How do buildings shape our experiences of light—and what deeper meanings emerge through that interplay? This ten-week seminar explores how architects in premodern societies used light as both a design tool and a symbol of transformation. Drawing on the anthropological concept of liminality, we will examine religious, civic, and ceremonial structures from Europe, the Middle East, and beyond to understand how light contributes to sensory, emotional, and cultural transitions. Participants will learn to “read” architecture through the play of shadow and illumination, gaining insights into materiality, geometry, orientation, and celestial alignment. Illustrated lectures will guide students through both well-known and lesser-studied structures, showing how the somatic experience of space enriches our understanding of history, spirituality, and design. The course will culminate in thoughtful discussion about the continued relevance of these ancient techniques in our modern built environments.
This course is endowed in memory of Barbro Drott Huth through a generous legacy gift made by her family to the Humanities Seminars Program. Such support of faculty excellence and student inquiry honors her enduring passion for intellectual exploration. To explore opportunities for endowing a course, please visit hsp.arizona.edu/legacy-giving.
Registration Opens Online:
Monday, August 4, 2025, at 8 AM (AZ Time)
