Institution
NID Gandhinagar
Project Type
Open Elective
Project Role
Research | Visual Storyteller
Duration
2 Weeks | 2020
Faculty Mentor
Mr. Shekhar Bhattacharya Ji
Target Audience
Dendrophiles
Before structures defined space, light and colour established boundaries. This 2 week research project at NID Gandhinagar investigated how natural light phenomena shape human perception and emotion, creating a systematic framework that bridges colour psychology theory with visceral, embodied experience.
How can we systematically understand
and document the profound psychological
and physiological impact of natural light
and colour on human spatial perception,
emotion, and well-being?
In architectural and design education, there's often a disconnect between theoretical understanding of colour psychology and experiential, visceral comprehension of how light and colour shape our perception of space.
Students learn about colour theory but rarely engage with the emotional and spatial qualities of natural light phenomena.
How do different natural light conditions evoke specific emotional responses?
What role does colour play in our perception of spatial boundaries and hierarchy?
Can we create a systematic framework to document and communicate these ephemeral experiences?
"Before structures, walls, and ceilings existed, it was light and colour that established boundaries."
By deeply investigating natural light phenomena, we can develop richer, more emotionally resonant design practicesthat connect people to their environments.
This project employed a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative observation, quantitative surveys, and creative documentation to capture the multifaceted relationship between light, colour, and human perception.
Established observation protocols across different times of day and weather conditions
Created systematic photographic archive of natural light phenomena
Documented ephemeral moments: rainbow formations, iridescent surfaces, cloud formations, shadow play
Developed infographic system categorizing emotional responses:
Lust - Intense, saturated warm tones in direct sunlight
Confusion - Mixed light conditions with competing focal points
Sadness - Cool, muted tones with minimal contrast
Envy - Deep greens in shadowed natural settings
Serenity - Soft blues and whites in diffused light
Spirituality - Ethereal light breaking through clouds
Purity - Pristine white light in morning conditions
Transformed visual observations into Hindi poetry, creating synesthetic expressions that capture the ineffable qualities of light:
पठार (Plateau): Poem exploring the resilience and steadfastness of rock formations in harsh sunlight, metaphorically representing endurance and hidden vulnerability.
माया (Illusion): Verses capturing the ephemeral, ever-changing nature of light playing across surfaces, questioning the true nature of perception.
बािरश (Rains): Describing how rainwater transforms light perception, creating connections between earth and sky through refraction and reflection.
धूप छाँव (Sun & Shade): Celebrating the interplay between light and shadow, the dance of dappled light through foliage creating perpetual motion in stillness.
Captured multi-hour time-lapses showing light transitions
Edited sequences to emphasize perceptual shifts
Overlaid poetic interpretations to create multimedia narratives
Published "Emotions of Nature" video series on YouTube
Created a systematic approach for documenting and analyzing natural light phenomena that can be applied to future design projects. This framework bridges analytical observation with emotional interpretation.
Developed visual tool correlating specific light conditions with emotional responses based on survey data. This serves as a reference for designers considering psychological impact of lighting design.
Produced time-lapse videos with poetic overlays that communicate the temporal dimension of light perception, something static photography cannot capture. These videos serve as educational tools for understanding dynamic environmental qualities.
Demonstrated how visual phenomena can be translated across sensory modalities (visual to linguistic/poetic), enriching design communication beyond conventional presentation methods.
Project outcomes have been used in subsequent NID coursework as examples of experiential research methodology and alternative presentation formats.
200+ photographs documenting various light conditions
Survey data from 50+ participants mapping emotional responses
4 time-lapse videos (5-8 hours compressed to 2-3 minutes)
4 original Hindi poems with English translations
Emotional mapping infographic system
Research presentation for NID Open Elective showcase
This project exemplifies NID's philosophy of design education that values experiential learning, cultural rootedness, and interdisciplinary exploration.
Mixed-methods approach captured both quantitative patterns and qualitative nuance
Poetic translation added unexpected emotional depth to technical research
Campus environment provided accessible yet rich research setting
Time-lapses revealed perceptual shifts invisible to static observation
Capturing ephemeral moments required patience and timing
Balancing scientific rigor with artistic interpretation
Translating visual/emotional experiences into communicable frameworks
Weather dependence limited some planned observations
Extend duration to capture full seasonal variations
Include more diverse environments (urban, industrial, domestic)
Develop interactive installation to make findings experiential for audiences
Collaborate with environmental psychologists for deeper theoretical grounding
"Before structures, walls, and ceilings existed, it was light and colour that established boundaries."
This project revealed that the most fundamental aspects of design, how we perceive space, how we feel in environments, how we connect with our surroundings, are orchestrated by the ephemeral dance of light and colour.
Whether designing digital interfaces, physical spaces, or communication systems, understanding these primal perceptual forces makes us better, more empathetic designers.The integration of analytical research, artistic expression, and cultural storytelling demonstrated that design research need not choose between rigor and resonance, the most compelling insights emerge when we engage all dimensions of human experience.