Architecture in Rhythm with Time: Designing Through Solar, Lunar, and Biological Cycles

Moon Pavilion / Atelier Guo. Image © Hao Chen

As the solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, it also draws attention to something architecture has long negotiated but often overlooked: time. Beyond form or function, buildings and spaces are continuously shaped by cycles of light and darkness, seasonal shifts, and environmental rhythms that affect how they are inhabited.

In recent years, a growing number of architectural projects have begun to work explicitly with these cycles.