LIGHT AND SHADOW

Architecture is the masterly, correct, and magnificent play of masses brought together in light. Our eyes are made to see forms in light: light and shade reveal these forms - Le Corbusier

In "Moods Are Not Accidents," Eliot Noyes reflected on photographs of his house, Noyes II, by the celebrated photographer George Silk: "The kinds of mood which George Silk's pictures show didn't turn up by chance. They were predicted, planned for and came about as an inevitable result of an architectural intent." The emotional experience of the home had been built into his design as carefully as the structure itself.

In designing the Ault House, Noyes made sunlight an active presence—constantly shifting, softening, and casting across the walls like a living work of art. This is felt not just in the hallway, which, given the fifty-foot skylight, floods with light during full moons and throws shadows across the floor and walls, but in every room and across the grounds. As the light shifts and the seasons turn, the house reveals new sides of itself - a quiet show put on for those who live there. We are still discovering the moods Noyes designed for us. No two days are ever quite the same.

Minimalist interior with a white wall, a wooden sliding door, a marble pedestal, and a black vase with white flowers, illuminated by natural light.
Sunlight casting shadows on a vertical white wooden wall, with a plant in a white planter and a stack of brown plates on the floor.
Modern white house with large glass windows, surrounded by trees and a green lawn, in a clear bright day.
A flowering tree with pink blossoms on a grassy lawn, with petals scattered around its base, a house in the background, and a bright sunny sky.
View of a backyard with a grassy lawn, trees with fall foliage, and a blue sky, seen from beneath a modern overhang or porch.
A minimalist living room with a white brick wall, a fireplace, a wood basket of logs, a person sitting in a brown chair, and sunlight streaming through large windows creating a pattern of light and shadow.
Green leaves and branches casting shadows on a white brick wall with sunlight creating light and dark patterns.
A modern white house with large glass windows and patio, set in a large green lawn with fallen leaves, surrounded by colorful autumn trees, under a clear blue sky.
Image of a bright outdoor patio area with a small pool, a white brick wall partially covered by green vines, and a large glass window reflecting the patio and neighboring trees.
Child swinging on a swing set in a grassy yard shaded by large trees, with a white building in the background and dappled sunlight on the ground.
Minimalist interior with white walls, a large glass window, and a potted plant with bare branches in a black vase on a marble pedestal.
Modern dining room with a wooden table and six red chairs, large window with outdoor view, bookshelf on the left, art on the back wall, and ceiling lights.
A symmetrical interior room with wooden flooring, decorated with two vases of dried branches on white pedestals, natural light coming through windows, and shadow play on the walls.
Interior view of a modern room with large glass windows looking out to a snow-covered yard with a tree, sunlight casting shadows on the wooden floor, minimalistic furniture including a small chair and a floor lamp.
corner of room with wooden chair, small table, and three vases with dried flowers, next to glass wall with reflections and diagonal sunlight.
Living room with a white brick fireplace, two woven chairs with gray blankets, a glass wall with a view of outdoor greenery and patio, sunlight and shadows cast inside.
Nighttime view of a snow-covered yard with two leafless trees casting shadows on the snow, a white wall in the background, and a building with a reflective window to the right.
Young boy sleeping in bed with a plush panda and elephant, shadows of trees visible on the wall behind him.
A minimalist office with a black desk, a chair, a desk lamp, and a view through large windows of a snowy landscape and leafless tree branches at dusk.
Interior view of a modern hallway with wooden floors, large glass window on the left, a hallway with shadows cast on the floor, a doorway on the right leading to a lit room, and a curved glass ceiling allowing natural light.
Close-up of a spider web with strands reflecting light against a dark, blue background with some blurred trees or foliage.
Dimly lit corridor with a shadow play on the floor, leading to a closed door at the end.