The architecture of light: architectural lighting design concepts and techniques. A textbook of procedures and practices for the architect, interior designer and lighting designer pdfdrive com

Shininess or specularity of a material should always be considered. Shiny materials respond to light by reflecting an exact image of the source that is lighting them. This can be desirable as in the case of accenting jewelry, glassware and other shiny products. Large architectural surfaces of glass or metal may, however, reflect undesirable glare or reflect the light source. Such surfaces may be better off applied with little or no light.
This mental process of visualizing a space in-depth effectively draws out lighting
concepts and ideas that will enhance an environment. Taking just a few moments to break a space down into its constituent materials and surfaces makes it easier to address the specific nuances of each lighting addition. This thoughtfulness leads to a designed environment with lighting applications that respond to each surface and perfectly support the design intent.

Chapter 13 Developing Lighting Ideas

Figure 13.1 A typical residential bedroom.
When we consider the process and decision-making that we can now apply to our lighting design, we begin to see the steps in a more articulate manner. If abused, this can lead to lighting design that is overly complicated. If we make decisions carefully, however, the result will be a unique synergy of light and material in space that meets the goals of our program and becomes the framework of truly great design.
Take, for instance, a
common residential bedroom. If we use our knowledge to determine where light actually belongs in the space, we can very quickly establish a number of appropriate applications. We can consider any or all of the “Five Layer” approach that guides our design. We may think of choreography, mood, and accent, or we may think only of visual tasks.
Consider the following applications of light in this space:
Accenting art on the bed wall to provide a visual focus;
Light onto the vanity for tasks and rendering faces;
Light onto book shelves to read text and highlight the objects; Light at the bench at the foot of the bed to accommodate dressing.
Figure 13.2 One way the space might be rendered to show numerous lighting options.
Now consider all of the applications of light that we have articulated and consider the most commonly seen method to solve all of these problems: a single luminaire in the center of the room.
Figure 13.3 A typical economy-minded lighting solution.
Suppose this luminaire is a simple recessed downlight. Which of these goals are being addressed? Nearly none, as the light is simply pushed down to the dark surface of the floor in the middle of the room.
Suppose this luminaire is a surface mounted decorative dish. Now which
of our identified applications are we addressing? Perhaps none directly, but it could be argued that we are creating some amount of light on nearly every surface. Hence in a very generic manner, it may be a suitable solution.
Now, what if we articulate and place luminaires to specifically address all
that we have identified?
We begin to see what lighting design can look like, though such a solution may be overly complex and a bit self-indulgent. The effort and expense required to install, electrify and maintain such a solution would be excessive.
Additionally, the lighting solution may be too specific and customized to the
current layout and use of the space. In spaces of this type our lighting solutions may need to be more universal and flexible.
It is easy enough to select from among the solutions that we have
identified to come up with a reasonable blend of function and versatility.
If we start experimenting with combinations of the effects and applications we have identified, we are bound to refine our options into the