Lighting in Design Q1 2024

Inspiring your lighting projects

Bring life to existing and new spaces with a hint of illumination.

L ighting and design go together and provide an incredible tool to architects and conceptual designers, ex plains X avier M artí n, C hief Executive Officer (CEO) of Spanish illumination specialist Faro Barcelona. “Natural light is an indispensable element in architecture. It is a functional tool that provides literal light to spaces, while also transcending to the aesthetic and sensory level. L ight will be a k ey factor to achieve the perfect architectural proj ect. ” W hile light does not ex ist in a physical form, its integration into architecture is as seamless as another constructive element. “ L ight has the power to manipulate our senses and the way our brain perceives spaces or shapes, ” says M artí n, adding, “ P recisely for this reason, architectural lighting is a factor that offers the possibility of reinventing, transforming, enlarging or reducing spaces by resorting solely to visual effects.” Spaces can easily be adapted with lighting techniques to the specific human needs or moment that the spaces are being used. L ighting can be used as a simple yet effective architectural tool – the secret is k nowing what you are doing. T h ere are sev eral t y p es o f arc h it ec t ural l igh t ing • G eneral lighting is a uniform and homogeneous architectural lighting that does not create shadows or contrasts. “ It is usually combined with other types of lighting such as accent, direct or indirect lights at specific points where it is necessary, and depending on the use that is to be given to the space, ” says M artí n. • Accent lighting is a type of focused light that is used to highlight objects and specific points by means of a contrast with the rest of the lighting and the space, allowing the lighting technician to play with light and dark to define the space’s volume. • D irect light does not create reflections or shadows, but rather offers the perfect balance between uniformity and brightness. “ It is the perfect complement to other types of architectural lighting, as it serves to provide greater visibility at specific points depending on the activities being carried out, ” says the C E O . • Indirect light, meanwhile, is illumination that has been proj ected onto another surface so

that the light beam is not perceived directly. T his allows for a visual comfort level that leaves viewers feeling a sense of calm. T rends in arc h it ec t ural l igh t ing T he evolution of technology has not left lighting behind. In fact, updates and upgrades in the world of illumination have made it a powerful visual and emotional tool. Some trends to look out for include: • Smart and contact-less lighting: “ T his is one of the most efficient ways of using artificial light, ” says M artí n. “ T hrough home automation systems that allow lighting control, it is possible to reduce energy consumption while creating lighting scenes for each activity in a comfortable, simple way. ” • H uman-centric lighting: It is possible for artificial light to adapt to people’s circadian rhythms as if it were natural light. New fittings can replicate the sun’s movement throughout the day, allowing users to install them in rooms without windows and still have the effect of passing time. “These are what we call ‘ healthy lighting systems’ that respect

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