LIGHT AND SHADOW AS EXPRESSIVE MEANS OF ARCHITECTURE

Abstract

Light and shadow are fundamental expressive means in architecture, shaping the emotional, spatial, and symbolic perception of a building. This article explores the role of chiaroscuro contrasts in architectural composition, examining the philosophical, aesthetic, and technological aspects of their interaction. Particular attention is paid to the historical evolution of the perception of light—from the sacred meanings of antiquity to the rationalism of modernism and the dynamic light-based plasticity of the digital age. Examples of 20th- and 21st-century architects are analyzed, in whose works light becomes not simply a physical phenomenon, but a tool for the semantic and emotional organization of space. The paper identifies the synergy of light and shadow as categories in the artistic language of architecture, defining the image, atmosphere, and identity of space, and emphasizes their significance as a universal tool for the interaction of form, matter, and spirit.