Architectural lighting is more than just a calculation of illumination.

Architectural lighting begins by developing an illumination concept through the analysis of a space, its objects and paths of movement, in order to understand what should be highlighted and what left in the shadows.

With well-planned and implemented lighting, we maximise customer comfort and emphasise the positive features of a room. This also leads to increased productivity.

Personalized solutions. Architectural lighting design is considered for each project individually. The chosen solution depends on users' movements in each room, the rhythm and habits of life. These factors determine how much light should be used, how that will be controlled (sensors, switches), what will be accented, and which luminaires will be most suitable for the desired result.

Different functional areas require different amounts of lighting, tones and types of illumination - diffused light, directed light or reflected light. Details are adjusted individually according to the client's lifestyle and expectations.

Light quality is not only a question of the luminaire, but also the quality of light, which depends on various factors:

• Light homogeneity: all luminaries at the same level of dimming must emit the same tone and light intensity;
• Light/shadow border: the transition from light to darkness must be gentle, smooth, pleasant to reduce potential glare;
• Colour rendering index (CRI): the ability of a luminaire to reveal the real colour of an object. The index is measured in percentages - the higher the index, the closer it is to an ideal or natural light source; good CRI scores start at 90%;
• Ultraviolet (UV) and Infrared (IR) radiation: UV radiation fades the colours of objects, but IR radiation heats the luminaire and space; LED luminaires do not have UV radiation and emit minimal IR radiation;
• Energy efficiency: choose a lighting architecture solution that provides the best quality illumination with the least energy consumption.

80% of what we see is in front of us; therefore, great attention should be paid to the illumination of vertical surfaces. 

Home lighting. A person's life is affected by rhythmic biological cycles directly affected by light. Light architecture helps to create the necessary atmosphere in different phases of the day. Just after waking up and before going to bed, people benefit from warm and dimmed light for a peaceful atmosphere. On the other hand, during the active period of the day, cool and bright light contributes to an active mood. Different atmospheres for different events can be created by light architecture. For example, during a party, the lighting concept should focus on the area where people gather; the dining area should be highlighted at dinner, while good visibility throughout the room is important when cleaning.

Office lighting. Light also affects productivity: adequate lighting is required to achieve better workplace performance. If the workplace has the right light architecture, employees will experience an increase in welfare and productivity. When choosing a luminaire for the office, several criteria must be considered:

• the light must be directed in a way that prevents distracting shadows;
• the luminaires must reduce potential glare;
• lighting in the room should be variable, because it is perceived differently;
• the lighting should not be uniformly even, flat and tedious.

Research by one of our partners suggests that well-designed lighting increases employee productivity by 17.8%.

Different types of luminaires. There are two types of light sources - architectural and decorative lighting. It is important that each lighting element performs its function and complements others. Architectural luminaires provide a basic or background light and highlight the most important things in the room. While decorative luminaires are design objects - space decors or accents.

Involvement of a light architect. Light is one of the cornerstones of the architectural design process. In order to successfully plan the layout of light inside and outside, a light architect should be involved at the very beginning of designing of a building. A light architect listens to the wishes of a client, plans the layout of architectural and decorative lighting, is familiar with the range of luminaires and is able to combine light objects of various types and brands. In order for the concept to be properly implemented, a light architect monitors the whole construction process.