SCIOGRAPHY IN

ARCHITECTURE
 SCIOGRAPHY OF GEOMETRICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL
FORMS- SHADES AND SHADOWS ON BUILDING FACADES

Sciography is the study of shade and

shado in architecture! Shade and
shados are used in architectura" graphics
to #a$e draings #ore easi"y understood
%y e&pressing %oth the third di#ension of
depth and the for# of surfaces' hether
(at or rounded' s"anted or )ertica"!
 The con)entiona" direction of "ight is
the diagona" of a cu%e fro# the top "eft
front corner to the %otto# right rear
corner' so in p"an and e"e)ation )ies
the direction of "ight is seen as the
diagona" of a s*uare!
 The shape of the shado
is dependent on+
 The position of the shade
•

"ine!
 The position of the
•

o%ser)er
 The direction of "ight
•

 The for# of the surface

•

on hich the p"ane of the

shado fa""s!
•Shados are para""e" to
the "ine #a$ing the
shado hen the "ine is
para""e" to the p"ane
 The shado of any p"ane ,gure on a para""e" p"ane is identica"
in shape' si-e and orientation ith the ,gure! Shados of
para""e" "ines are para""e" hen they fa"" on the sa#e p"ane or
para""e" p"anes! To deter#ine the shado cast %y a co#p"e&
for#+

.rea$ don the co#p"e& for# into its si#p"est geo#etric

co#ponents!
 The o)era"" shado pattern i"" %e a co#posite of these shados! A
shado/s pro,"e is continuous' e&cept here interrupted %y a surface in
"ight! A shado/s pro,"e changes direction ith e)ery change in for#
that recei)es the shado! 0hen the o%ser)er "oo$s at the end of a
straight "ine so that it is seen as a point' then the shado cast %y that
"ine appears as a straight "ine' regard"ess of the for# of the surface
recei)ing the shado!
 The shado of any straight "ine on a p"ane surface can %e "ocated %y
,nding the shados of the ends of that "ine!
Shados of cur)ed "ines can %e deter#ined %y 12 degree pro3ections of
critica" points! The purpose of shades and shados in the rendition of
site p"ans is threefo"d+
 To indicate the height of #asses a%o)e the ground p"ane
•

 To pro)ide a contrast in )a"ue to e#phasi-e the %ui"ding for#

•

 To indicate signi,cant changes in topography!

•

Shados are used in p"an draings to aid our perception of the depth
of the space %eing portrayed! The intent is not to render the actua"
condition of sun"ight at a speci,c point in ti#e! The shados cast %y
the cut e"e#ents and o%3ects ithin the space #ere"y gi)e us an
indication of their height a%o)e the (oor or ground p"ane!
In section draings'
shados are cast %y
a""' (oor and roof
e"e#ents' hich are cut'
as e"" as %y pro3ecting
e"e#ents ithin the
space! The depth of the
shados cast %y the cut
e"e#ents depend on
ho far the cut is in
front of p"anes recei)ing
the shados!