is hours away from starting so I make my way though the courtyard and into Somerset from the South Wing entrance, looking forward to see how Somerset makes room for the talented British designers to sell their work. A luminous room where the reception also sits is filled with staff handing fliers on the event, vouchers to brands selling their items in the following rooms, and the map for every floor. Here, the natural light comes inside both though the entrance and the exit, making the space seem like a hub for those either beginning or ending their journey, before exiting though the terrace door.
I make my way into the corridor, to start discovering what are be the fabrics and tones that will make it to High street this season.
directional clues
"One simple form of this sort of consistency (in orientation and guidance) in the luminous environment is the differentiation of public and private corridors with various kinds of lighting systems, colors, and materials. Another is the distinctive illumination of the walls of service cores and vertical circulation elements. A third is the use of decorative light fixtures to call attention to circulation nodes and important destinations."
(pag.27, LAM)
I notice that light changes completely its qualities from the precedent room. The narrow walkway is flooded by artificial light of a slightly lower intensity, coming from above all the way to the other side of the wing. "We are afraid of the dark at least partly because it is inherenly informationless"(pag.56, LAM) The only intrusions of sunlight come from the opening of the side rooms. I am naturally attracted to towards the exterior, so I focus my attention to my right and left. This wing is only occupied by one cafe and restaurant before reaching to the staircase.
Although I was inpatient to dive into the clothes, something about the tall window and the sudden wash of light coming from the adjacent rooms makes me want to start my so called shopping spree with a large latte first. The lights hanging from the ceiling are placed just above the tables, creating the perfect conditions for those who want to sit down and go though their maps or read. They also bring a warmer feel to the diffuse natural light coming from the clouds that made their way above Somerset.
Going on with the journey, it is now time to explore what LFW has to offer. But just I though I'd bump into the shoes and dresses of the West wing, I reach to a majestic staircase.
With natural light coming from above, spotlights all along the staircase, illuminating the steps towards the first floor, I give into my curiosity to explore where does the six meter long Nelson Stair lead to, whilst also admiring the balloon installation.
The first floor is nothing less that what I portrayed it to be. Although with the same layout as the ground floor with the corridor leading into the better lit rooms, there is almost no one going on the corridor from one room to the other, and instead, they're using the alternate openings to go from one pop up showroom to the other. Of course, the highlight shines on the clothes using track lighters on the ceilings and wall washes to brighten the name of the designer. In the middle of almost every room there is a table with accessorize varying in color, depending on the influences of their creators but always brought to life by direct pendants lighting them from up above.
The sharp shadows that they create on the floor contrast with the luminous air of the room,
It is almost as if the artificial warmer light symbolizes the consumeri
Moving forward to the central area of the first floor where the emerging designers exhibit their ready-to-wear, I enter the brightest and most crowded room so far, with four different windows towards the river bank. "when all buildings were designed around a single, fixed light source -the sun- the difference between great architecture and mere building could be measured to a large degree by the skill with which that source was used. The shoes and sizes of rooms, and the materials and details in them, were determined largely by the appearance the room would take on when rendered by daylight." (pag10,LAM)
The natural light plays a major role in this space, as all the clothes are distributed in the proximity of the windows. Together with the bright white of the surrounding walls that reflects even more light upon the rest of the room and the high ceiling which gives air and a lightness to it, this is by far the most crowded room yet and still, there is a energy to it take makes it stand out from the rest. Is the choice of this room to host the wave of Britain's next top selling business intentional? I wonder. The names of the artists are written in back letters on the wall next to the windows which makes them hard to read in the blinding contrast created from the outside.
"Since the brain is constantly monitoring the visual environment for new information which might be of significance with the regard to biological or activity needs, things which are unexpected or which contrast with their visual backgrounds because of some unusual quality are likely to be treated as figures by the visual-processing system, attracting the attention of the beholder"
(pag.19, LAM)
As I notice a jacket that I like, I immediately go towards it to feel its fabric and once I reach it, closer to the wall, I can now see who its creator is. Lucilla Gray matches the name on the label to that on the wall and I finally feel like I have my pick. I check the price and suddenly, I'm brought to the harsh reality. There appears to be no student discount for high end products! Go figure. I carefully put it back next to its monochrome similar pieces nonetheless, and decide I should go for the Accessories, in attempt to have more luck at purchasing the new "en vogue".
