ELEMENTS OF LIGHTING DESIGN lighting based on function: general

Lighting design is always in lighting, task lighting and accent

collaboration with other designers, lighting. Take note some other
interior designers, architects, electrical sources also mentioned
engineers, etc. There are several informational and decorative
aspects or elements of lighting design lighting
that we can consider: • General Lighting- blankets a
space and provide the base or
Intensity or Brightness of Light- minimum level of illumination
determined and calculated by the • Task Lighting- provides additional
designer and must conform to the light in areas where visual tasks are
needs of the space and the users required (i.e. reading, cooking,
- Higher illumination suggests high eating)
levels of activity and lower product • Accent Lighting- provides visual
costs (fast food and discount interest by highlighting architectural
retailers) element or calling attention to
- Lower illumination may suggest important items like products or
reduced levels of activity, higher artwork. This type of lighting is
levels of service, exclusivity and related to decorative and
higher product costs (private informational lighting
offices, expensive restaurants and - A lighting source can be a point
exclusive stores) source (a small concentrated light
- Brightness can all draw attentions as source that creates hard shadows)
when used in theater lighting It can line source (linear lights like
always affect or influence the fluorescent tubes) or plane source
movement or attention of users (relatively larger and produces
Color of Light- include coolness or softers shadows)
warmth of light which can provoke
emotions or different perception - Layering of light using multiple
necessary for a particular space overlapping lighting techniques
Distribution of Light- the way light fills a (mixing ambient, task and accent
space lighting). It can also include other
Movement of Light- least obvious types of light informational and
element of lighting design which refers to decorative lighting
the change in either one of the three
elements of lighting (color and There are three methods of
distribution) illumination general, local and
supplementary and combined general
START OF ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTING and local illumination. Take note these
DESIGN are not the ambient, task and accent
- Richard Kelly one of the pioneers lighting which is based on its function.
of and considered the father of This is the type of illumination based on
the architectural lighting design. light distribution like uniformity and
He first opened his firm in 1935 intensity
where he worked on architectural
lighting and theatrical lighting. He - General Lighting- uniform and
worked with different famous generally diffused lighting
architects
- Local and Supplementary Lighting-
- Richard Kelly identified the three 3 small, high-level area of lighting without
forms of light play which is used in contributing to the general lighting
architectural lighting design today and supplements the general
• focal glow- creating focus and lighting
interest - Combined General and Local
• ambient luminescence- minimizing the
importance of certain elements, general
lighting, achieved by light colored walls,
curtains and ceilings
• play of brilliants- stimulating the optic
nerves and curiosity. It can be
entertaining
- The ideas of Richard Kelly are similar
to the idea of three basic types of
 TYPES OF LIGHT DISTRIBUTION
• Indirect Lighting- the ceiling and Reflection is when light bounces off of
upper walls become the primary light the reflective surface. There are three
source which creates shadowless types of reflection
environments. The resultant • Specular reflection- (mirror like)
illumination is generally uniform and happens when the surface is very
direct and reflected glare are low. smooth and reflective. The angle of
Ceiling with high luminance can incidence is equal and opposite to
make the effect of high ceiling, the angle of exitance or reflection.
which is good for large room with These include glass, polished stone
low ceiling. Local and and polished metal
supplementary lighting might still • Semi-specular reflection- happens
be needed because reflected light is when the surface scatter the reflected
usually not enough for some visual light. Some portions of the light
tasks reflect from the surface perfectly
• Semi-indirect Lighting- less attention while others are partially spread and
on the lighting fixture. Lighter colored diffused, producing hazy reflection
walls and ceilings can give greater images. These include semi
illumination specular reflection brushed metal,
• General Diffuse and Direct-Indirect wood with a satin finish and fabric
