Light. It’s everywhere and required for everything.

“Light, or Visible Light, commonly refers to electromagnetic radiation that can be detected by the human eye. …”

In a more familiar and basic approach, (architectural) lighting design as we know is composed of three fundamental layers to enhance visual appeal and enable function in a space:

  1. Ambient/ General lighting
  2. Accent lighting
  3. Task lighting

With advancements in understanding how lighting impacts human health and influences our behaviour and mood, a more holistic and circadian approach to lighting is becoming a central theme. With the WELL Building Standard v1&2 being adopted on a global scale many new resources and tools have become available to ensure this in the commercial market. How about for everyone at home?

Example of various lighting applications:

Items here may be redundant. The idea is to bring attention to how ubiquitous and essential the role of light is and how/ where you may encounter it day to day both on the visible and non-visible spectrum. Experts exist in each application, possessing specific knowledge unique to the study, creation and manipulation of lighting in these scenarios.

  1. Entertainment: festivals, concerts, special events, staging (it’s not over)
  2. Medical research and procedures
  3. Germicidal/ disinfection UV lighting
  4. Roadway ( street lights etc)
  5. Landscape
  6. Lidar
  7. Laser Light Therapy
  8. Computer Generated Graphic Design
  9. Daylighting
  10. Museums/ Galleries
  11. Retail
  12. Grocery Stores
  13. Places of Worship
  14. Automotive
  15. Horticulture/ Agriculture
  16. Cosmetic
  17. Space research
  18. Film/ Television
  19. Theatre
  20. Way finding
  21. “Architainment” > architecture that entertains 🙂
  22. Education
  23. Correctional Institutions
  24. Circadian Health
  25. Agriculture
  26. Manufacturing
  27. Fibre Optics and telecommunication systems, controls, LIFI
  28. Aviation
  29. AR/ VR
  30. AI
  31. Public spaces/ Pedestrian
  32. Commercial production and manufacturing
  33. Security/ discouraging criminal activity
  34. Egress ( Emergency lighting)
  35. Ceremonial
  36. Bioluminescence
  37. Thermal detection
  38. Photography
  39. Restaurants/ Nightclubs/ Luxury Hotel Hospitality
  40. Heliotherapy
  41. Transportation
  42. Chromatherapy
  43. Lighting on personal devices for “Zoom” type calls/ presentations for business and personal.
  44. Youtube and smartphone video recordings for entrepreneurial commerce.
  45. Parking spaces

The interconnection of lighting practitioners and industries as illustrated by the ILA

A contemporary paradigm as per the International Light Association