lighting design | iar431

moving on...

2010-10-21T04:49:00.001-07:00

hello. thank you for visiting!

i have received my degree in interior architecture from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and am pursuing my career in the design industry.

my website/portfolio:
www.denisesmithdesigns.com

please feel free to contact me, for freelance or other design opportunities.

cheers,
denise

lighting final | agi32

2009-05-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

lighting inspiration continued...

2009-05-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

a light shelf that also acts as a visor/sun shield.

clear acrylic cylinders suspended from the ceiling --and backlit. cool.

a museum that allows infiltration of light--all around--through 'gills'.

a creative chandelier--looks like it's made of driftwood, glass ornaments, and fish tank heaters. inspiration to use what you have.

sketch series 5 | color schemes

2009-04-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

lighting inspiration | articles, images, ads

2009-03-19T05:22:00.000-07:00

LED illumination

small skylights create a pattern of natural light

this as is really for the sink, but i like the back lit mirrors more.

sparkle!

more sparkle...wow--now that's a bath!

I'm a New York Times reader. Following are some links to articles that I found interesting:

"A Building as a Beacon for a City's Plans" --Nicolai Ouroussoff

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/08/arts/design/08calt.html?pagewanted=1&oref=login

"How Long Did You Say That Bulb Would Last?" --Eric A. Taub

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/how-long-did-you-say-that-bulb-will-last/?scp=1&sq=how%20long%20did%20you%20say%20that%20bulb&st=cse

"'Smart' Streetlights Hit the Streets" --Eric A. Taub

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/smart-streetlights-hit-the-streets/?scp=1&sq=smart%20streetlights%20hit&st=Search

light series 4 | lamps

2009-03-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

incandescent | luxury bath
a place for daily hygiene & relaxation. all of the lighting is incandescent, which creates a soft, comfortable glow. the recessed lighting over the tub in the vaulted ceiling is angled such that it provides adequate ambient light throughout the bath. the sconce luminaires on each side of the mirror offers nice task lighting for the face. the softness of the lighting--task and ambient--is such that it doesn't have any harsh reflections from the stone surfaces. i would redirect or remove the spotlights that are causing"hotspots" on the back wall and shower areas.

cold cathode | french connection | retail space
the blue cold cathode is purely for sparkle/play of brilliants and is used to attract shoppers. the down lighting within the showcases provide focal glow for the clothing on th mannequins. they appear to be track lights--hard to see. the focal down lights seem to create some discomfort glare, but the cold cathode works beautifully to attract customers. the down lights are so direct that the light falls directly on the shoulders of the mannequins. some are not illuminated at all. i believe the glare would be resolved by lesser wattage bulbs, and would be more effective for displaying merchandise if they were angled spot lights.

fluorescent | kitchen | task lighting
purpose-cooking, washing; preparation of food, entertaining.
the lighting over the cooktop and under the cabinetry is for tasks. the lights inside the cabinetry combine duties as task & sparkle. the task lighting under the cabinets creates a nice, rhythmic pattern while highlighting the textured backsplash. the reflections of the light on the stainless countertops accentuates the shine and makes the kitchen look more formal. all of the lighting in the kitchen is 'white', or has a cooler temperature. the lamps over the cooktop are r16's, or pendant lamps; inside the cabinetry, fluorescent luminaires act as downlights and use CFLs; under cabinetry--fluorescent tube luminaires. the illumination appears too bright under the counters, creating a discomfort glare. i suggest reducing the wattage of the lamps.

metal halide | factory
purpose--production
this is a very typical lighting design for a production environment--a metal halide lamp inside a clear, parabola-shaped reflector which provides great ambient light. the lighting is bright, but not overly glaring, a 'whiter', clearer light for good visibility, monotonous. the light creates a very good overall ambient illumination level, and is bright enough to perform tasks. the color of the light and its reflections on the surfaces make the space appear very cool. i would add some warmer task lighting at work surface level such that the workers could have more personal lighting control.

