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

Figure 22.11.3 Small LED indicator steplight from Erco
Figure 22.11.4 An application of typical steplights
This small family of luminaires is by no means comprehensive. It gives but a glimpse of some of the more common ways to deliver light onto the surfaces of our designs. There numerous tools for delivering light, but at the core of design, we are still simply dealing with shapes of light, color of light, texture of light, where that light goes, and how it gets there. Choosing architectural luminaires should be an exercise in selecting tools to deliver lighting effects that have already been identified through the design process. Remember that many luminaires are often nothing more than lamp holders. A designer should be able to recognize when the lamp is doing most of the work and when the luminaire is more integral to the delivery of light. Hopefully, this representation of some more common lighting tactics will broaden horizons as the designer moves on to actually lay out and specify lighting equipment for his/her design.

Chapter 23 Switching, Dimming and Control Systems

Designing lighting control systems is an art and science in its own right. Considering how the lighting elements in a space will be controlled is an integral part of completing the lighting design thought process. There is a significant chasm between simple, wall-mounted switches and the whole-building, computer-based control systems that allow for tremendous flexibility.
Sustainability initiatives, incentives and codes have made lighting controls increasingly important and consequently complex. A lighting designer is expected to possess an intimate knowledge of current codes, incentives and sustainability practices as well as the technologies available. Constant research and staying up to date with technologies and practices is a must. On a modern design project, documentation and troubleshooting of the lighting control system can consume as much time as that of the light itself. But controls need not become unwieldy. Once a designer is familiar with the baseline requirements of local codes and the best practices employed by other designers, meeting code requirements and implementing practical, useful lighting control technology can become second nature.
The key to making use of these technologies is to make decisions about the specific functionality the project needs. Design of the control systems should be treated similarly to designing the light itself. The effects of dimming, mixing, fading and timing functions are the components that complete a lighting application. Lighting control systems should be chosen with a consideration for how they can simplify the project. When lighting controls are added as a means to provide more options and infinite flexibility, unwieldy chaos can be the result.