We begin most projects on site, long before there is a drawing. We stand where the house will be and watch where the light falls at nine, at noon and at five. A site that looks ordinary on a map can be remarkable at a particular hour.

Light as a brief

A room lit from two directions feels calmer than one lit from a single large window. Light that arrives low and sideways shows texture; light from above flattens it. We use these small observations to decide where a wall can be solid and where it should open.

North light is steady and good for work. East light is for mornings and kitchens. West light is generous but needs shade. None of this is new, yet it is easy to forget once a project becomes a set of drawings.

Good light is rarely loud. It is simply in the right place.