Lighting- generally equal amount of with a sheen
upward and downward lights. Take • Diffused Reflection- happens
note that general diffuse is more when the surface scatter the
global in shape while direct indirect reflected light in all directions. It
have little horizontal component. includes flat paint, bond paper,
Due to their different light unfinished or sanded wood and
distribution, general diffuse tend to unpolished stone
give lighter illumination while walls Refraction is when light bends when
may be less illuminated in direct passing through another medium. Take
indirect lighting. The space will not note both reflection and refraction
appear dull and monotonous and with happen in other types of waves like
uniform illumination in both types of sound waves and water waves. This
lighting happens because the wave travels at
• Semi-direct Lighting- if the ceiling is different speeds when passing different
high reflectance, direct glare can be media or material with different
minimized. Shadowing is not a refractive index (optical density)
problem if the upward component - The Snell’s Law incorporates different
is at least 25 and ceiling parameters like the refractive index,
reflectance is at least 70. Lighting is angle of incidence and angle of
usually pleasant refraction (both measured from the
• Direct Lighting- this type of lighting normal or perpendicular angle
does not illuminate the ceiling Diffusion is when light is scattered in all
(probably because of exposed directions. Diffusion of light can be
ducts etc. Direct lighting can be achieved by diffused reflection or
spread (surface mounted or troffer using a translucent material where
fluorescent fixtures) or when light passes, instead of refracted
concentrated (downlights used in a precise angle, it is refracted in
alone where privacy type of different angles in lighting fixtures,
atmosphere is needed) diffusers are usually translucent
materials attached to the aperture
TYPES OF LIGHT DISTRIBUTION Transmission refers to the passage of
Distribution of light from a luminaire is the light through a medium or material. Here
result of the combination of the fixture’s are the related terms:
components and the lamp. Take note • Transmittance- percentage of light
the lamp is the bulb and the luminaire is being transmitted. This can be
the assembly which includes the lamps, categorized into transparent,
reflectors, housing and other electrical translucent or opaque
components • Transparent- virtually allows passing
of all light, objects can be seen
through (i e clear glass)
Translucent- light passes through but
scatters the light and blurring the object
behind (i e frosted or etched glass,
 light diffusers) Some translucent can • Footcandle (lumens/sq ft)
also filter colors in light • Lux (lumens/sq m
• Opaque- no light passes
through (i e wood and metal)
Surface Reflection and Absorption- all
surfaces reflect and absorb light at some
level
• Inter reflection light bounces off of a
room’s surfaces and fills in
shadows, reduces contrast and
produces a more uniform
brightness. Inter reflection is increased
(brightens the rooms) if the room
surfaces are light colored and high
reflectance. Dark and low reflectance
materials absorb much of the
incident light produces darker
spaces
Shadows- produced by a light
source, can be crisp/clear((hard) or
softened (soft). This is the result of the
size of the light source. The smaller the
light source or luminaire, the softer the
shadows and vice versa.

Luminous Intensity- a measure of

the wavelength weighted power
emitted by a light source in a
particular direction per unit solid angle
based on the luminosity function, a
standardized model of the sensitivity of
the human eye. It is analogous to
pressure or voltage. The SI unit of
luminous intensity is the candela (an
SI base unit, other unit is called
candlepower (but already obsolete)
Luminous Flux- rate of flow of light per
time in solid angle of one steradian. It is
analogous to current or water flow
rate. It is measured in lumens
(Luminous flux is defined in relation to
luminous intensity). That is, when the
luminous angle of a light source is one
solid angle and the luminous flux is 1
lumen, its luminous intensity is 1
candela.

- Another unit of luminance is foot

lambert which equal to the
luminance of a surface emitting a
luminous flux or one lumen per sq
foot the luminance of a perfectly
reflecting surface receiving an
illumination of one foot candle. It can
also be expressed in candela (cd) per
square meter, an SI unit. Other units
are lambert (non SI)
Illumination- density of luminous
energy or light falling in a surface,
measured in footcandles (fc) or lux (lx).
The usual conversion is 1 fc=10.76 lux or
simply 10 lux