Optical Illusion and Architecture PDF

Preview

Summary

© 2021 IJRAR February 2021, Volume 8, Issue 1 www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138) Optical Illusion and Architecture 1 Alp KARACA 1 Assist.Prof.Dr. 1 Faculty of Fine Arts, Architecture Department, 1 American University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus Abstract : Optical illusion is the game...

Description

© 2021 IJRAR February 2021, Volume 8, Issue 1

www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138)

Optical Illusion and Architecture 1

Alp KARACA

1

Assist.Prof.Dr. Faculty of Fine Arts, Architecture Department, 1 American University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus 1

Abstract : Optical illusion is the game, which occurs at eyes. It is an interesting game, illusion which hasn’t got an exactly explanation. Its sometimes very usefull and exciting if know how to use them. Optical illusion is mostly about the graphic communications which can be used both two dimensional and three dimensional. Optical illsutrations can be seen daily life on newspapers, advertisements, magazines and also architecture. There is natural and constructed illusions around the enviroment But at the same time we have a lot of illusions in our life. In nature, in constructed cities. For this reason can say that the eye is the most illusionist organ in bodies. At this article there will be explanation of how optical illusion occurs and what are the examples of optical illusion in constructed enviroment of daily life. Keywords : Optical Illusion, Architecture, Interior Design, Graphic Communication, Urban Design I. INTRODUCTION When start to talk about the ‘’eye’’ can say it happens by the exactly coming lights to the eyes. Explanation of how it works, vision begins when light rays are reflected off an object and enter the eyes through the cornea, the transparent outer covering of the eye ( Sabesan, 2016). The cornea bends or refracts the rays that pass through a round hole called the pupil. The iris, or colored portion of the eye that surrounds the pupil, opens and closes (making the pupil bigger or smaller) to regulate the amount of light passing through ( Sabesan, 2016). The light rays then pass through the lens, which actually changes shape so it can further bend the rays and focus them on the retina at the back of the eye. The retina is a thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye that contains millions of tiny light-sensing nerve cells called rods and cones, which are named for their distinct shapes (Zhu, 2012 )Cones are concentrated in the center of the retina, in an area called the macula. In bright light conditions, cones provide clear, sharp central vision and detect colors and fine details. Rods are located outside the macula and extend all the way to the outer edge of the retina. They provide peripheral or side vision. Rods also allow the eyes to detect motion and help us see in dim light and at night. These cells in the retina convert the light into electrical impulses. The optic nerve sends these impulses to the brain where an image is produced.’’ This is how eyes work in normally. (Sabesan, 2016) ( Zhu, 2012). This article is about the optical illusion and its really effect the lives during the day time. Explanation of how this optical illusion happens is that eyes implement a brilliant optical mechanism. Eyes consist of two types of nerve cells, cones and rods (Idesawa, 1997). Cones detect color, while rods detect light. Cone cells are less in number on the edges of the retina. Hence, an object seen from the corner of an eye appears different than what it actually is. Due to the internal details of the construction of the human eye, vertical distances are perceived as being greater than horizontal distances of equal magnitude. An excessive exposure to a certain pattern of colors or shapes stimulates certain areas of the brain (Frisby, 1979). An excessive exposure to a color of certain brightness may tire the eyes. In such situations, eyes perceive objects differently. Distortions and curvatures in shapes highly influence the interpretation of shapes and sizes by the brain. Using certain shades of colors together makes the colored objects seem to have depth. Different colors absorb different amounts of light. The shades and textures of colors affect the amount of light that is reflected from colored surfaces. These phenomena are also responsible for causing optical illusions.’’In this article will explain the use of optical illusions in architecture ( Eagleman, 2002). II. OPTICAL ILLUSION There is a lot of optical illusion in life. And see it everyday and don’t have chance to live without it. But we must care how to use it correctly and make it exciting. When want to test optical illusion, have a lots of tests. Like to close one of the eye and look at our finger, or make a cone with paper and look inside of it.And also a lots of graphical examples in the magazines and internet can find them. In other hand, a test which is well known is the glass, water and pen test. It is a test which put some water into glass and put the pen inside of it. When look at the pencil inside of water, will see the pen is broken, its not continue. Its the difraction of the lights which comes to eyes and see really its broken. But known it is not broken and understand thats an illusion.

