luminous 11 - beyond light and well-being
DESCRIPTION
Content ||| DIALOGUE ||| | Light, darkness and well-being, Dr. Bernecker and Dr. Daan interviews | In praise of daylight, research into health and light ||| DOSSIER ||| BEYOND LIGHT AND WELL-BEING Sony Center, Helmut Jahn and Yann Kersalé, Berlin, Germany | Bally store refurblishment, Geneva, Switzerland | Montée du Boulevard, Aurélien de Fursac and Patrice Echassériaux, Lyon, France | Bradford Royal Infirmary, Yorkshire, UK ||| FEEDBACK ||| ‘Create the Liveable City’ workshops | Light Show expo, London, UKTRANSCRIPT
Light and well-beingInterviewsDr. Bernecker and Dr. Daan
ProjectFloating silkworm cocoons
International Lighting Magazine 2013/11 Spring Issue
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 1 16-04-13 10:58
2 EDITORIAL
BEYOND EFFICIENCY
This edition’s cover of Luminous says it all: the rightful and purposeful design of light in
architecture is a profession that goes way beyond making things “efficient”. Because what
does “efficiency” really mean?
Sure, the reduction of energy consumption is of incredible importance, and today’s LED
lighting contributes in a tremendous way to that. But then there is so much more about
light.... Beyond the simple objective of reaching efficiency, light is about wellbeing, about
feeling healthy and being stimulated. Light is about being amazed and about giving people
a feeling of love for the world around them. Light is about imagination.
This year, it’s “our year”. With the completion of the new lighting for Empire State Building
in New York City, lighting design takes a new turn: fully integrated, a part of the building
experience, and a gift to the city. And, on the other side of the world in my hometown
Amsterdam, the new Rijksmuseum just re-opened after ten years, and puts the Rembrandt
and Vermeer paintings on display in the most beautiful light one can imagine. And it’s all
done with LED. A benchmark project for the entire museum industry, with many galleries
around the world to follow.
These projects do not just come along. They are fine examples of lighting design and
project planning, and they could only be realized because both the creative team and the
engineers worked so closely together with the client. These are processes that took many
years, and that are rooted in a profound knowledge of the project, and deep interest in its
context, as well as its history and future. And what a pleasure it is for lighting designers
to work on such projects! To be able to contribute to the imagination of so many people,
visitors and city dwellers alike, and make light and lighting design go beyond efficiency. It’s
not without a reason the theme of this edition of Luminous.
The examples around the world are plentiful. We take a look at enhancing people’s well-
being through light, and explore why and how light affects our mood and health. We dive
into the world and the work of Prof. Serge Daan, a behavioral biologist who published over
250 articles on topic of circadian rhythm. It’s the stuff that matters to each lighting designer,
just like daylight. Similar to the Rijksmuseum, where the paintings render so beautiful under
the skylights, daylight is instrumental to keep office workers healthy and happy, and to help
patients in the hospital to heal faster. Read on in the article “In praise of daylight”.
Let Luminous not just provide you with new ideas for future projects, but also provoke a
meaningful discussion about the role of light in our lives. Because, as Santiago Calatrava
said it so rightfully about the role of designers: “We have to deliver a sign of beauty”. Feel
free to write me, and let us know what you think about Luminous!
Rogier van der Heide
P.S. Looking for inspiration? The Light Show at the Hayward Gallery in London. is a
phenomenal overview of light art from all over the world. Open until 6 May 2013.
colophonpublished by | Philips Lighting BV – Mathildelaan 1, Eindhoven 5611 BD, The Netherlands – www.lighting.philips.com editor in chief | Vincent Laganier managing editor | Paulina Dudkiewich steering committee | Fernand Pereira, Cécile Davidovich, Matthew Cobham copywriting & editing | Ruth Slavid graphic design concept | MediaPartners dtp | Relate4u printing | Print Competence Centre ISSN nr | 1876-2972 12 NC 322263567444 cover | Sony Center, Berlin, Germany photo | © Alexander Weckmer Licht und Mediensysteme GmbH more info | [email protected]
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 2 16-04-13 10:58
CONTENT 3
BEYOND LIGHT AND WELL-BEING
4046
6
DIALOGUE
LIGHT, DARKNESS AND WELL-BEING Dr. Bernecker and Dr. Daan interviews
IN PRAISE OF DAYLIGHT Research into health and light
DOSSIERBeyond light
VOLCANO OF LIGHT Helmut Jahn and Yann Kersalé in Berlin, Germany
SLEEK ELEGANCE Bally store refurblishment, Geneva, Switzerland
FLOATING SILKWORM COCOONS Aurélien de Fursac and Patrice Echassériaux in Lyon, France
MORE NATURAL LIGHT Bradford Royal Infi rmary, Yorkshire, UK
FEEDBACK
THINKING ABOUT CITIES ‘Create the Liveable City’ workshops
DAZZLING EXHIBITION Light Show expo, London, UK
4
14
20
26
30
36
40
46
36
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 3 16-04-13 10:58
By Ruth Slavid
If lighting designers are to create solutions that are not
simply technically proficient but also enhance health and
well-being, then they need to understand the scientific
basis of our response to light. Two leading researchers
outline the basis of their work.
Light, darkness and
well-being
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 4 16-04-13 10:58
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 5 16-04-13 10:59
6 PLATFORM
Dr. Bernecker
CRAIG BERNECKER
There are many researchers who have seen effects from their
work, but few as directly as Craig Bernecker, founder of the
Lighting Education Institute. A study he carried out in the early
1990s into people’s perception of lighting has changed the design
of thousands of uplighters since then. The popularity of the direct
indirect light can be largely laid at Bernecker’s door, since the
research that he did both for his PhD and later on showed that
people’s perception of lighting is greatly improved when they can
see a direct as well as an indirect element.
“We found that you need to see the source of the lighting to feel
that it is bright enough,” Bernecker explained. “People described
rooms lit with entirely indirect lighting as being like having an
overcast sky, rather than the clear crisp environment that you get
on a sunny day.
“Bernecker researched his PhD after a spell working for Peerless
Lighting in California, a manufacturer of indirect lighting. The
experiments he carried out resulted simply from putting a diffuse
lens into the side of an uplighter. More sophisticated forms – such
Philips Lighting University’s collaboration with Parsons The New School for Design
In 2012 the Philips Lighting University began
exploring a collaboration with Parsons with the
intention of creating a platform for exploring and
sharing academic and industry knowledge which
was of benefit to further light as part of architecture.
