ARCHITECTURAL | 77
A vertical surface means sometimes
limit, margin, barrier if placed laterally or
on the perimeters of an area and may
give a marked direction to space. But it
already may represent a unifying element
placed in the space. “A vertical surface
may be defined as the meeting of two
fundamental dimensions of human life:
the terrestrial dimension and the aerial
dimension (Italo Calvino)”. Vertical surfaces
are the visible expression of the tension
between these two dimensions in fact,
“Cities also think to be the work of the
mind or the chance, but neither the one
nor the other are enough to keep their
walls upright. You do not enjoy the seven
or seventy-seven marvels of a city, but the
answer it provides to your question (Marco
Polo)”. These two dimensions, together
with depth, create shadows, rhythms
and elements that provide strength and
identity to a facade. In this context, the
clever use of lighting techniques plays a
strategic role. Wall-washing will mainly
contribute to the feeling of the luminosity
of the locations and is usually used on
smooth surfaces. Grazing lighting, instead,
will be used to enhance their texture and
materiality; both will instil a feeling of
security.
