(Re)framing Daylight: A theoretical transformation of daylight approaches  in adaptive reuse architecture

Abstract: Adaptive reuse architecture is a multi-layered concept that tackles history, materials, memories, and structural concerns since it handles reusing an existing building and adapting a new function. Highlighting and preserving the characteristics of the old structure or revealing its muddied elements are important considerations for this architecture through its different categories of adaptive reuse methods. In this notion, daylight becomes a critical element to indicate the architectural design thinking of the past and emphasize it with interventions. The thesis aims to explore the impact of daylight transformation on the interior in adaptive reuse architecture by evaluating the architectural intentions and interventions. It is an investigation through literature review, analysis of reference projects, a case study and an experiment for a real case project Ångdomen, a flexible study room at KTH Main Library. Based on the theoretical investigation and the experiment conducted in the thesis, it is determined that daylight can be used as a tool to highlight the old building’s value in adaptive reuse projects through their transformations and impact the spatial perception. Most of the responses to the survey and the subjective observations conclude that daylight impacts spatial perception through the openings of architecture even when it doesn’t provide high brightness values.