Derek Porter, lighting designer and director of
lighting design at Parsons, developed the idea with
the Philips Lighting University. The first step was
the Luminous Talk, which took place at Parsons
in October 2012. When Dr George Brainard,
professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College
in Philadelphia, spoke at the Luminous Talk in New
York last October, it was not only a successful event
but also the start of something more. The event, a
collaboration between Philips Lighting University and
Parsons The New School for Design, was chaired
by Craig Bernecker, one of the most determined
educators in the field of lighting, as well as a man
with his own impressive research pedigree.
Brainard gave an insight into the effect of blue light
on circadian rhythms, and the intention is to widen
the audience to learn not about the technology
of lighting but about the scientific basis of our
responses to light. Bernecker says, “We hope to
build on the relationship between Parsons and
Philips initiated with Luminous Talks, looking to
future topics for face-to-face seminars, and perhaps
other modes of delivery for some of these topics,
such as distance education. This would allow us
to expand the interest generated in the local NYC
community to a much broader audience, with the
same academic focus we created with the initial
Luminous Talk.”
A number of academics will be involved in this
endeavour. On these pages we look at the work of
two of them, Bernecker himself and Serge Daan, the
Dutch scientist who has enhanced understanding of
our reaction to daylight and darkness.
The Philips Lighting University in collaboration with
Parsons The New School for Design presented
webinars in April, May and June around this
subject with Bernecker, Daan and others. For more
information visit the following link:
www.lighting.philips.com/main/connect/
lighting_university/webinars.wpd
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 6 16-04-13 10:59
PLATFORM 7
as adding perforated metal, cutting slots and adding lenses and
louvres to indirect luminaire – are now nearly universal.
In case you were wondering, people don’t actually need to see a
light source directly to get this effect. Lighting design such as the
use of cove lighting actually has, says Bernecker, the effect of “a
virtual source”. When one sees the reflected light it is clear where
the light source is, even though it is not visible. The result, in terms
of perception, is the same as if the research subjects could see the
light source directly.
Not all Bernecker’s work has yielded such tangible results. A study
with neurology professor George Brainard looked at whether
architectural lighting could alleviate the effects of seasonal affective
disorder. “Until then most studies were therapeutic,” Bernecker
explained. “We wanted to know if we could create physiological
responses with architectural light.” They found that by using light
levels as low as those commonly found in offices, it was possible
to suppress melatonin, the hormone that is a marker of circadian
rhythms (melatonin levels rise at night when we are not exposed
to light). They found that higher levels of light have an even greater
effect. It is possible to achieve this by raising light levels, particularly
of task lighting, but not to levels that seemed ludicrously bright.
“We were able to suppress levels of melatonin with much lower
levels of light than people were predicting,” Bernecker said.
“We could build in those levels.”
One might think that, with our current concerns about energy
saving, ratcheting up the levels of light would be entirely
unacceptable, but Bernecker thinks there are ways to get around
the issue. With more research one could discover exactly how
much of a “daily dose” people needed and this could be done
by turning on lights early in the morning, for example, or having a
brightly lit canteen. If it reduced the incidence of depression and of
absenteeism, then the costs would easily be offset by the savings
to employers and health services – not to mention by the increase
in health and happiness.
These two studies indicate the breadth of Bernecker’s interests,
which cover the psychological and physiological effects of lighting
Nike shop lighting design, option 1, flexible LEDby Byungwoo Jun and Jacinda RossLighting Studio 1 Fall.11, Parson’s MFALDProfessor: Craig Bernecker
© B
yungw
oo J
un a
nd
Jacin
da R
oss
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 7 16-04-13 10:59
8 PLATFORM
as well as a sound technical background and a drive to spread
knowledge. Some of this derives from the unconventional way in
which he came into the lighting world.
Bernecker’s first degree was in psychology, which he intended to
be a precursor to training as a Lutheran minister. When he decided
that was not the path for him, he started taking additional classes
in architecture, a career that had always interested him.
On graduation he tried to get on a master’s course in architecture
at Pennsylvania State University, where he had taken his first
degree. He was not successful, but was instead steered toward
the architectural engineering course.
He had a lot of catching up to do in preparation for a graduate
degree in engineering. “I took a lot of undergraduate courses,” he
said, but he rapidly became a protégé of John Flynn, who was
carrying out some of the earliest work into the psychology of light.
Bernecker became his graduate assistant and his master’s thesis
was on predicting and mapping brightness from luminance data as
a better way to understand how people perceive spaces.
Some of this work was carried out in mocked-up rooms, but
Bernecker also created some of the earliest computer simulations
of lighting effects. Crucially, these were correlated with impressions
of real rooms and, although the experience is different – with a
simulation one is standing outside it – the reactions were found
to be the same. Now, when such simulations are part of every
designer’s armoury, it is easy to forget that they did not always
exist – and, crucially, that they might not have worked.
Most of the work dealt with brightness, although there was also
some variation in colour temperature, but the range of colour
temperatures available was far less – this was the 1980s. Now
not only are many more colour temperatures available but digital
technology offers far more opportunities. Bernecker has explored
with students a simple way of measuring the light that falls on a
surface, using a digital camera as a measuring device. In this way it
is possible to carry out more tests of perception.
“With better measurement techniques we can do many more
studies,” said Bernecker. “I would like to go back with the data that
Most of the work dealt with brightness,
although there was also some variation in
colour temperature.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 8 16-04-13 10:59
PLATFORM 9
we can capture and correlate with the Flynn data. I am interested in
discovering when people perceive something as uniform and relate
it back to ideas of spaciousness, for example.”
The fact that Bernecker is doing this work with his students is
important, since teaching has been a major thread through his
working life. Just as he fell into the world of lighting, so he fell
into teaching, originally taking over some work that Flynn found
inconvenient. But in both cases Bernecker has developed a
passionate commitment.
He set up the Lighting Education Institute because he was
interested in offering a range of programmes, including distance
learning, to anybody who was interested in lighting – an area
where he still feels that there is a great lack of information. He sees
lighting as a specialism in itself, which helps to explain the eclectic
nature of his research – as well as the fact that “as an educator,
in order to help my students achieve the understanding of these
disciplines and acquire the creative ability to do good design,
I need to have achieved these things myself. Multidisciplinary
research helps me to better help my students. It is also important
to point out that it is my students who sometimes help direct my
research activity. A graduate student’s specific interest in an area
would lead me in a direction I might otherwise not take in order to
properly advise him or her.” Hence his co-authoring of papers such
as “Formation of a zirconate phase within the emission mix for low
pressure Hg-Ar discharge lamps”, which was the particular area of
interest of a Chinese student in the mid-1990s.
