Color-light-space: An interdisciplinary course for graduate and postgraduate students

The course Vari-valo-tila/Color-Light-Space at the Aalto University School of Arts, Design, and Architecture aims at disseminating an in-depth understanding of the possibilities and role of color and lighting in the built environment. Central pedagogical methods are learning-by-doing, real-life cases, and collaborative learning. The course is based on integrating theory with practice. The main assignment of the course is a real, ongoing architectural project on which the students can test and develop their skills in color design. Other assignments involve visual and multisensory analyses of existing spaces, their atmosphere, and sense of place. The practical and onsite assignments are complemented with lectures given by professional experts on the theory and technology of color and light and with excursions to companies and relevant urban environments.