high pressure sodium | tunnel
purpose | driving
the ambient lighting within the tunnel seems too "murky" and unclear for the good visibility required for driving. the white lines on the road are hardly visible. it has an amber hue, which would seem distracting, maybe even dangerous for 'older' eyes that do not adjust as quickly. the amber hue is also very 'warm', which further closes the already-closed space. beware claustrophobics!! the single lamps and luminaires create a ring-like effect through the tunnel--distracting. the illumination level within the tunnel seems too low for good driving visibility. LED luminaires would be more suitable for such a space.

electrodeless | tunnel
purpose | driving
the ambient lighting that the LED luminaires provide within the tunnel seems very clear and provide the good visibility required for driving. the light is white, which provides better clarity and helps enlarge this very closed space. the luminaires are elongated, and installed in groups of 4 which alleviates the 'ring' effect in the high pressure sodium example.

daylight model

2009-03-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

this was a group project that required us to build a daylight model using inspirations of a renowned designer/architect. other physical requirements were:

3/4"=1' scale
20'w x 35'l x 15'h
matte white material; excellent craft
should include a place for large groups of people, sharing information, socializing, quiet contemplation, spiritual stimulation, intimacy, and escape.

we achieved multilateral daylighting through the use of 4 types of openings in this model, which in total create a space for both gathering and quiet contemplation. the impact of this combination of lighting is diverse within the space but is unified through the structures that create this day lit atmosphere.

our group chose 3 designers: le corbusier--ronchamp; Jorn Utson--bagsvaerd church; and santiago calatrava--tgv station, lyon.

the ribbed, sculptural elements, inspired by calatrava's work, serve as structural support, and create solids and voids.the arched light shelf spanning through the model was inspired by jorn utzon.

the smaller arches within the larger arches create a more intimate space for smaller gatherings or quiet contemplation.

the beveled window on the west facade which diffuses light was inspired by le corbusier. a perfect place to escape.

light series 3 | effects on color & texture

2009-03-02T06:35:00.001-08:00

in this series, four fabrics were selected--warm and cool colors with interesting textures--and place in each of four places: a harris teeter grocery store, the gift shop @ nc museum of art, the greensboro library, and my bedroom. for each space, the type of light source is recorded, along with the effects that the type of lighting had on the fabrics.

harris teeter - metal halide (industrial)
museum store - spot lights (halogen), fluorescent, LED string lighting
greensboro library - fluorescent tubes (lens)
bedroom - pink incandescent

after studying the fabrics under each light source, i determined that the metal halides were almost true to natural light, except that it contained a little bit of yellow that really changed the reds. the museum store had very warm lighting, an amber tone, that changed the fabrics more than the other light sources. the cool blue fabric became a warm grey in the museum store; the green fabric became gold. the lighting closest to natural lighting was that at the greensboro library. the pink lighting of the bedroom makes the blue fabric a very cool grey.

i like this fabric the most under harris teeter lighting--it's just slightly warmer than in the greensboro library.

amazing how light changes the color and texture of a fabric. the greensboro library lighting, again, is most like natural light, and textures are more apparent. under the pink bedroom lighting, this one becomes a 'racy' red.

this green certainly concocted some surprises--in the museum store and bedroom, it reflected 2 shades of gold. of course, it is easier to figure that the pink light in the bedroom mixed with the off-green creates an off-brown/gold. this is where i realized that the museum store lighting contained some red, perhaps reflections from the abundance of wood furniture.

amazing color changes with this red silk. under harris teeter lighting, it has a "sunset" appearance, reflecting bright gold to deep red. the texture show well under the HT light as well.

light series 2 | public spaces

2009-03-02T06:29:00.001-08:00

in this series, i studied the lighting in 3 public spaces: gift shop @nc museum of art (retail store), the nc museum of art, and sushi republic (a restaurant). i've identified the lamps and luminaires used in each space, and examined their effects on the spaces.