Better lighting can, Bernecker believes, only result from better
knowledge. “Systems are still being designed by folks who haven’t
had the advantage of a lot of lighting background,” he says. “I see
architects who are designing lighting systems that are creative but
they are not achieving the effects that they would like to achieve.
And there are engineers who are meeting the required criteria but
who are creating spaces in which people are unhappy.”
The planned series of webinars together with the Philips Lighting
University represent just one way in which Bernecker hopes to help
alleviate this situation.
HDR image of a room and the associated false color luminance map. This refers to the digital camera measurement technique to capture better luminance data and thus better study brightness perception.
© C
raig
Bern
ecker
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 9 16-04-13 10:59
10 PLATFORM
After a PhD in Amsterdam on the subject of hibernation, Daan
went to the Max Planck Institute in Germany and then to Stanford
University in California. Early in his career he forged a relationship
with Jürgen Aschoff and Colin Pittendrigh who did pioneering
work in chronobiology. Over 25 years Aschoff monitored the sleep
behaviour of volunteers who spent four weeks in a specially built
underground apartment with no access to natural light. They were
also deprived of all time clues, such as watches, radio and TV. The
researchers monitored the sleep patterns of the volunteers, and
gathered a wealth of information. They found that most people
have a natural sleep cycle independent of the stimulus of light, but
that this varies in length, so for some it is a little longer than 24
hours and for others a little less.
Daan is particularly interested in a group who have what he calls
a “circabidian” rhythm. If a circadian rhythm is one with a cycle of
about 24 hours, with a period of sleep and a period of wakefulness,
then people with a circabidian rhythm develop a two-day pattern,
SERGE DAAN
Serge Daan still has a copy of a booklet that American airline
Pan Am gave to first-class passengers in the 1980s. Entitled “The Tireless Traveller” it gives advice on when to go outdoors and
when to stay away from sunlight in order to minimise the effects of
jetlag. The reason that Daan has kept the book is that it is based
on research that he carried out into the effects of light on our
sleep timing. It is research that is wide-ranging and that is not yet
complete, despite the fact that Daan has worked on it much of his
life - he was born in 1940. It is a more complex field than many
would imagine but the work is not only fascinating in itself, but has
major implications for the ways in which we can use light to help
make our unnatural ways of living more acceptable and healthier.
Daan is a biologist. Born in a windmill in Mook in the Netherlands,
he became involved in the field of chronobiology - the biology of
time - early in his career. ”It has always been the main thrust of my
work,“ he said. ”I am interested in particular in the evolutionary and
functional aspects of timing in animals and humans.”
“Most people have
a natural sleep cycle
independent of the
stimulus of light.”
Dr. Daan:
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 10 16-04-13 10:59
PLATFORM 11
typically sleeping for 12 or 13 hours, and then being awake for
35 or 36 hours. During their waking period, these people will eat
three normal meals as if this was a ”normal” day, and indeed this
is what it feels like to them. Obviously this only happens in the
special circumstances of the experiment when their body is able to
express its natural rhythm without external stimuli.
Daan is still analysing these research results. He would like to have
carried out further studies in the mid 1990s but found that attitudes
had changed. Whereas the original guinea pigs were keen to
take part for only minimal compensation, and there were more
volunteers than could be accepted, by the 1990s the opposite was
the case. ”Social and cultural changes make it virtually impossible
now,“ Daan said. ”We could not fi nd anybody who would undergo
such an experiment without being paid a lot of money.”
Nevertheless the original data has given him plenty to analyse.
We normally experience temperature fl uctuations over a 24-hour
cycle and this was the same for the circabidian people. Despite
their eccentric sleep cycle, their temperatures did not switch to a
48-hour cycle. But there is some interesting data in terms of their
temperatures. ”I am fi nding that these people tend to be colder
than other people,“ Daan said. ”Their average temperatures are a
few tenths of a degree lower than the average.“ And people with
very short cycles - as little as 16 hours - tend to be hotter. ”This
may refl ect the metabolic rate,“ Daan said.
One of the major pieces of work with which Daan was involved in
the 1980s addressed the question of internal clocks. This was a
response to the existence of internal desynchronisation – the fact
that while the world runs on a 24-hour cycle, most people have
a temperature cycle that operates over something like 25 hours.
There is obviously a ”biological clock” in the brain that causes this
cycle. Its location had been known for some time. At the bottom of
the brain, sitting on top of the chiasma – the place where the optic
nerves cross – are the suprachiasmatic nuclei, which contain the
circadian pacemaker. This pacemaker has a direct connection to
The underground isolation facility in Andechs, used by Profs. J.Aschoff and R.A.Wever between 1964 and 1989. Upper left: Transection through the bunker. Upper right: Entrance to the bunker. Lower left: Plan and section of the bunker. Lower right: The Max Planck Institute.
© S
erg
e D
aan
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 11 16-04-13 10:59
12 PLATFORM
the retina of both eyes. Later research by Russ Forster showed that
the responsible photoreceptor in the eyes is entirely separate from
the rods and cones that make up our visual system - which is why
it still operates for many blind people.
There was a belief that there was a second clock in our brains that
governed sleep, but nobody had worked out where it was. ”One
day I had a brain wave,“ said Daan. ”It was inspired by the sleep
researchers.“ His brainwave was that the reason nobody could
find the biological clock for sleep was that it did not exist. Sleep
is a homeostatic process, as had been shown by the Swiss sleep
expert Alex Borbély. This means that the need for sleep increases
during periods of wakefulness and decreases during sleep. It is a
self-regulating process that is only entrained by the biological clock
(that is adjusted to synchronise with it), not generated by one.
As humans evolved to become diurnal creatures - animals that are
awake during the day - they developed a cycle of sensitivity. This
means that their pacemaker will slow down if light hits it at the start
of the night but speed up when they encounter light at the end of
the night. There is a complex interrelationship between light and
our sleep patterns. The fact that it is complex is obvious when you
think about it since, as Daan points out, we are able to fall asleep
outside in bright sunlight if we are tired. There is not a simple
relationship such that we are always awake in the light and always
asleep in the dark. But changes in the pattern of light - in particular
through international flights or by working shifts - will have an
impact as they synchronise our clock.
