Light plays an important role in the perception of the environment around us, without light there is no vision and vision gives us a part of our sensory experiences. Despite the charm, daylighting persists in some defects such as glare, heat penetration, discoloration of furniture and fabric dyes, etc. hence the need for artificial lighting. A basic understanding of the colour, intensity, and texture of light supports the ideas which will undermine a project’s design goals. Refining layouts, materials, and scale can’t make a huge difference that light can quickly and powerfully alter the appearance and emotional effect with a few simple strokes. For every space design decision, there needs to be a complementary lighting decision.
It’s about time that we break the stereotype that all luminaries belong to the ceiling washing light down onto the ground below. Recent trends and technologies enable lighting designers, architects, and interior designers to investigate all the other ways of delivering light that we conceive. A designer curates- mood, interaction, and visual impact of a space, they must follow a holistic approach that involves putting the right intensity, colour, and texture of light to create maximum effect. Expanding our understanding of how humans decipher light to vision and experience it and becoming acutely aware of how to carefully place light to amplify the desired experience of design. We bring to you some thought-provoking ideas for your next design project:
A refreshing change to the basic downlighting trick is to use a light source aiming to direct light onto the vertical surfaces of a space, rather than simply straight down. These are lined up in the periphery of a space boosting the overall perception of brightness. This technique has proved to be effective in showing off architectural boundaries while expanding the space.
We can implement light sources that break the conventional norms, recessed into the ground/floor plane that washes the walls, and cast pools of light up onto ceilings overhead. A unique light quality creating flashes of light upward that is rare to find in the natural world. Perception of height and verticality can be easily achieved by upward-directed light beams.
Lights can be employed onto the ceiling plane opening up the sense of space and increasing the perception of volume. These sources are mounted to the surface or built into the wall to cast light up onto the ceiling plane above them. Many times, an even spread of glow onto the ceiling from these luminaries provides for the ambient lighting, with little task/accent lights necessary to complement them. The bright ceiling gives a sense of openness like that of a bright sky above.
We have a vast array of decorative and functional luminaires that differ from purely decorative sconces, these are available with protected sources that coat light back onto the wall to which they are mounted. This technique helps where ceiling or floor mounted luminaries do not work well. These luminaires can be mounted in rows or patterns to help the flow of a long space/corridor and add character to it by simply washing light onto the wall, rather than just glow.
These lights are preconceived and architecturally integrated lines of light that go a long way to enhance the geometry of space by creating even washes and unique glows onto the entire surfaces of a space. Lines of light harvest an effect similar to the clean light we receive from daylight openings like skylights and light shelves. These shapes of light curated by long, clean lines boast the intricate joints and connections of a structure.
One way to accomplish floor lighting is to mount luminaires at the bottom of the wall directing light of the floor plane. Sometimes such lights are also called step-lights and mounted for lighting stairs but remain effective for use in other parts of a structure as well. These luminaires are typically recessed into the wall and work to get the light source closer to the surface being lighted.
Glowing objects like pendants, sconces, and shaded lamps make up self-luminous pieces of light art adding a haze of light to our spaces and a distinct focal point. After our other lighting needs have been met, these sources can be applied with care to avoid glare and generic floods of light acting as the crowning elements of visual interest.
