Published @unlimitedrag, 2024
Lighting design is a professional field with different meanings for different design practices; therefore, it deserves to be explored in more depth.
For an industrial designer, this definition means the design of the object that carries the lighting function—the luminaire, according to its sectoral definition. For a landscape designer, it can mean the design of the lighting for parks and gardens. For an architect, it can mean the use of artificial lighting on the facade or within a space, as well as the design of natural light. Designing light on this scale for all of these disciplines is the professional work of lighting designers today.
In order to be more precise in this regard, it is a better approach to use the concepts of “lighting fixtures design” for product design and “architectural lighting design”(1) for other groups.
To specialize in the field of architectural lighting design, it is necessary to specialize in architecture and interior architecture after university education. This is because this field uses its own photometric(2) software, and to design light indoors and outdoors, it is necessary to take into account the various technical features offered by the relevant luminaires; in a sense, it is necessary to master the tools required for design.
The emergence of the field of lighting design as a branch requiring increasing specialization is a need that has emerged in parallel with technological developments in the lighting sector. While decades ago we only spoke about certain types of luminaires, today these products are categorized primarily as outdoor/indoor, architectural/technical luminaires, and decorative/aesthetic luminaires. In each of these areas, there is also diversity according to different usage areas or needs. For example, if we take outdoor architectural luminaires, they are offered with different features such as poles used in urban lighting, bollards preferred for walkways, wall sconces, recessed luminaires in the ground, luminaires studded in the ground, and flexible strip LED luminaires that can be used for pools and boats.
Since each of them provides different light emission, requires different installation, and has different features—for example, in a landscape design—it is necessary to prepare a lighting design project that consists of a harmony of luminaires providing the appropriate function in the appropriate place with a sufficient light level. The diversity is such that the angle of light emitted by some luminaires is even diversified according to the plant to be used.(3) In recent years, decorative luminaire designs that can be used in landscape design have also increased considerably.
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In addition to functional and typological diversity, the technical values—such as Kelvin, UGR, IP, and CRI—of the luminaires to be used in a design are determined by experts in line with the requirements. The design process is completed with these selections and light emissions calculated using specialized programs.
I may need to explain the abbreviations mentioned here because this information is important for us, not only as designers but also as consumers. Kelvin defines the color temperature of light; for example, 2700K, which emits yellow light in amber tones, is frequently preferred, especially in historical cities and buildings. The light often described as “daylight” in the market is actually 4000K, while 3000K values represent a warm white light. In an urban lighting fixture, a brighter light degree of 4000K can be used. The degree of moonlight is recorded as 4150K.
The UGR value, which is short for Unified Glare Rating, determines whether a luminaire is dazzling or not. Spotlights are widely known as dazzling lights if they do not have good diffusers, but this does not apply to every spotlight-emitting luminaire. Technically, the fact that the luminaire to be used has a UGR value between 16 and 19 shows that it has a feature that provides the correct lighting. Glare is a very common condition, especially in public buildings such as schools, libraries, hospitals, open offices, galleries, and restaurants; it is caused by the luminaire used not having the correct value.
IP value shows the wind and water resistance of a luminaire; when designing outdoor and wet areas, luminaires with IP65 and above values must be used. Luminaires with IP values suitable for outdoor use stand out with their design and material features. We know that the bodies of these products are made of non-corrosive and durable metals; if paint is used, we can understand that very special and reinforced paints are preferred. Likewise, all connection points are detailed in such a way that they do not let in dust, rain, or water and are produced with different engineering.
Finally, the CRI value (Color Rendering Index) determines whether a luminaire offers you the closest view to reality. This value is especially important for areas such as retail shops and art venues. The CRI light value is determined to ensure that the product offered is shown in the true color of the works exhibited. In this context, a CRI of 95 and above (among values measured between 0 and 100) is an indication that we can achieve colors closest to daylight perception with artificial light.
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If we consider the ceiling lighting used indoors in architectural lighting, this time we encounter differentiating terminology such as surface-mounted or built-in, linear, pendant, concealed, hidden, rail systems, spotlights, plafoniers, etc. These luminaires are also diverse in terms of their usage, functions, and technical features. It can be said that this is the area where technological developments are experienced most frequently. Changes in LED technologies clearly affect and transform these luminaires. While the luminaires are getting smaller and smaller in size, the performance they offer is improving day by day. In line with changing needs, these luminaires are also transforming into flexible designs.
For example, linear or focal light-emitting luminaires (popularly known as rail spotlights), which were attached to static rails in the past, have today turned into systems that can move both horizontally and vertically, can be embedded in a thin line on the surface, and can be easily plugged and unplugged with a magnet. Luminaires with very different features can now be customized by the user. This is a great innovation.
With the use of LED modules, which are developing day by day in terms of product design, dimensions are reconsidered; product design can be handled much more freely.
The ability to manage the lighting in spaces from mobile devices is an indispensable technological development of our age. With the use of RGB LED light sources, we started to be able to manage color change; this is now a fairly standard practice. On the other hand, a study that was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2017(4) revealed life cycles for the circadian rhythm of humans, and since then, there has been a huge development in the field of lighting. We can now automate and programmatically manage not only the color of light but also its degree and intensity.
While explaining the circadian rhythm, I would like to mention that human beings have returned to their nature, to their essence. Humanity’s transition from oil lamps to electric lighting is the main factor that increased industrial production. The production, which had only been done during the daytime, allowed factory chimneys to smoke during the night alongside improved lighting. This production frenzy, as you know, resulted in a historical transformation with the Industrial Revolution. Modern life as we know it began then… Like many tools and vehicles, artificial lighting took its place in our lives by diversifying in terms of design. However, until 2017, it was out of the question for artificial lighting to imitate Here is the corrected version of the final section of your text. I have restored the missing “f” and “fi” characters, corrected the punctuation, and refined the grammar to ensure it flows professionally.
…the sun, which is a natural lighting source. Technological developments were capable of enabling this, but it was still necessary to put forward the scientific study I mentioned for this transformation to take place.
In modern life, people are increasingly detached from their nature, trying to sleep, work, and live in the time intervals dictated by this lifestyle. On the other hand, the human body has a hormonal design in harmony with the sun; in this cycle, the hormone melatonin, which allows us to sleep, is secreted after a certain period of darkness, while our whole body awakens with the sun. In fact, all vital factors such as perception, learning capacity, reaction speed, and efficiency of physical performance during the day are all realized by hormone secretion in connection with the degree of light. The pessimism, inefficiency, and unhappiness felt on a rainy and dark day, and the positive mood felt on a bright day, are the most frequently mentioned examples of circadian rhythm. Another is that people who look at screens during the night cannot fall asleep due to the light emitted from them.
All of these are scientific facts that we know and can ignore. Today, the lighting industry is transforming its technologies to create working and living spaces in harmony with the circadian rhythm. The offices of giant companies now host their employees in spaces illuminated with technologies that mimic daylight, using names such as Tunable White or Dynamic White; the aim here is undoubtedly to increase total health and productivity.
In this article, I have tried to present how diverse, wide, and different the sectoral structure of lighting design is in terms of both lighting fixtures design and architectural lighting design. With this structure, this field undoubtedly carries great opportunities for all design professionals.
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