Skylight
Velux Skylights Calgary First steps: If you’re not sure what kind of natural light you’d like to bring into your space, you may want to try out the Velux Daylight Visualizer. It’s free software that is very easy to use, and allows you to simply render a space with various Velux skylights to get a better understanding of what kinds of light they create.
A skylight need not be large to make a statement, as this colorful opening above a bathroom in the Bridge House, designed by Joeb Moore, attests. The orange aperture reflects off the white walls below, so the sensation of color permeates the space. The color is almost twofold, given the mirror on one wall (visible at the bottom right).
While stairs are ideal for skylights (what can go above a stair anyway?), they are are also well suited for living rooms and large spaces that may need more natural light than windows provide. Many of the relevant skylights on Houzz are actually located above fireplaces. This examples illustrates that framing these skylights along walls can be tricky; here the structure is not removed but boxed out with drywall to meld with the minimal walls and ceilings.
Shape the sides. Skylights don’t always have to have vertical walls. Altering the shape of the bounding edges can turn even a small skylight into a meaningful and powerful statement, as seen here. A broader splay to the sides allows more light into the spaces below, especially when complemented with a light color on the tunnel walls.
John Lum Architecture, Inc. AIA SaveEmail Use to suggest movement. We’re naturally programmed to be drawn toward sources of light. This makes the skylight an effective tool for inciting movement between spaces horizontally and vertically. This skylight illuminates a stair hall and is paired with a glass floor to allow even more light to pass through to the spaces below. This works for single skylights as well, where pools of light can be used to mark circulation zones.
Charles Rose Architects Inc. SaveEmail Passive cooling. Operable skylights are extremely efficient passive cooling devices. Placing a skylight at the top of a stairwell can enhance the stack effect, the natural tendency of warm air to rise. Opening the skylight at the top of the stack works much like opening a damper on a chimney, exhausting the warm, stale interior air and replacing it with cool, fresh air from below. Most ventilating skylights have manual or motorized options. While they’re more expensive, I always recommend motorized units, because they’re more likely to be used. Simply pushing a button requires far less effort than finding and wrestling with an extension pole to open the skylights. Tip: Self-contained, solar-powered skylights eliminate the need for dedicated wiring, and they qualify for a tax rebate.
Moving into the bedroom space, we see the result of the light monitor capped with a large skylight. The interior is uniformly and brightly lit. We see the same exterior roof shape expressed in the tray ceiling, culminating in the skylight at the top of the monitor. The light makes the ceiling seem even taller and more dramatic. This is a great example of how seamlessly and expressively one can marry the light source with the architecture.
Superior skylight. A stunning skylight takes the place of any bold lighting fixtures in this kitchen. Combined with a crisp color palette, the natural light brightens the entire space, despite the dark flooring and countertops. More kitchen styles - Small Kitchens Colorful Kitchens Wood Cabinets Search all kitchen photos.
There are two benefits of using overhead natural light in a bathroom: It provides a tranquil ambience, and it provides privacy, whereas a regular window might not. Like light hitting wall.
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