The light receptors that set our biological clocks do not respond to
all light equally. They are particularly sensitive to blue light, which
is logical, Daan explains, because that is the light that is most
generally diffused - hence the sky looks blue. That is why artificial
lights that are designed to entrain our body clocks use blue light.
Daan is very interested in these lights and their potential. ”If they
turn on slowly and gradually become brighter, then they will reduce
sleepiness,” he says. They probably do not affect the biological
Internal synchronization: record of a common subject with alternating sleep (blue), wake (yellow), daily maximum body temperatures (red dots) for 28 cycles, lasting on average ca. 25 h.
The light receptors that
set our biological clocks
do not respond to all
light equally.
0
5
10
15
20
25
TIM
E (D
AY
S)
WAKE SLEEP
TIME OF DAY IN HOURS
0 12 24 12 24 12 24
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 12 16-04-13 10:59
PLATFORM 13
SLEEP-WAKE
SLEEP-WAKE
S C
CIRCADIAN
TIME OF DAY IN HOURS
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 240 24 24 24
TIM
E (D
AY
S)
The two-process model of a circadian clock component (C) and a homeostatic sleep-wake component (S) accounting for the phenomenon of internal desynchroinisation.
Internal desynchronisation - a person whose record is shown on the left will have much longer cycles (ca. 35 h) in sleep-wake, but similar (25 h) in body temperature.
clock very much but reduce what he calls” sleep inertia”, the time it
takes to become fully alert after sleeping.
As well as providing a gentler means of waking up, they may be
of assistance in resetting the sleep patterns of ”owls”. These are
people who have a biological clock cycle that is longer than 24
hours - in contrast to early-rising “larks” who have a shorter cycle.
As a result, owls never want to go to bed at the “proper” time, but
stay up late. When they have to get up regularly to go to work,
they will therefore tend to become sleep deprived, suffering by the
end of the working week from what Daan’s colleague Roenneberg
has described as ”social jet lag”. This is not only unpleasant but
may affect their performance or their health or both. ”It may be
possible to help these people with personalised light patterns,“
Daan says. ”This is a really important area. We could have personal
light patterns, trying to enable them to shift their clock forward by
exposing them to light early.” Such engineering of the day could
prove vital on the proposed privately funded mission to Mars, which
the world’s first space tourist Dennis Tito says that he intends to fund
for take-off in 2018. He wants to send an older married couple on
the 501-day long ”fly-by” mission. There are many issues to address
of which one is sleep. “Do you keep the people synchronised with
each other and with the home base?” Daan asked. ”Or should they
alternate their sleep patterns? This could be resolved by light.“ But,
he warned, it would be costly in energy terms. Solar radiation does
not provide a lot of energy for conversion into electricity, particularly
as one gets further from the sun.
This may be futuristic, but in a sense it harks back to the earliest
days of Daan’s research. ”Aschoff always used to joke that he should
run a marriage bureau,“ he said. ”He should take engaged couples
down to his bunker and see what their sleep patterns were.” In those
days of course Aschoff could only have suggested that couples
married people with matching cycles. Now it may be possible to
adapt those cycles to match – thanks in part to the research that
Serge Daan has conducted.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 13 16-04-13 10:59
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 14 16-04-13 10:59
RESEARCH 15
In praise of
By Ludmila Svistunova
At present, arguments in favour of energy-efficient
buildings primarily focus on their environmental
sustainability. As a result, the main advantage of their
internal lighting system that is usually stressed is reduced
carbon footprint. What is often overlooked is the effect
of lighting design on occupants’ health, well-being and
work performance. At the same time, the International
Commission on Illumination, upon issuing its principles of
healthy lighting, called for greater integration of daylight in
architectural design. Why exactly is natural light good for
us – and why is it so vital for the designs of places where
people live and work?
daylight
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 15 16-04-13 10:59
16 RESEARCH
Lighting affects us much more than we realise. Studies have
consistently demonstrated that natural light can have visual and non-
visual effects on people’s physical and psychological state. It allows
us to collect appropriate environmental information – for instance,
to distinguish between times of day and seasons of the year. Bright
light, and specifically daylight, upon entering through the eye, acts
as a trigger and regulator of many physiological processes in our
bodies. These processes include regulation of our body temperature
and hormones. Overall, independent research shows that the
more time we spend in daylight or artificial light that mimics natural
daylight, the better we feel. Throughout the evolutionary process our
biological rhythms have adjusted to the natural patterns of light and
dark. Therefore, appropriate levels and quality of light can improve
comfort and quality of sleep.
The presence of windows and availability of daylight in the
workplace both contribute to satisfaction with the working
environment. A series of studies in Germany reported a considerable
difference in the health of employees working in spaces where
artificial lighting was primarily used, and those dominated by natural
lighting. The first cohort complained more about not only eye strain,
but also about higher perceived levels of noise and temperature.
Furthermore, multiple studies related greater amounts of sunlight to
higher job satisfaction.
What is ultimately important for employers, however, is proof
that the quality of lighting in the workspace affects employee
performance. A variety of studies have positively related daylight
to human performance. One of the explanations for this could be
the relationship between different types of lighting conditions and
individuals’ moods, the fluctuations in which in turn affect their
behaviour and work performance. Light can also affect employee
Light can also affect employee performance
through physiological effects.
performance through physiological effects. Limited access to
daylight has been shown to be disruptive to the biological systems
of workers.
As good lighting is also vital for successful performance of complex
visual tasks, it is particularly essential it be provided to shift workers,
such as doctors and nurses. Unfortunately, in hospitals both
staff and patients have limited access to natural daylight. Medical
professionals often work extensively long shifts without being
exposed to sunlight. Thus, their natural sleep patterns can become
distorted, resulting in drowsiness and irritability, which poses a
significant risk in a setting where precise work with no mistakes is
essential.
Adequate exposure to the right kinds of light has also been shown
to play a vital role in the treatment of patients. Its importance stems,
once again, from the combination of physical and psychological
effects. Hence, existing studies suggest that daylight can be
beneficial to hospital patients in two ways: by affecting their
psychological state and by enhancing the patients’ health and well-
being.