Mostly usage of this Optical Illusion is graphic communications. Such as magazines, books, paintings, photographs and also can take a lot of optical illusion photographs in the nature. Mostly usage of this illusion is about the dimensions. When closer to the camera lens items are more bigger and the far parts are smaller than the real dimensions. Its mostly using illusion type at photography. Sometimes people push the bridges and building at photos. Mostly building using for that illusionist photos is Pizza Tower in Italy. Everybody gots photos like they are pushing or pulling the tower. Its a very common optical illusion at photography.

IJRARJFM1198

International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org

606

© 2021 IJRAR February 2021, Volume 8, Issue 1 III. OPTICAL ILLUSION IN ARCHITECTURE

www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138)

Architecturally, optical illusion is using from old ages. Architects used this methods from the old ages to make spaces more exciting. A lots of optical illusions they used in buildings. Such an example is from Greek Architecture. Greek architecture displays a highly developed knowledge of many geometrical optical illusions and counteracting them. Drawings reveal many optical illusions to the architect, but many are not predicted by them. The components of a single building can exhibit some optical illusions and never see in the reality the same relations of lines, forms, colours, and brightnesses as indicated by the justfying the construction of expensive models of more pretentious structres.The Parthenon is a great example for the optical illustrations. When think about the Parthenon it has a big huge size of columns. They are all straight but their sizes are big and when look at the building from closer can see the columns are bending. From the other side, from the top when you look for down can see its bending from the other side. Its an illusion which used from the old ages.

Image 1. Parthenon Athens, Greece The other biggest example is the Taj Mahal. Its a big huge building which has a lots of illusions on it. One of them is its colour, its shiny surface. Its changing with the light. Marbles are like the reflector, they are shiny and white. All day time sun place is changing and Taj Mahal colour is changing as well. Its an optical illusion because can see Taj Mahal white, grey,blue,yellowish..etc. Can not say exactly the colour before to go near of it. At the same time Taj mahal has another optical illusion in front of it. Its very famous as well. Its again a reflector which is water. Water is a very famous reflector which was used by lots of architects. Already use water elements as a reflector sometimes. At Taj Mahal can see a long, big a pool where the all Taj Mahal reflected on it as like as mirror. Where can see the second Taj Mahal at the water with the reverse shape. Its a very nice illusion on the water, it gives more importance for the building. It makes the structure more attractive.

Image 2. Taj Mahal, India

IJRARJFM1198

International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org

607

© 2021 IJRAR February 2021, Volume 8, Issue 1 IV. OPTICAL ILLUSION IN TODAY’S ARCHITECTURE

www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138)

