The luminaire wants to be something more

The luminaire is not only a light source anymore. An increasingly popular solution is decorative lighting emphasizing the character of the place, concealing its shortcomings, and improving the mood and well-being of users. Such a wide range of activities of lighting fixtures gives architects many opportunities to fit them into the space.

What do people pay attention to today when choosing light sources and what technology is used to produce them? We will look at what trends set the direction in which architectural lighting is heading.

When does design meet functionality?

Lighting fulfills several basic functions: utility, climatic and decorative. This means that it is responsible not only for providing the interior with the required amount of light, but also creates an atmosphere in them and constitutes an arrangement element.

The latest technology gives us the opportunity to use materials that have never been used before in the design and production of lamps. New inspirations gave rise to unusual shapes and forms. Modern architectural lamps are not only light sources , but also a sculpture, a structure that gives the interior its character.

Light as an element organizing space allows us to emphasize the advantages or hide the shortcomings of the interior. Makes this place readable and recognizable. Decorative lighting does not have to be conspicuous - subtly hidden, it will still perform its functions: define the role of the place, optically correct it and define a unique style.

The hybrid potential of decorative lamps is also willingly used. Their multi-functionality manifests itself on several levels:

• provide light
• reduce noise
• improve acoustics
• and represent decorative lighting.

The multitude of applications gives specialists the chance to design architectural lighting at the customer's special request. Thanks to this, meeting even the most demanding needs becomes real.

A light for our well-being

A noticeable and important trend in the field of lighting is concern for wellbeing, well-being and health of users. The space in which we perform tasks should respond to our needs and support our activities.

The idea of ​​ Human Centric Lighting is just to reach out to the users. Lighting is a key aspect here - the color, intensity or amount of light should be in line with the natural daily rhythm of daylight, i.e. optimal illumination for human eyesight.

Architects willingly use the so-called "lighting schedule" that allows you to make adjustments to lighting settings depending on the needs of users or simply the desire to change the mood of the interior. For this purpose, the home design style is used, i.e. the theme of characteristic warm, cozy spaces, treated with a pinch of salt, going beyond the conventional framework of the workplace. Thanks to this solution, office lighting will perform its function much better.

When talking about energy efficiency, we refer not only to LEDs or the production of luminaires made of ecological materials, but also to responsible light management.

Intelligent lighting gives us the ability to control the intensity or color of light, it also adjusts to the time of day or year and the function it is to perform in the room. Mounting the motion sensor allows you to register the presence of people, adjust the amount of light to their amount, change its direction and the angle of light. An equally important element is the color temperature, which has a stimulating or relaxing effect, which can be adjusted to the currently performed work.

In addition to lighting, an equally important factor is room acoustics. Today's technology allows us to combine acoustic panels that reduce reverberation with energy-saving luminaires. This procedure is eagerly used by architects, especially when there are no suspended ceilings in the interior.

Due to the times we live in, lamps that filter the air using ultraviolet radiation have appeared on the market. Employers are eager to use such solutions to further increase the level of safety in the workplace. Depending on the type of luminaires, lamps can also be used while in a disinfected room.

In defense of the natural environment

LED technology has successfully replaced traditional light sources. She gained a group of supporters, incl. thanks to its extraordinary energy efficiency and lower operating costs . Lena Lighting is a renowned lighting manufacturer LED, which provides a large selection of high-quality lighting fixtures. Our products are characterized not only by great technical parameters, but also by an original design.

There is also a new group of luminaires on the horizon, based on OLED light sources. This technology is ten times more economical than LED. Due to its high costs, has not yet entered the market with such success . However, it is only a matter of time before another revolution in the lighting world, in which OLED solutions will lead the way.

Another equally important ecological trend is the production of luminaires from materials that can be upcycled or recycled. One of such materials is petfelt - 20 PET bottles with a volume of 1.5 l are used to make a frame with dimensions of 80x40 cm. Thanks to this the waste is used for practical purposes and no longer pollutes the natural environment. The petfelt lamp also works as acoustic lighting.

How to bring out the beauty of a solid?

The main goal of architectural lighting is to emphasize the body of the building and create links between it and the surrounding landscape. With respect for the surrounding space, the environment and people living there, the object is inscribed in a given space in a unique way with the help of light. Each of the projects, regardless of the type of building, must be characterized by the desire to bring out the beauty of the body while taking into account the function it performs. The task of architectural lighting, however, is not only to enhance this image, but also to hide its shortcomings and to optically change its visual side.

What should you be careful about when choosing architectural lighting?

Unfortunately, we are struggling with the problem of excessive lighting of buildings, this also applies to streets, parks and squares, which causes a phenomenon called light pollution . We know it very well after dark, when a glow of light hovers over the city.

Decorative lighting is to emphasize the identity of a place, and not attract attention by its intrusiveness. The trick is to subtly integrate lighting that emphasizes the aesthetics and function of a given building. Taking into account the historical aspect of the place allows for the development of an individual lighting code - a communication process that binds the entire project.