Dimensions, textures and colors are not the only factors to consider when designing a space. Choosing the right lighting also rises as a key strategy to create a project’s atmosphere. Appropriate lighting adds new aspects to space. Within the same project, different ways of applying light develops diverse situations, playing with light and shade, warmness and coldness, as well as depth and height.
Through the boundless lighting products available in Architonic’s ‘Interior lighting’ and ‘Outdoor lighting’ sections, architects are able to play with a new angle to design their future projects. The following discussion brings up four ways - path guides, outside lighting, art objects and a combination with furniture - in which architecture applies lighting as a design strategy.
Path Guiders
With the use of two light sources, fluorescent and LED, the system introduces a new way of lighting through an integrated and dynamic dialogue with the architectural design. Whether surface recessed, surface mounted or suspended, the creation of lines of continuous light - on the same plan or at a 90° angle - develops a versatile system that creates diverse configurations without disruptions between floor, wall, ceiling and internal space. According to the design necessities, lighting performances vary from ambient to directional and accent lighting.
The emission of light from extruded aluminum modules develops a fastening system with adjustable wing nuts that adapt to various heights of false ceiling. The diffuser screen creates a space that plays with light and shade, guiding the hall’s path while maintaining a gloomy atmosphere. Apart from linear forms, the system counts with pre-assembled accessories to create the desired angles.
Both for ceilings and walls, diffused lighting systems allow to highlight moments of the architectural design. With built-in flexible LED strips and opals, architects and designers guide the user’s focus and movement through the building.
Lighting the Outside
As reeds in water, the artificial lighting system is placed in outdoor projects. Aiming to emulate nature, twelve handcrafted optical fibers - each stalk with a slight difference - give an impression of glowing reeds. Arranged in a lawn, boggy soil, ponds or in shallow water, the system has a key role in illuminating the exterior while keeping natural aesthetics.
Known as giant clouds of interstellar dust and gas in space, nebulas reflect and refract light from the stars behind them. Aspiring to bring a space atmosphere into the design, lights covered in fiberglass material create an efficient and functional illumination that brings up evocative lighting.
Following the architects’ layout, pieces placed in space give a subtle light through a methacrylate diffuser. The large vertical block and head of the lamp appear to be separated, leaving an open slit through which the beam of light emerges. With a landscape friendly approach in mind, a subtle lighting allows the user to enjoy a nighttime garden without interrupting or causing glare. Likewise, lamps are designed in different colors and textures to fit into its environment.
Light Art
The combination of the art of paper folding with light functionality brings up artistic creations. Beyond the design of a project’s floor plan, architecture is able to apply lighting strategies to create wall-art while illuminating space. With a single plug-in point and no need to embed, designers are free to create infinite configurations in line with the project's proposal.
Creating a distance from traditional lighting, which was determined, and limited, by the lighting point’s position, contemporary solutions allow to start the design process from an artistic point of view. With an independent modular system, innovative shapes come out, becoming a strong decorative, yet functional element. As such, the aluminum bars - in different lengths - are placed in the most fitting position to follow the project’s general scheme.
Bending in and out of space, the configuration of black lines combines ornamentation and functionality. Round and cubic brass connectors allow the creation of different arrangements and positions - hanging, wall-mounted, standing - adding a material contrast at the same time.
Light and Matter
Performing different functions at the same time, light and furniture are integrated into a single body. Incorporating both activities saves space for movement through the room while creating varying atmospheres. A storage module with adjustable shelves combines with the lighting system, which is hidden beneath the shelving.
Being able to focus light on certain areas is key to design flexible and adaptable spaces. The wall lamp combines the emission of light with a bedside table, an ideal design to keep things close for night readers.
Attached by a fastening system to the shelves, the lighting strategy illuminates without interfering in the space assigned for the element’s organization. The incorporation of flexible LED stripes provides diffused light that blends in with the projects’ furniture.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Light in Architecture, proudly presented by Vitrocsa the original minimalist windows since 1992.
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For more products to apply lighting as a design strategy, visit the ‘Interior lighting’ and ‘Outdoor lighting’ category in Architonic.
