Jan Fugl is an associate professor at the Aarhus School of Architecture.

Jan Fugl’s research deals with light and lighting and with the relationship between light and space. In a project involving the Danish Lighting Center, Kolding School of Design, and Aarhus School of Architecture he is currently developing an interdisciplinary, web-based educational material about light and lighting.

Jan Fugl works with analyses and descriptions of daylight properties in various spatial geometries, i.e. various room designs and types. How is the perception of various rooms (square rooms, rectangular rooms, free-shape rooms) affected by variously shaped and positioned light openings? Jan Fugl work involves studying and categorising principles for light influx and the various ways in which light defines the room, depending where and how the windows are positioned on vertical or horizontal surfaces, whether the light hits floors or walls, and how the light is reflected by materials, shapes, colours and surfaces. He describes the main principles for the experience of light, including for example whether it serves to make the room larger or smaller, and compares these principles with examples from architectural history.

An important topic in Jan Fugl’s research is proportions and measuring systems. He records and studies building proportions in ancient Egypt, including the basic principles that underlie the design of the religious and profane architecture of the time. He also studies the role of proportional aspects such as the ‘Golden Ratio’ and the mathematical constant pi in the architecture of the time.

Jan Fugl teaches and supervises bachelor students at the Aarhus School of Architecture, Department of Design in the subject areas of furniture, spatial and lighting design, including supervision of the students’ work on form, function, aesthetics and construction.

Jan Fugl graduated as a cand. arch. from the Aarhus School of Architecture in 1977.