Dr Fernando Rihl’s research engages with a phenomenological and anthropological approach to architecture. His work looks at the identity of a place, investigating how design solutions in architecture can respond to culture and climate. Culture is explored by examining specific contemporary tribal behaviours in society, questioning and playing with traditional architectural archetypes. Space is examined from a sensorial and phenomenological analysis. A neo-narrative approach to architecture is explored by a careful sequencing of spaces, perspective distortions and spatial illusions to generate multiple spatial readings towards a more sensorial experience of the user. Space is examined from a sensorial and phenomenological analysis.

Fernando Rihl’s PhD (1998) focused on daylight and visual perception, more precisely, quantity versus quality of light in interior spaces. Quality is usually investigated in architecture by use of questionnaires that can lead to a more subjective analysis. Rihl’s investigation proposed a link between the quantitative data and the modelling of objects by the analysis of a gradation of shadows with a series of objects. The research also investigated daylight levels in courtyards (width and height ratio) and the impact on adjacent spaces. Experimental work was developed by a series of investigations in Brazil and London testing movable retrofitted elements on the skin of a building in order to establish a link between a North European sky and a subtropical sky.

Slice House (2004) engaged with a series of applications of Rihl’s PhD studies, such as proportion of courtyard versus height and impact on adjacent areas, louvre systems as a way to control internal daylight, as well as the swimming pool as a light filter. Daylight sky conditions are 35 per cent higher than the European sky so a whole series of interventions were created to generate comfortable daylight conditions.

Fernando Rihl is currently working with the postgraduate department of architecture in Brazil (UFRGS), developing workshops and seminars for the next academic year. He is also currently working on a low-carbon prefab house pattern book.