How to Borrow Natural Light - An Architect's Strategy Guide

In this video I discuss natural daylighting strategies anyone can take advantage of. I begin with a short history lesson which describes how daylighting actually shaped the largest of cities in the US.

In 1915 the 38-story Equitable Building in New York City was the largest office building in the world. Containing 1.2 million square feet of office space, it consumed nearly every available square foot of its diminutive lot and cast an equally large shadow on its neighborhood in lower Manhattan. Its construction inspired the enactment of the city’s 1916 Zoning Resolution, which was designed to preserve access to light and air at the street level. The resolution prescribed specific limitations for a building’s envelope — its outer walls — and would go on to shape the stepped forms that you see today on many of the iconic towers in the city.

This underscores the importance that access to daylight had in shaping even the largest of cities, the individual buildings that make up those cities and, more broadly, sensible building design. With an increasing focus on sustainable design practices, the smart use of natural daylight in our homes is no longer a luxury — it has become a necessity. At the heart of any good daylighting strategy is a concept of “borrowed” light: the capture of light falling on the exterior of a home and transporting it to the spaces where it’s needed.

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Please watch: "Making a Site Model - The Outpost Project"
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[Lusithane]

I'm not even an architect but here I am watching and learning so much interesting stuff that it makes me wonder why I didn't study this as a career... Thanks so much for these videos, they show the passion you have for what you do.

[brentfrank]

Great video on daylighting. To add: skylights bring more than twice as much light as vertical windows and for more hours per day. Therefore you can eliminate vertical windows in some spaces, move that glazing to the roof and reduce it by 50% in size and still achieve fantastic daylight while reducing glazing on the building energy efficiency and improved daylight from above. Win Win. Even better in bathrooms where privacy is always a challenge.

[anaytalwalkar]

im a 3rd year architecture student from india. i love your content so much, the filming, the aesthetics, the information, your calming voice, all, all of it. ive nearly watched all your videos, they have been so helpful. thankyou eric, looking forward for more from you.

[Humphrey]

2:28 My wife goes to the bathroom in the middle of the night and suddenly the bedroom is lit up like a football stadium. Good in theory; if you live alone.

[munzirshaikhoun]

Your videos are so clear, to the point and exceptionally valuable. thank you very much for this amazing channel.

[benbrown]

I used simple dollar store direct-able mirrors as heliostats in my apartment and then later in my home. They complement the planned natural lighting which purposely highlights the passage of the hours and seasons.

[NoteFromSELF]

Good explanations and good voice for the voiceover.

[MicaRayan]

I'd suffocates if there isn't enough light. For me, the window not necessarily have to be big, but it must have be strategically put throughout the spaces. For example, if it is too much, you can obstruct it with blinds, or just cover it up with rice papers. One thing is, I really like plants, so my indoor plant does indeed need plenty of sunlights to grow. I really don't like the idea of artificial sunlight...so yeah, there you go

[maninderkaur]

You are one informative angel 👼! There is so much we can learn from you.

[melissah]

Very cool. I'll definitely try these in my school projects! You're a great teacher!

[JusLivinAXA]

I may not hit like on all your videos but that's out of forgetfulness, I'll try to remember because i like them all.

[pooh-bunny]

Great video, would a sun tunnel be a good way to borrow light? a sklight is getting a bit too expensive

[DEERDesign]

We learn a lot from this, it is really hard to know all the above information in short time.
Thank you very much for your useful sharing!

[IsaacC]

Now if only we can convince those contractors to move away from those cookie cutter home designs ...

[reddhipaik]

Amazing idea.kudos.This really makes me feel like taking up architecture as subject.

[nicc]

So these are all great ideas! Unfortunately adding windows, skylights and sunvtubes are out of the question. In our house there is no place to borrow light from. Can you do a video on how to reflect light from outside indoors. In PNW gloomy and no direct light in winter inside. Can i put mirrors outside without burning anything?

[ib]

I live in a hot and humid place where excessive sunlight is blinding us. Any advice on how to cut iff some of it while still allowing air in the house.

[kakafantasy]

thanks ! this video inspired me on how to let light entering the house in various ways! ... keeping going with my uni project @.@

[roeese]

You should have started out with the borrowed light concept used in decrepit tenement homes.

[mesho]

hello, thanks for your informative and helpful videos, i just have one qustione, about natural light and ventilation, if i'm designing for a small shop in a mall which has absolutely no openings, and i can't open any, in the walls or roof, what possible solutions can i take?