Lighting at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

It is September 14th, 2010 and I am sitting in the Cochrane Atrium at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, VA. It is about 1pm on a beautiful sunny afternoon. I notice my eyes begin to squint slightly. I look around to see where the sunlight is entering the space but find that there is no direct sunlight at all. Light creeps in through every which way, but no direct sunlight can be found. Even though the light is not entering the space directly, there is a high degree of contrast and luminance which makes it difficult to discern the colors and shapes of the sculptures in the room. In front of me and behind me there are large windows that extend from the floor to the ceiling. In addition, the perimiter of the ceiling is composed only of glass which allows for additional natural light to enter the space. I find that given enough time, and as my eye begin to adjust to the contrast between the natural light and the interior space I can more easily see and make out the colors and shapes of the scuptures. Due to the sheer size of the space and the fact that the majority of the walls are painted white the luminous qualities of the space are exemplified, making the space bright and projecting a very suffused kind of lighting affect.

Overall, I think the use and manipulation of natural light in the space has been accomplished very successfully. Natural light is always refreshing and welcoming and one would think that a museum would want to promote and encourage patrons to enter the space.To improve the lighting in the space I would utilize thin, non-intrusive blinds that can be adjusted depending on the time of day and the amount of natural light entering the space. This way, the degree to which natural light floods the space can be manipulated and, when needed the intense luminous qualities of the space can be toned down. Then, in the evening when the sunlight is not so direct, the blinds can be rolled up.