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

Chapter 10 Shapes of Light

The next ingredient in our intuitive understanding of light is the articulation of shapes of light that we add to our designed spaces. It is impossible to deliver visual interest in a space without making distinct statements through the shape of light and lighted surfaces. The easiest way to understand the different shapes of light is to identify the following three categories: pools of light, planes of light and glowing objects.
POOLS AND PIECES OF LIGHT
Most of our directional sources – lamps and luminaires with engineered reflectors and optics - emit beams of light that deliver some well-defined shape of light onto the objects we illuminate. These shapes of light can have relatively soft borders or well defined boundaries between light and dark. We use these shapes to “spotlight” or cast shapes of light onto specific objects like art, sculpture, furniture pieces, and convening areas. Creating distinct pieces of light certainly adds visual interest, but care must be taken to not overuse the treatment. Light shapes tend to come across as artificial and contrived, as they are rare in the natural world. Pools and distinct pieces of light can also break up otherwise homogenous surfaces. Walls and large rectilinear shapes can become visually chaotic with too many applied pieces of light. When not used with restraint, these defined pieces of light can give galleries, restaurants and other environments an “over-done” appearance.
Figure 10.1 Distinct pools of light add visual interest and contrast, but can become overwhelming or visually “noisy.”
PLANES AND LINES OF LIGHT
We have a vast array of continuous linear sources that are useful for creating long lines of light that follow the long lines of our architecture and materials. Linear sources, used properly, allow an entire geometric surface to glow evenly and can enhance the way textures and materials are perceived. Slots and washes of light bleed across surfaces and create shapes of light very similar to what we might encounter from daylight devices like skylights, light wells and windows. We tend to have an affinity for these shapes because they deliver a sense of connection to the natural skylight and sunlight to which we are accustomed.
Geometric shapes of light can reinforce the shape and form of rectilinear
architectural surfaces. Uniform shapes are also good candidates for mitigating the high-contrast effect of strong accent lighting. They are a good tool for balancing ambient glow in a “too-contrasty” space.