A Study in Light and Dark

I snapped this picture tonight on the campus of the University of Minnesota. The Coffman Student Union, in the daytime, is not a particularly notable building. Sure, it has nice lines and geometric forms, and the presence of students gives it a certain liveliness. And I'll grant you the glass facade is very cool. But at night, the contrast between the brightly lit square windows and the dark night sky is absolutely gorgeous. The building emanates a kind of bursting energy. Outside, it is cold and dark; inside the building, it was warm and bright. That brilliance spills out of the building, projecting its energy into the external dark space. Quite breathtaking! It's amazing how much light--the presence or absence thereof--affects one's experience of a place.