Reaching now to the Stamp Stair, I descend into yet another corridor and what amazes me is the exposure to light. The door located just in front of the last step is inviting towards the outside terrace, almost begging for a minute of stare at the river outside. But continuing to the corridor, I notice the drastic change from the sunlight to the enclosed walkway that almost makes me feel trapped in a maze, eager to go anywhere that opens up more space.
I find myself moving rapidly through the contemporary jewelery room and into the bags and shoes area, this time in the East wing. Following a similar layout to the clothing department, the accessories differ from all the resy though the more minimal approach to lighting. One can only see wall sconces illuminating the arched entrances from one room to the other and the rest is kept to the simplest. A few mirrors along the wall facing the courtyard and that's about it.
THE COURTYARD
Expectations influence evaluation of the surrounding environment
"When bright light sources are directly visible, or when their images can be seen reflected from some specular surface such as a piece of glass or a wet roadway, pattern becomes even more important that usual as a signal. Pattern is an easily perceptible form of order, and triggers expectations of completeness and consistency. [...] Expectations and a patterned context draw the eye to an omitted element of the pattern , which becomes a de facto focus, whether intended or not."
(pag.41, LAM)
The way in which the tent cleverly reflects the surrounding architecture helps it to both disrupt the pattern of a neo-classical architecture therefore focus attention towards itself and blend in the courtyard of an existing Chambers' masterpiece.
There is, on one hand, the tent that occupies the courtyard, used as a runway stage and a clothing store and there are, on the other hand, the first and second floor of the East, South and West Wings of Somerset which showcase pop-up stores of established and up and coming designers featured within the shows. So one can notice the relationship that is created within the inside and outside of the hosting building and that while the promotion of the industry happens within the center, the actual business moves throughout the building.
One may wonder why so much hustle for high-end brands that already have a well established clientele? Well, the point of FW and its catwalks is the spectacle that it delivers to the public. The unusual venues, the exclusivity: if not more than that, these parades sell perfume to those who still want to be associated with this lavish lifestyle and cannot afford the clothes.
INSIDE SOMERSET
This division of space seems very strategically chosen, as the building itself actually extends the bands' image in a much more effective and exciting way that the Mayfair's boutiques could. Pop-up shops allow versatility that the fixed layouts of their previous stores cannot provide.agimilar pieces noneth
Reaching now to the Stamp Stair, I descend into yet another corridor and what amazes me is the exposure to light. The door located just in front of the last step is inviting towards the outside terrace, almost begging for a minute of stare at the river outside. But continuing to the corridor, I notice the drastic change from the sunlight to the enclosed walkway that almost makes me feel trapped in a maze, eager to go anywhere that opens up more space.
I find myself moving rapidly through the contemporary jewelery room and into the bags and shoes area, this time in the East wing. Following a similar layout to the clothing department, the accessories differ from all the rest though the more minimal approach to lighting. One can only see wall sconces illuminating the arched entrances from one room to the other and the rest is kept to the simplest. A few mirrors along the wall facing the courtyard and that's about it. "Absolute luminance levels do have a relationship to sensations of glare and distraction, but it is the patterns of light sources and the nature of their relationship to other elements i the visual field which largely determine the overall quality of the luminous environment." (pag11, LAM)
"Concepts, not hardware, are the missing ingredients in the conventional approach to the design of the luminous environment" (pag12, LAM)
THE COURTYARD
There is, on one hand, the tent that occupies the courtyard, used as a runway stage and a clothing store and there are, on the other hand, the first and second floor of the East, South and West Wings of Somerset which showcase pop-up stores of established and up and coming designers featured within the shows. So one can notice the relationship that is created within the inside and outside of the hosting building and that while the promotion of the industry happens within the center, the actual business moves throughout the building.
One may wonder why so much hustle for high-end brands that already have a well established clientelle? Well, the point of FW and its catwalks is the spectacle that it delivers to the public. The unusual venues, the exclusivity: if not more than that, these parades sell perfume to those who still want to be associated with this lavish lifestyle and cannot afford the clothes.
INSIDE SOMERSET
This division of space seems very strategically chosen, as the building itself actually extends the bands' image in a much more effective and exciting way that the Mayfair's boutiques could. Pop-up shops allow versatility that the fixed layouts of their previous stores cannot provide.