One of the particularly well-researched psychological effects of
daylight is its ability to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder and battling
depression. It improves sleeping patterns and reduces agitation
amongst psychological patients, whereas adequate amounts and
quality of light could reduce their length of stay in treatment facilities,
as demonstrated in a study conducted by Benedetti and colleagues
in 2001. By affecting body chemistry, light can help speed up the
healing process or even act as a treatment. For instance, daylight
phototherapy is used as a means of treating newborn jaundice.
Greater doses of sunlight have been shown to improve the mental
well-being of patients who have recently undergone surgery and
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 16 16-04-13 10:59
RESEARCH 17
reduce the time spent in hospital after the surgery.
Incorporating daylight into the design of stores, on the other hand,
is something that retailers should find worth considering, especially
since it appears to attract customers and encourage them to
buy more products. This was demonstrated by the two studies
conducted by the Heschong Mahone Group for the California
Energy Commission. The studies found that the increased use of
daylight resulted in a considerable increase in monthly profits from
sales, as well as an increase in the number of transactions. The
researchers estimated that the increased sales profits related to
daylight use were worth from 19 to potentially 100 times more than
energy savings from using more natural light.
An increased number of daylight hours were also theorised to be
associated with various intangible benefits. Those could possibly
include improved health and morale of employees. Similarly,
exposure to daylight in store could evoke positive emotions in
customers.
When designing spaces for living and work it is important to
remember that it is not the quantity of daylight that counts, but
rather the quality of its delivery. Heat and glare caused by sunlight
can cause irritation, and incorrectly placed windows may not allow
privacy. The challenge is thus to design buildings where daylight
brings benefits rather than discomfort. Without doubt, finding the
right lighting solution that balances comfort, aesthetics, well-being
and energy efficiency is not an easy task. However, if done right,
daylighting can help to create sustainable building designs, where
occupants are also healthy and productive. In turn, Philips can
help you by offering knowledge to use daylight wisely to get the
maximum impact of light and dim areas where possible to save
energy.
For more information on the use of skylight in retail, turn to the next page.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 17 16-04-13 10:59
18 RESEARCH
Philips innovation village lighting solutions are developed based on customer ideas and insights.
INNOVATION VILLAGE
At Philips Innovation Village, lighting
solutions for supermarkets, fashion and
beauty and do-it-yourself retail stores are
developed based on customer needs,
assessed by talking to retail designers,
experienced store managers and format
managers. Such customer-driven
innovations are aimed at increasing sales
through improved store experience or
highlighting of products in a different way.
Future Store Concepts created by Philips in
Eindhoven provides a space to discuss new
ideas and test innovative solutions before
they are launched on the wider market.
Effects of skylights in retail
(Heschong, 2002)
108 WalMart stores, 2/3 equipped with
diffusing skylights
Sales measured for 18 months
Controlling for many factors, including
opening times, average income of
REFERENCES:BENEDETTI, F., COLOMBO, C., BARBINI, B., CAMPORI, E., AND SMERALDI, E. (2001). MORNING SUNLIGHT REDUCES LENGTH OF HOSPITALIZATION IN BIPOLAR DEPRESSION. JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS. 62(3), PP.221-223
DIMICH-WARD H, LORENZI M, TESCHKE K, SPINELLI JJ, RATNER PA, LE NCHOW Y, SHU D, GALLAGHER R. 2007. MORTALITY AND CANCER INCIDENCE IN A COHORT OF REGISTERED NURSES FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA. AM J IND MED (50), PP. 892–900
HESCHONG-MAHONE GROUP, INC. (1999). SKYLIGHTING AND RETAIL SALES: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DAYLIGHTING AND HUMAN PERFORMANCE. FAIR OAKS, CA: CALIFORNIA BOARD FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY THIRD PARTY PROGRA.
HESCHONG MAHONE GROUP, INC.(2003). DAYLIGHT AND RETAIL SALES. CALIFORNIA: CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION. TECHNICAL REPORT P500-03-082-A-5
ZULLO, S.E. (2007). EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTHCARE DESIGN: USE OF COLOR, LIGHT, AND GARDENS AT CHOICES RECOVERY SERVICES CHOICES LONGITUDINAL STUDY. LONG BEACH. SEPTEMBER (1.5)
population, floor area and architectural
design
Presence of skylights explained increase
of the sales index by 4%
Other reasons for using daylighting
in retail (Edwards and Torcellini, 2002)
Create a more pleasant shopping
environment
Attract more customers
Improve colour rendering
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 18 16-04-13 10:59
Beyond LightSony Center,
Berlin, Germany
page 20
Bally,
Geneva, Switzerland
page 26
La Montée du Boulevard,
Lyon, France
page 30
Bradford Royal Infi rmary,
Yorkshire, UK
page 36
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 19 16-04-13 10:59
SONY CENTER, BERLIN, GERMANY
Volcanoof light
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 20 16-04-13 10:59
© A
lexand
er
Weckm
er
Lic
ht
und
Med
iensyste
me G
mb
By Isabelle Arnaud
The Sony Center in Berlin, Germany, is an
international commercial, communication, and
cultural hub that draws nearly 8.3 million visitors
a year. The Center’s modern steel and glass
design is the work of internationally renowned
architect Helmut Jahn, and the lighting concept
is by French lighting designer Yann Kersalé.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 21 16-04-13 10:59
22 PROJECT I
Top: 26 444 m2 complex is the tent-like roof of the Forum.Bottom: The tall marquee starts to cycle through all the colours of the spectrum, from magenta to cyan, with the exception of yellow.
© A
lexand
er
Weckm
er
Lic
ht
und
Med
iensyste
me G
mb
H
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 22 16-04-13 10:59
PROJECT I 23
Located in Potsdamer Platz, the complex consists of seven
buildings containing shops, restaurants, hotel rooms and
suites, condominiums, a conference centre, offices, cinemas
and museums.
The most prominent architectural element of the 26,444 m2
complex is the tent-like roof of the Forum, made of steel, glass and
textile sails. At night the roof comes to life with fascinating changing
lighting in shades of blue and red.
Yann Kersalé compares this cap, designed by structural
engineering firm Ove Arup+Partners, to a ‘volcano’: “At the top,
luminous sources shine downwards: on looking up, the intensity
of the spotlights would have been blinding,” he explained. “When
Helmut Jahn asked me to conceive the lighting of the Forum,
I suggested that not only should it emanate from within, but also
that its pulsation would express nocturnal life, both radiating light
and sending signals. The only other element was the positioning of
blue lights at the angles of the buildings, highlighting the multiple
entrances to the Forum.”
