Living in a dark box

Through their buildings, architects communicate their vision of human life, related to light and space.
The Dark Box Bird Cage by Hiroshi Nakao and the Temporary Urban Installation by Ruan Hao are two very different way to intend the role of light in architecture.

Hiroshi Nakao, Dark Box Bird Cage

Since all surfaces are painted black, the interior is a somewhat dark box. However, daylight entering from the large and small enclosed gardens creates a varying mixture of light and dark areas. [...]
A ‘dark box’ it may appear, but with its innumerable holes, it is much more of a ‘bird cage’.

Ruan Hao, Temporary Urban Installation (Light Festival 2008)

The main idea of the project is to propose a light festival in high-density cities in China by means of temporary urban installations, aiming at lightening and “healing” the dark and shaded sides in the streets in high-density metropolis and therefore recreating inviting atmosphere for street-life encountering.