When Lighting Architecture, What Is The Secret To Making it Great?

by PORT on Jan 31, 2023 7:07:07 PM

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Architectural lighting design and architectural lighting installation has the power to transform every type of space. Light impacts the visual tone of a building, drawing attention to architectural features and textures and enhancing a structure’s aesthetics - and value. But what's the secret to lighting that has real impact?

While decorative lighting focuses on the fittings, architectural lighting emphasizes the light itself and its distribution in space. This multifaceted discipline encompasses the creative aspect of art with design and technology, as well as physics, engineering, and even the physiological and psychological effects of light.

History of Architectural Lighting

Illuminated architecture first hit the scene in the 1800s, including in 1886 when the Statue of Liberty was first lit. Exhibitors at the Panama-Pacific International Expo in 1915 introduced building materials designed to diffuse light and avert glare, and in 1921, the Wrigley Building in Chicago was covered with reflective materials to enhance the light. In the 1950s, Richard Kelly, the pioneer of modern architectural lighting, identified three principal techniques – highlighting objects, washing surfaces, and creating sharp detail.

How Architectural Lighting Enhances Buildings

Architectural lighting has come a long way since then, but the principles remain the same. At PORT, our expert team understands how light can transform a structure and will work tirelessly to make the most of your existing building or from the ground up to enhance new construction. Our lighting experts can collaborate with your architect throughout the planning and construction to incorporate lighting as a living, breathing part of your indoor and outdoor space, and our installation expertise ensures your vision is implemented seamlessly.

Design Techniques

At PORT, we use digital renderings to bring your lighting vision to life. 3D modeling tools show architects what a space will look like with different lighting design applications, which allows us to study how light interacts with other objects in each space. 3D renderings allow us to produce images using three-dimensional data to create a still or animated picture. These show you exactly what your plan will look like when it's complete, including the hue, how it will move if it’s not static, where the light will be directed, and how it will illuminate an object, surface, or space. The rendering process allows you to work with our designer to finesse the color palette, brightness, or other variables to create the effect you want.

Here are some techniques we use to create gorgeous, impactful architectural lighting to enhance and beautify your building:

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Mock-ups and Renderings

PORT often will do mocks ups using a selection of the proposed lighting fixtures on sections of the actual building or structure. This can be done in addition to, or in some cases in place of renderings to see which fixtures will work best and achieve the desired end result on the surfaces in the actual ambient light conditions.

RGB lights on a building’s façade

To transform a plain white exterior wall into a burst of color, we can incorporate animated red, green, and blue (RGB) light effects right into a building’s façade. Possibilities include a fireworks pattern or even a simulation of a waterfall.

Emphasize landscape and exterior details

Use color-changing lights with a minimal inset profile on walkways for a playful, glowing path that lights the patron’s way in the dark. Or using spotlights can draw attention to attractive plants and gardens or other unique architectural details.

PORT: Creative, collaborative lighting design and installation

At PORT, our collaborative team includes designers and installers, which means you can expect flawless execution along with our incredibly creative, impactful ideas. Our services include:

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