As night falls, the tall marquee starts to cycle through all the
colours of the spectrum, from magenta to cyan, with the exception
of yellow. When the Forum empties out, the dome changes to an
intense blue, fading back into white in the morning.
Project team
Hines Immobilien GmbH
Client
Sochribel Fixtures GmbH
Architect
Helmut Jahn
Engineer
Ove Arup+Partners
Lighting design
Yann Kersalé, Les Ateliers AIK, Vincennes
Lighting solutions
Alexander Weckmer Licht und
Mediensysteme GmbH, Königsbrunn
Installation
WISAG Building Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH,
Frankfurt
Luminaires
Philips ColorReach Powercore
ColorBlast Powercore
Websites
www.sonycenter.de
www.jahn-us.com
www.ykersale.com
www.lichtundmediensysteme.de
www.wisag.de
“Its pulsation would express nocturnal life, both
radiating light and sending signals.”
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 23 16-04-13 10:59
24 PROJECT I
The original lighting system had been in place for twelve years.
After constant operation, it had reached its maximum life
expectancy and had become costly to maintain. The plan was
to reduce running costs as well as maintenance costs while still
creating the colour-changing light effects.
Alexander Weckmer Licht und Mediensysteme GmbH provided
a turnkey solution for replacing the existing lighting installation.
The team immediately thought of an LED lighting system, the only
solution that could meet the criteria. The firm coordinated the
entire project and handled all aspects of the lighting replacement
– developing technical plans, specifying and delivering all lighting
components, installing the system, and programming.
“Longevity and the low maintenance requirements proved the
primary reasons for selecting a system using Philips Color Kinetics
LED fixtures,” said Alexander Weckmer. “A particular challenge
was providing the fan-like geometry with uniform illumination.” In
order to achieve all of the project’s goals, they needed sufficiently
powerful and flexible LED fixtures such as ColorReach Powercore
and ColorBlast Powercore, which accept line voltage, allowing
the existing 230 V circuits to be extended directly to the fixtures.
This allowed the Center to retain significant portions of the original
electrical infrastructure, considerably reducing the labour costs of
installation.
Each individual “blade” of the cone is different in terms of
dimensions, angle of inclination and twist; for this reason, each
fixture had to be individually positioned to achieve uniform
illumination across the entire structure.
“The positioning of the original fixtures could be maintained as
both LED models permit flexible adaptation thanks to their multi-
faceted lens systems,” explained Weckmer. “The positioning of 38
ColorReach Powercores and 67 ColorBlast Powercores provided
both uniform and powerful illumination of the sails.”
The lighting control system is operated wirelessly via a smart
device and the client has access to the control system remotely,
allowing greater flexibility and faster service. The Center can now
choose from more than 16 million colours, and create new light
shows for special events such as film opening nights and holidays.
Far more than mere energy savings, the new lighting system offers
a combination of comfort, efficient technology and artistic design,
while bringing to life the exceptional architecture of the building.
“A particular challenge was providing the fan-like
geometry with uniform illumination.”
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 24 16-04-13 10:59
PROJECT I 25
The positioning of the original fixtures could be maintained thanks to the multifaceted lens systems of ColorReach Powercores and ColorBlast Powercores.
© A
lexand
er
Weckm
er
Lic
ht
und
Med
iensyste
me G
mb
H
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 25 16-04-13 11:00
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 26 16-04-13 11:00
PROJECT II 27
Sleekelegance
BALLY, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Client
Bally Shoe Factories Ltd
Architect
Bally Store Planning Department
Lighting design
ADM Event Services di Andrea de Marco
Installation
Permasteelisa Group
Luminaires
Philips MASTER LEDspot MR16,
eW Cove QLX Powercore,
StyliD Compact Power – track and
surface mounted
Website
www.bally.com
By Ruth Slavid
The new Bally store in Geneva, Switzerland,
is the first for the international shoe company
that uses an all-LED solution. But given the
cost savings and customer response, it will
certainly not be the last.
LED lighting in Bally’s new Geneva store creates an ambiance of refined luxury and allows customers to view products to their best advantage.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 27 16-04-13 11:00
28 PROJECT II
respect to the existing stores,” he said. “This meant that we had
to compromise and to use traditional lighting systems, replacing
halogen lamps with MR16 Master LED. These lamps were used for
lighting the shop and for the lighting of the various exhibition areas.
This system has allowed us to maintain the design of the store and
to give it a higher luminous efficacy. In fact the Master LED lamps,
being provided with optics, focus the light better than a dichroic
lamp does.”
The use of the existing fittings was particularly important in the
ceiling, where the lighting is integrated with other systems
such as the fresh-air supply in a neat and unobtrusive solution.
If new fittings had been used, this would have involved Bally
in a major rethink.
Specific areas in the store required their own special treatment.
“A particular challenge,” said Di Marco, “was finding a lighting
system suitable for lighting the display shelves. Normally these
were illuminated with fluorescent lamps embedded in the same
shelves. This time the customer asked us to find a system with LED
technology that would have a greater luminous efficiency than the
fluorescents. We tried a variety of solutions that would achieve the
desired result while keeping costs down and maintaining the size of
the shelves. We settled on Cove.”
Basilico says that he is delighted with the result. “Our
merchandising people say that they don’t need to ask customers
to go outside to see the true colours of the shoes that they
are thinking of buying.” And a survey after a year of operation
has shown just how much the use of air conditioning has been
reduced. There will also be the maintenance benefits of not
needing to replace lights regularly.
With a shop that costs less to run, where the staff and customers
are happy, it is not surprising that Basilico is planning another
all-LED store. This will be in the new Doha Airport in Qatar. The
project has been delayed because of hold-ups in the airport
construction, but should be completed later this year.
“They don’t need to ask customers to go outside
to see the true colours of the shoes that they are
thinking of buying.”
The Bally store in Geneva, Switzerland, represents a new departure
for a brand that is over 150 years old and combines tradition with
forward thinking. Switzerland is its home country, since Carl Franz
Bally started the manufacture of shoes in Schönenwerd in 1851.
Since then it has combined tradition with fashion, most recently
with the appointment of two new creative directors in 2010.
The Geneva store, created in an existing building in one of the city’s
prime shopping streets, reflects this mix. It has the sleek, elegant
materials typical of a Bally store, including a dramatic staircase –
it is all designed to emanate a feeling a quality while making sure
that the building takes a back seat to the products – but it is also
a pioneering store, the first that the company has built using LEDs
throughout for the lighting.