light series 2 | sushi republic

2009-03-02T06:23:00.001-08:00

i experienced the lighting in sushi republic at night, and found the lighting to be quite uneventful/dull. the recessed lighting in the lounge and dining areas is sufficient quality for seeing your food/drink, but nothing special--no interesting patterns or shadows. the sconces over the few dining tables in the front dining area immediately attract one's eye so they end up looking at the people dining there. (those poor people!) i recommend a little sparkle overhead--some interesting pendant lighting that enhances the lighting provided by the recessed as well as provide more of a pattern to the lighting; and remove the sconces.

recessed lights in the bar area

discomfort glare--aren't these awful! those poor people...

this image does not communicate the harshness of the bright fluorescent lighting behind the decorative glass panel. it creates a distracting, discomfort glare that is facing you when you walk in the restaurant.

light series 2 | north carolina museum of art

2009-03-02T06:14:00.001-08:00

i'm still scratching my head trying to figure how i could make the lighting better. the lighting throughout the galleris in the museum is soft spot lighting that casts a gentle "focal glow" on the art pieces.

beautiful! i love this place!! the shadows created are just as interesting as the art pieces.

light is used as a wayfinding device to the facilities--bright white/blue down lights flood the walls in the facility corridor creating a wonderful pattern of light, which offers a stark contrast to the softer, warmer gallery lighting.

this was s fun use of light--a very blue light that is in contrast to the warm rich lighting of the gallery. a wonderful example of 'play of brilliants'.

the displays below received focal light from spot lights high above and across the space--an "intersection" of light

a little bit of glare from some of the spots, depending on where one was standing. it almost seems inevitable in a museum that there will be glare from certain positions simply due to the number of directional/focal lights in use.

light series 2 | museum store

2009-03-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

the gift shop @ nc museum of art contained all layers of lighting:

ambient from the CFL bulbs/luminaires installed inside select waffles of the concrete ceiling
focal glow to highlight & attract attention to all the beautiful merchandise
sparkle to showcase & highlight displays on shelving

sparkle around displays

spotlights showcase art

spotlights make finding a book easier; and
windows allow for abundant natural lighting, but never harsh or direct because its protected by the overhead/covered entrance

CFLs were placed strategically throughout the ceiling's waffles to create a nice ambient lighting

where are my sunglasses? these spotlights glared at you while standing at the register, creating a discomfort glare. the direction needs to be adjusted down just a little.

Perception & Psychology

2009-02-09T09:25:00.001-08:00

The space is primarily used for critiques, lectures and presentations. It is a space defined by four walls open to a vaulted ceiling containing opaque skylights. It is a medium sized, multifunctional space with walls used for pin-up space. It is a public space, certainly not private acoustically, as sound echoes in and out of the space easily. Looking up, there is a view of the superstructure: exposed beams and an HVAC system bisecting the ceiling plane. The interior is neutral with white walls and gray, concrete floor warmed slightly by wood accents.

The overall lighting quality is unable to be controlled since most of the light is an ambient, natural light coming from the overhead skylights. There are track lights around the perimeter of the room to spotlight the walls. On most days, these are washed out by the abundance of natural light, only casting a soft focal glow on the walls.

The shadows here are soft and without much contrast since the light source (the skylights) are multidirectional. The overall effect is that the lighting is too intense for most people. It does not function well for its intended purpose since there is minimal user-defined control over environmental factors.

The space leaves people feeling somewhat uncomfortable after long periods of time because there is no variation in the lighting- there are no lowly lit corners, shadows, or other instances where a person can seek out their own level of comfort, instead, on a bright day, they feel like they are under a microscope.

Here are a few images from the space in the gatewood Building that our group chose to analyze. I have not adjusted the exposure, so that you get a sense of the intensity of the light as it really is.

