Digital Colour: A Semi-Technical Reflection

Color and architecture have a tenuous relationship. When color is discussed in the context of architecture, the focus is often on cosmetics, materials, or some didactic notion of visual organization. The projects that have established themselves as canonical in their unique application of color range from one-offs such as the Rietveld Schröder House (that singular foray into the potential of De Stijl painting-becoming-architecture) or stylistic flamboyance as in the pastel hues in Postmodern buildings and interiors. Moreover, projects like Casa Luis Barragán and the Centre Pompidou draw visitors from all over largely because of their respective chromatic uniqueness—the former for its painterly modernism, the latter for its techno-indexical color-coded building system exterior. The examples could keep going, but suffice it to say that discussions of color in architecture have remained, for a large part of its history, focused on its physical application. That is to say: despite the abundance and worldwide proliferation of screens and electronic light, little has been explored regarding the relationship of digital/electronic color and its architectural effects or usage. What follows is an attempt to synthesize a productive set of reflections on digital color and architecture from a techno-social perspective. It highlights both the phenomenological potentials as well as specific technical knowledge that must be understood in order to pursue the subject critically. This reflection emphasizes a semi-technical approach that combines theoretical analysis with elementary technical background on digital color. Understanding the feedback loop between perception and technics can help paint a cohesive picture of the role digital color plays in contemporary architectural design.