Luigi Basilico, Bally store planning director explained: “We had
used LEDs in a small way before, but we wanted to try to light a
store entirely with LED, and the opportunity was there in Geneva,
which is one of our flagship stores. The LEDs were three times the
cost of traditional lighting, but we did an analysis and discovered
that we could reduce our costs immediately by savings on
mechanical plant.”
Because LED lighting produces almost no heat, the air conditioning
load is reduced dramatically, allowing Bally both to cut down on
the amount of plant that it installed and to have lower running
costs. The power reduction overall in the store will be 80%. In
addition, the environment is more natural and pleasant for both
staff and shoppers.
It was essential that the very high standards of lighting were
maintained, and Bally has clear views about how its stores should
be lit. This is crucial both for creating the desired ambiance of
refined luxury and to allow customers to see the products to their
best advantage.
Andrea di Marco of lighting designer ADM Event Services
explained some of the challenges. “There was a need for the
customer to see lighting that had not changed radically with
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 28 16-04-13 11:00
PROJECT II 29
Display shelves illuminated with LED technology. eW Cove QLX Powercore luminaires are well-suited for display shelves illumination aimed at increasing materials perception.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 29 16-04-13 11:00
LA MONTÉE DU BOULEVARD, LYON, FRANCE
Floating silkworm
cocoons
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 30 16-04-13 11:00
By Isabelle Arnaud
The renovation of the ‘Montée du Boulevard’ lighting in
Lyon provides an ergonomic solution that combines highly
effi cient technology with sustainability. The objective of the
lighting designers at Côté Lumière was to guide pedestrians
along the winding stairway without blocking their views, as
well as to highlight the historical ramparts of the city.
© X
avie
r B
oym
ond
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 31 16-04-13 11:00
32 PROJECT III
The Montée du Boulevard is the name of the stairway that links the
first and the fourth districts of Lyon, beginning in Place Bellevue
and going all the way down the steep hill to the Montée Bonafous.
To understand better the topology of the place, let’s go back to
the etymology of the word ‘boulevard’, which comes from the
Dutch bolwerc, meaning ‘wall of a fortification’. In fact, the staircase
descends between the beautiful arrangement of golden stone on
the side of Fort Saint-Laurent, one of the city’s numerous forts, and
two apartment buildings designed for the Canuts (Lyon’s famous
silk weavers). It drops down through charming areas, eventually
becoming a rough, steep path that winds around at the foot of
Lyon’s fortifications.
Above all, the City of Lyon wanted a project that would meet
people’s needs. The previous lighting used old luminaires
equipped with Sodium High Pressure – SHP – lamps. They were
difficult to access, making maintenance operations complicated
and expensive. The light quality was poor, and the lamps were
inefficient, and energy-hungry. It was obviously time to replace the
old installation with sustainable, high-efficiency lighting that could
meet pedestrians’ requirements.
In order to design the solution, it was necessary to know who used
the staircase and what their needs were. It turned out that the
staircase was used as a shortcut whatever the weather by people
An intimate lighting project
that puts people first.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 32 16-04-13 11:00
PROJECT III 33
going to work, by children and students going to school and by
joggers. Therefore, the lighting concept had to:
- allow pedestrians to see the stairs without any effort at night
- eliminate any risk of dazzle
- offer continuity both in fixtures and effects from top to bottom
- create a global, coherent and soft image that could be seen from
a distance.
Aurélien de Fursac and Patrice Echassériaux of lighting designer
Côté Lumière, suggested using LED technology and a pole-less
luminaire.
Thinking about the best way to deliver good lighting without
disturbing the look and feel of a public space, and about how
to adjust the lighting to suit the users’ needs De Fursac chose
FreeStreet, presented by Philips at Light+Building in Frankfurt.
With no visible support, the fittings float like the cocoons of the
silkworms that formed the basis of so much of Lyon’s traditional
prosperity.
“Apart from the poetic aspect of such a product, we chose
FreeStreet for its pragmatic characteristics that enabled us to do
away with the need for poles, which would have been difficult to
install in the stairway. For us, both the people’s well-being and a
friendly lighting environment were equally essential,” explained the
lighting designer. The system, by eliminating the need for traditional
Day and night lighting design sketches with lighting beams and directions.
© C
ôté
Lum
ière
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 33 16-04-13 11:00
34 PROJECT III
streetlight poles, removes visible and physical obstructions at eye
level. Instead, a narrow cable strings together a line of slim-line
LEDs, which are virtually invisible during the day and at night and
appear to float in mid-air.
“The innovative new system consists of 26 LED lamps of 20 W
each (against 6 x SHP 250 W before), integrated on a cable that
runs the entire length of the passageway,” said Aurélien de Fursac.
“One of the city’s requirements was to have a colour temperature
of 3.500 K, which the FreeStreet did not offer, so we asked Philips
to adapt the fixture.”
Jean Philippe Advinin, business engineer for outdoor lighting at
Philips Lighting, explained: “This change was achieved by mixing
3,000 K and 4,000 K LEDs. More difficult was defining the metallic
support for the cable while preserving the ramparts, so we worked
together with the installer to make all the necessary calculations
and tests. The system offers enormous flexibility in terms of how it
is installed, so it can be structured in response to the way people
move and behave in a public space, rather than people having to
adapt to where the lighting is located.”
The lighting resembles silkworm cocoons floating
above the stairs.
FreeStreet fittings float like cocoons of silkworms.
Client
City of Lyon
Lighting design
Aurélien de Fursac,
Patrice Echassériaux,
Côté Lumière
Installer
Eiffage Energie
Luminaires
Philips FreeStreet
Website
www.lyon.fr
www.cotelumiere.com
© X
avie
r B
oym
ond
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 34 16-04-13 11:00
PROJECT III 35
Top: Lighting design concept plan showing the zig-zag positioning of the cable.Bottom left: One of the city’s requirements was to have a colour temperature of 3.500 K. Bottom right: Good and uniform lighting level is provided on the staircases.
© X
avie
r B
oym
ond
© X
avie
r B
oym
ond
© C
ôté
Lum
ière
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 35 16-04-13 11:00
By Ludmila Svistunova
Independent research has shown the importance of quality lighting in
the healing process of mental health patients. In the United Kingdom,
Philips is working with The King’s Fund to transform the Bradford Royal
Infirmary so as to improve the well-being of dementia patients with the
help of innovative lighting solutions.