As individuals and then as a group, we rated the different qualities of the space on a scale from 1 to 7--the lighting and how it feels to be in the space. The space received an overall rating of 4--right in the middle. I suppose the bright open space is nice, but not in all applications.

light model

2009-02-05T14:39:00.001-08:00

when given this project, i envisioned a mostly white form made of either foam core or matboard. i thought a simpler, more abstract model would allow for more lighting options and varied effects. well, maybe that's so. to my surprise, we took a 'leap of faith' with a pink box form and went to work on creating our own original luminaires with a small flashlight, candle lights, and LEDs. i think it turned out rather will (in spite of the pink!)

center | the more 'yellow' candle lights changed the milk-of magnesia pink to a more palatable hue (my opinion, of course).

glass beads/marbles were used to create 2 of the luminaires to be used with the candle lights. those are for effect/sparkle. in the far left image, the white LED luminaire created ambient lighting and very little change in color. on the right, the flashlight LED has a slight blue color, giving the space a more magenta hue. for texture, stockings & fleece were added to soften the space.

light model

light series 1

2009-02-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

light series 1 depicts the changes of the sun's rays that enter into my home on the south side from late january through early may. all of the images were taken at or very close to 11am.

week 11 | 04.17.09 4 pm
it's not as bright at 4 pm as in the last study. the trees that flock the house have their leaves now, shading the house from the afternoon sun and making it a bit darker in the house.

week 11 | 04.17.09 10 am
a bright morning sun that's getting higher in the sky. the sunlight and shadows no longer show on the floor as they did in earlier weeks.

week 8 | 03.27.09 4 pm
shadows are softer, but it's consistently bright throughout the midday hours. the windows in the photo have southern exposure.

week 8 | 03.27.09 8 am
the back of the house is so dark compared to the strong beams of light streaming through the front windows that face east. shadows are much sharper in the morning.

week 6 | 03.10.09 11 am
the time has changed to daylight savings, so actually it's more like 10am. the light that was reflecting on the floor hasn't gotten there yet.

week 4 | 02.21.09 11 am
oddly enough, textures are more apparent/prominent in week 1 than week 4. what i didn't notice before, or realize, is that lower light conditions create more shadows and "drama" (duh, candlelight!) and darker crevices, thus creating more texture, i.e. the crevices in the wood floor and around wood trim are more prominent in week 1. by week 4, the sun's reflections on the floor are getting narrower, and the room(s) is becomin overall brighter because of the sun's higher position. the reflections & shadows are also much sharper than before.

week 2 | 02.08.09 11 am
by the 2nd week, the sun is a little higher in the sky, and is reflecting on the floor.

week 1 | 02.01.09 11 am
in this image, the sun is still low enough in the sky that no sunlight is on the floor. it is mostly on the walls.

that amazing light! (or is it shadow?)

2009-01-25T13:26:00.001-08:00

following are images of light (and/or shadow) that I found quite fascinating. I hope you do as well.

it's difficult to determine exactly from where the light sources are projecting, but it's certainly creating some interesting effects. is that rain or snow?
www.mattmcgrawphotography.com

this one is simply unbelievable! not only because the image of his bride is captured in the groom’s shiny new wedding band, but the quick eye and finger of the photographer in this candid shot is amazing.
www.mattmcgrawphotography.com

this space is very familiar to most anyone interested in architecture and design, but this is an image of which i will never tire and will continue to use as inspiration for lighting.
chapel of notre dame du haut ronchamp | le corbusier

my idea of the most clever and thoughtful use of natural light
church of light | osaka, japan | tadao ando

this image is a rendering in autocad—even the martini with a twist. as I watched autocad produce this rendering, i was surprised at the reflections, textures, and shadows produced. pretty cool!
studio project | restaurant-lounge | cisco mill renovation | denise smith

the light and shadow in this one produces a neat pattern on the floor. who needs tile!
www.maufoto.com