When look at today architecture, there is some changes but also same kind of illusions which are using as well. But different materials and also using different technologies. When look at new buildings most new age buildings are ‘’ skycrapers’’ . They are very huge buildings and most of them have glass surfaces. The glass material is a giving very nice attractive appearance for the skycrapers. They look like the glass towers which are going to sky. Lots of architects using glass materials for the optical illusions. They are using the glasses as a reflector. Which is reflecting sometimes the other skycrapers, sometimes themselves, sometimes colouds. It can reflect itself if the architects used the angels of the building. The mostly reflection one is the ninety degree angled brokes at steels and glass buildings which can see a lots of reflections on the surface of buildings which can not understand which one is the real glasses, walls of building. When it reflects the clouds, sometimes our eyes can not understand, analayse that there is any building or not. Sometimes feels like its the sky as well. They are giving amazing, attractions for the buildings which are using the technologies as well. There is some other examples of usage of this reflectors in the world. Sometimes architects are using the same glasses at the one or two floored buildings. They are mostly reflected their surrounds such as surrounded buildings, trees, water elements and also the people which are walking at the street. Some materials on streets are really chosing by architects which are making illusions as well. The mirrors are playing with the image and the image appears as a different, sometimes tall, short, ugly, interesting. They are the illusions which are creating interesting places also at streets and at buildings. The other modern element is using at the facades of buildings are electronical ones. The electronical facades are mostly using in Asia countries. They are using facades as an electronical screen and show whatever they want. Sometimes a brand advertisement. Sometimes another building appearance, such as they can show a normal commercial building as a Taj Mahal, or White House. They can play with the colours like a game to attract the people for buildings. Its attractive way for building and its an usable way for a commercial building to attract people and buy something.

Image 3. World Trade Center, N.Y.

IJRARJFM1198

Image 4. Metropolis, USA

International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org

608

© 2021 IJRAR February 2021, Volume 8, Issue 1

www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138)

The other way and its the common way at architecture is the ‘’ painting’’. Its a very usefull method to create amazing spaces, and show them but they are not real. Its fantastic, playfull and really it changes the appearance of buildings. They are playing both facades with two dimensional and three dimensional. When look at some building facades, can see different kind of paintings on them. Sometimes they paint the old buildings like the modern ones, sometimes they paint the abounded buildings exteriors like the modern or old buildings.but they are not real, they paint only walls and give the shapes like the windows, doors, labels, stones, but they are not real, when touch them you can not feel the texture on them. They are only visual, but it doesn’t mean they are bad. They are really creating attractive facades for the buildings. Sometimes they are creating nice faceades which architects never think about it. Sometimes they are creating interesting paintings which are not like the scale of all buildings but understand its a different part of the building, but normally its already an empty corner. The other way creating not normal surfaces, showing the building as a carpenter, showing the windows as a screen or as something else. Showing the windows with flowers, but there is nothing. Or using the colours at exterior and make the street like a carnival street by using colourfull colours and make the street colourfull by painting exterior of the buildings. They are the most common optical illusion methods are using in the real life at the exterior of buildings.

Image 5. Hostel La Buena Vida

Image 6. Kuggen

V. OPTICAL ILLUSION IN INTERIOR DESIGN Interior of buildings, also there is lots of methods to make optical illusions inside of lives and homes.First common and known element is mirror which reflecting everything clearly. Mirrors are using mostly at small rooms to show the rooms two times bigger than the real. Sometimes its dangerous because people can not understand the mirror and understand its the room continue and they crashed the mirrors, sometimes it has bad results for the people who crashed on it. But really use of mirrors are giving nice advantages for the designers. Sometimes architects use the mirrors at the ceilling which is giving depth for the building from the ceiling as well.The other usage of the mirror which parts want to show, focused on it and also make double of the item. Some designers and also artists design some interesting examples for this optical illusions.They are getting the garbages from the streets and create them like a model, when look at the model from the real eyes its nothing, but when look at it from the mirrors, this ugly garbage is turn to a piano, or a nice vase, or nice chair, nice sculpture. This is a way of optical illusions by using the mirrors as well.The other way to use optical illusion in interior design is using the interesting floors in the inside of buildings. Use of different characteristic shapes of floors, marbles, parquet, carpets... etc. Most common, and famous one is a floor cover which is seems like the three dimensional boxes on the floor where the people walk, but its not three dimensional floor cover, its on the two dimensional floor cover. Sometimes architects can play floors lines, because the floors and walls are two dimensional parts when take them seperattely and can play them like that.

