Atmosphere and Form

Light, Materiality and Space:   notes on lighting design  to accompany the lecture

In Architecture, the design and consideration of artificial light, a constructed effect, follows design considerations which respond to pre-existing daylight. It therefore requires more justification and rationalization in interpreting space. 

A space can never reach its place in architecture without Natural Light. In most cases lighting design provides an illumination scheme that recognises the pre-existing architecture, acknowledges the restrictions that it poses and reveals its meanings.

Our sense of a space is dependent on the way light reveals it to us as a form, but with an accompanying atmosphere. The capacity of light to create mood is, alongside pure utility, perhaps has the most significant influence on our perception of space.

Often the representation of space can be beyond our rational expectations, exemplified in the works of the American James Turrell, where the artist uses light itself to ‘atmospherically’ define space. 

James Turell: Wedgeworks

The perception of light is also a strong focus of experiment in the work of Olaf Elliason.

Olaf Elliason - The Weather Project

Some of the principles followed by designers in seeking lighting solutions require intutitive judgment, others are based on more quantitative research, for which there is an ever increasing array of specification. 

Whilst intuitive responses largely succumb to observed qualities of culture, collective memory atmosphere, climate and the aesthetic interpretation of new technologies,the latter are often more utilitarian, acting as specific performance instruments. Yet there remain questions about the contractions between laboratory results and real world perceptions. (William Lam early (1940’s).

Lighting begins to have a serious presence in Architecture from the 1920s onwards, following the early period of explorative electric light at the end of the 19th century. However, this small historic period has been comprised by a plethora of changes and movements since then. Often the best way to determine the evolution of lighting design in the twentieth century is to consider it in relation to the history of distinct movements in architecture and the arts. 

Technological inventions of electic lamps during the 20th century developed rapidly, the perfection of incandescent sources followed closely by the invention of fluorescent lamps and this resulted in the production of light other than by burning a material.The pattern continues one hundred years after the commercial release of the first electric incandescent bulb, most noticeable with the introduction of LED’s and projection technologies.

William Lamb: Lighting for Washington DC Underground

William Lam, a pioneer of Architectural lighting, developed principles that have become standards in the industry . His two books  Perception and Lighting as Formgivers for Architecture, and Sunlighting as Formgiver for Architecture, promote a range of principles which we now take for granted:

• Light the things you want to see and need to see.
• Put the light where you want it.
• The quality of illumination is more important than the quantity.
• Maximize the visual signals, minimize the visual noise.
• Use lighting for wayfinding.
• Use task/ambient lighting solutions to save energy.
• Lighting is applied perception psychology. We see with our brains, not our eyes.
• Light sources, or apparent light sources, should be things worth looking at.
• Lighting is like music and food. More isn’t better if the quality is bad. 

In describing space, lighting often defines it’s ‘insideness’ and ‘outsideness’. Significant elements of modern design, for example full glazed facades of modern houses, establish a literal and phenomenal transparency whilst intending to frame the exterior view in daytime. When the interiors were lit by night, the reverse occurs,with landscape becoming invisible and glass panes reflective, resulting in this loss of continuity for occupants. A sense of limited privacy could be experienced from an internal perspective, but occupants were visible from the exterior, themselves becoming the objects of attention in place of the landscape. 

In contemporary architecture, exterior lighting has created an extension of interior and exterior illuminatory transitions , where liminal spaces may be considered almost as ‘filters’

Often the best way to determine the evolution of lighting design in the twentieth century os to consider it in relation to the history of distinct movements in architecture and the arts.  

JIhyunChung-pendant

Some definitions of lighting conditions.

Specularity - Lights characteristic reflection and refraction can enhance the subtlest surface texture. We rely on the quality light to identify the characteristics of many materials. For example, light reflects of polished surfaces metals, glasses and stones differently. This specularity has to do with levels of transparency / refraction as well the surface texture.Mirror surfaces are highly specular.

Light Shape - The light or lamp casing, as well as the light fitting itself affects the shape of light. The reflectors in conical or spot lights focus light beams to create a projected shape on an object or surface. Casings, shutters or cut out die shapes may similarly constrain the beam. The formation of the lamp becomes a light shape in neon lightling.

Colour - Colour whether induced by light ‘temperature’ or through pigmented filtration, is a major contributor to the mood of a space.

Intensity - Usuallly measure in lumens, this is commonly a description of brightness.

Glow - Glow is the inner radiant light or halo usually close to the light source. Light fittings exhibit both glow and projected luminescence.Textured or translucent materials cause light to ‘glow’ s it passes through the material.

Transmitted light - Light passing through a medium. This may be air, enclosed gas ( eg flourescent systems) or another material such as glass. Transmission is effected by conditions of refraction, diffusion, diffraction and reflection induced by the medium.

The degree of transmission is affected by the material properties. Transmission can also be affected by varying the material configuration of porcelain, piercing, carving, shape of the light opening which frames the  directional illumination.

Translucency - Allowing light, but not detailed images, to pass through. A semitransparent material

Diffraction - the process by which a beam of light is spread out as a result of passing through a narrow aperture or across an edge, typically accompanied by interference 

Diffusion - light is spread evenly from a light source evenly to avoid harsh glare or hard shadows

Reflection- The majority of light is reflected away from a highly specular surface without being absorbed,diffracted or diffused.

Refraction - a condition of light being deflected in passing obliquely through the interface between one medium and another or through a medium of varying density.

Next to luminescence (intensity), colour and shape, the witness insignia of light is shadow.

Shadow gives a sense of form, contributes significantly to atmosphere and in natural lighting scenarios also indicates time. (sundial)

Zaferiou, P. Bill Lam Tribute, IES Banquet (May 24, 2012). http://blog.lampartners.com/lighting-design/bill-lam-tribute-ies-banquet-may-24-2012.html