IJRARJFM1198

International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org

609

© 2021 IJRAR February 2021, Volume 8, Issue 1

Image 7. Interior Optical Illusion

www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138)

Image 8. Interior Optical Illusion Painting

Playing the lines like they are not parallel to each other, or the are parallel but some colour changes, they look like to inside of each other. There is a lots of different kind models of optical illusions which can be applicated on the floors. As the same methods can be applicated on the walls. Walls are the same mentality, and they are two dimensional parts as well. There will be nice decorative wall papers which has optical illusions on it, or a nice painting on the wall which has the optical illusions, or also can paint the wall with the interesting colours to make optical illusions on it. There is lots of choices about the optical illusions and varieties on them can do everything freely. In the other hand the furnitures of the houses can have optical illusions. One of the most known is a vase which has the one of the women face outlines on it. There is lots of kind of vase, lamps, chairs.The industrial design is using this optical illusions too much to make design and attractive equipments to sell them. And also can not forget the effect of lights inside of the buildings, sometimes when the artificial or natural sunlight falls on a staircase it gives us interesting shadows which complete the stairs also. Its an illusion but make a paint of shadow on the walls and make it more different and focusing element at the interior of buildings. Sometime some shape of vase,chairs and frames are making interesting shadows on the walls which is very nice to see it at living rooms. The other way of this optical illusion is about the phchological, paint a sea view on the wall and feel living near the sea and feel relax at living rooms or bedrooms. The other way which is not known well is about the colours of the cornices and beams. When coloured the cornices with the dark colours need to think about how its on the wall, how its not fall down, because feel the dark colour is more huge, massive then the white colour. At the other one is the dark beams, when coloured the dark colour the beams, can feel more secure at the inside of buildings because feel the columns and beams are protecting us by being the structure of buildings. Its a really phsychological effect of optical illusion on pschology. Because everytime is columns and beams are the structure of building and protecting but when coloured it with dark colour can feel this more better than to be white.They are the most common usage of the optical illusions inside of the buildings.

IJRARJFM1198

International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org

610

© 2021 IJRAR February 2021, Volume 8, Issue 1

www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138)

Image 9. Prague Creative Agency

VI. OPTICAL ILLUSION IN URBAN SPACES The other part of optical illusion is at the streets and urban desings. The mostly exterior building designs are creating the streets and urban optical illusions, they are making the language of streets how the characteristics of it.The mostly known optical illusion is the painting of the roads. They are the graffities which are three dimensional at the streets. They have interesting, amazing ones on the roads which the people attract them to see. They are nice and gives the riches about the art on the streets. When they are drawing these kind of graffities on the roads lots of people are watching them and also have fun with this popular- modern art. Also same mentality drawing nice three dimensional arts on the walls where the street ends or the corners. Imagine that they are drawing a street on the wall which is continue from the real life to a dream one. Its really nice attractions on the roads. At the same time the infrastructure equipments on the streets like telephone and electricity boxes, like the mail boxes which have massive, nonaesthetically street furnishings on the roads, can be painted like a bookshelf to give its more familiar and fantastic appearance. Or pained some flowers on it to break the massive appearance on it and can not recognize its a telephone box or electric box. Can be recognize it as a bookshelf. At the same time all elements which are using for extorior of buildings can be using at the streets. Most of them effecting also the streets , like the mirror like glasses, like the wall paintings. Everything is effecting on the streets and urban designs. The other methods or materials are three dimensional but when look it near of it can not understand what is it. There is some shapes to come behind each other, when look at it from the far can recognize it as a ‘’ bicycle’’ but its onyl some triangles and circles from the near of them. The other one is a panel which look like a colourful house on the garden. Its a panel which has some broken angels on it, and its coloured like a three dimensional painting, when look at it, can recognize its an exactly three dimensional house from every view point. But in reality its not a real 3 dimensional house.They are the some equipments, sculpture like, which are giving the attractions and excitements for the cities.

Image 10. Felici Varini Train Station IJRARJFM1198

Image 11. Felici Varini Train Station

International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org

611

© 2021 IJRAR Februar...