BRADFORD ROYAL INFIRMARY, YORKSHIRE, UK
More natural light
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 36 16-04-13 11:01
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 37 16-04-13 11:01
38 PROJECT IV
An independent British charitable organisation, The King’s Fund,
runs the Enhancing the Healing Environment (EHE) programme
whose objective is to enable nurses and dementia patients to work
together on improving the health care delivery environment. The
project carried out at the Bradford Royal Infi rmary is a part of this
programme. The Infi rmary was looking at refurbishment options
that would improve the environment for people with dementia,
and thus the Fund introduced them to Philips. The outcome of this
cooperation is the transformation of Ward 23 and Ward 29 of the
Infi rmary, where innovative lighting solutions have been installed.
Philips’ Dynamic Lighting system is used in both wards. The
system produces cyclical lighting throughout the day, following the
natural rhythm of daylight. Previous research has demonstrated
a relationship between hormone levels in the human body and
exposure to the cycle of light and darkness, suggesting that light
regulates the sleep-wake rhythm and hence our overall well-being.
Maintaining an appropriate sleeping pattern is especially diffi cult for
dementia patients, as they often sleep throughout the day
and remain awake in the night, which also creates additional
challenges for the nursing staff . Hence, in the Bradford Infi rmary,
the Dynamic Lighting system serves two main functions: it creates
a pleasant and bright environment in the wards, while also keeping
patients active during the day so that they can have better quality
rest at night.
“We found that that defi nitely helps with patients’ sleep and wake
cycles. I think the idea of having a warmer yellow-orange light is
to help people to prepare for sleep,” observed Ward Manager
Debbie Beaumont. “Overall the lighting solutions have helped the
appearance of the ward so they look lighter, brighter and more
welcoming. There’s defi nitely a change in how patients feel about
their environment; they report feeling more relaxed and calmer,”
she added.
In Ward 29, the Philips HealWell solution has been installed in
three patient rooms typically used for the most acutely ill patients.
The HealWell system combines gradually varying levels of light
during the day with an ambient lighting that patients can regulate
“We found that that
defi nitely helps with
patients’ sleep and wake
cycles.”
Raytrace preview of the bed ward showcasing two lighting settings from the HealWell system.
© J
ohn P
ool
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 38 16-04-13 11:01
PROJECT IV 39
themselves by using a touch-pad controller. The positive effects
of the HealWell lighting solution were also captured in the study
conducted by Maastricht University Medical Center+ in partnership
with Philips. The research demonstrated that patients in the study
fell asleep faster and slept on average 8% or 30 minutes longer
during their length of stay. Both patients and staff of the Bradford
Infirmary have provided positive feedback for the new system.
Ms. Beaumont also noted the enjoyment that patients derive from
having a degree of control over the ambiance in the room.
Commenting on the early results of the HealWell solution trial at
Bradford, Shane Embleton, Project Manager Estates Design at the
hospital, noted that it had been going very well. “The evaluation
results are still to come out but the indications are that things are
looking really good for patient well-being,” he said. Meanwhile,
Debbie Beaumont also observed employee satisfaction with the
system. “The staff seem to enjoy the fact they’ve got this lighting,
I think it makes them think the area they work in is a little bit
special, a little bit different. We’ve had staff walk on to Ward 23 to
ask to work there, and they appreciate the fact that we are thinking
about the patients,” she noted.
The lighting solutions installed in the Infirmary not only serve to
improve the well-being of patients and staff. The project uses
energy-efficient light sources, such as Philips LuxSpace and
LED compact lights, which help to save energy and minimise
maintenance requirements, as they need to be replaced less often.
Shane Embleton commented: “The benefits to the infrastructure of
the estate is that it’s all on a time clock, so it runs itself and in the
11 to 12 months since the solution was installed we’ve not had to
come out to look at any repairs or anything, So it’s been good from
that point of view and because it’s energy saving and it’s reducing
costs for the Trust.”
Sarah Weller of the King’s Fund stressed the importance of good
lighting for people with dementia and the benefits that artificial
lighting schemes could bring. “We look forward to seeing the
results of the Bradford Royal Infirmary trial with great interest,”
she concluded.
Warm lighting on the wall before going to sleep.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 39 16-04-13 11:01
© J
ean-C
harles F
rém
ont
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 40 16-04-13 11:01
By Ruth Slavid
Day-long seminars that combine theory with
practical experience give lighting designers
the opportunity to create solutions that would
make our cities better places to live in.
‘CREATE THE LIVABLE CITY’ WORKSHOPS IN DUBROVNIK, COPENHAGEN, TURNHOUT AND BRATISLAVA
Thinkingabout cities
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 41 16-04-13 11:01
© J
ean-C
harles F
rém
ont
© J
ean-C
harles F
rém
ont
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 42 16-04-13 11:01
WORKSHOP 43
Improving our cities is one of the biggest challenges that we face,
and it is one in which Philips has taken an interest for some time,
with a programme studying comparing key indicators in different
cities. Most recently it has run four events in European cities,
in Dubrovnik in Croatia, Copenhagen in Denmark, Turnhout in
Belgium and Bratislava in Slovakia.
These ‘Create the Liveable City’ events combine high-level
discussion with practical workshops. Tapio Rosenius, founder
of Madrid’s Lighting Design Collective, who leads the practical
sessions, explained: “The idea for every workshop is to create
an inspiring, experimental design environment with a strong
focus on lighting concept work. The whole structure of the
day is challenging but also very rewarding. Each group gets to
choose a site to work on, and this is followed by intense concept
development guided by Marco Bevolo to create a link to the
research work. They also get support from an illustrator/artist and
of course I help and challenge the ideas as much as possible. The
concepts are then physically built by the participants, which can be
equally challenging.”
“Effects are great but if they don’t support
the concept they will have to go.”
The participants have access to all the latest technologies. While
Rosenius encourages participants to experiment, part of his
role is to ensure that they do not get carried away by technical
considerations. “We insist on a coherent concept and the key point
is to realise the presented concept,” he said. “Effects are great but
if they don’t support the concept they will have to go.”
His other major concern is that the participants create a space
that can be experienced, not merely looked at. “It can be easier
to create a display, a kind of temporary theatre stage set and this
is something that many of the groups naturally gravitate towards,”
Rosenius said. “Whilst experimenting with some of the theatrical
display principles is not a bad thing, the requirement to create a
lit environment highlights many of the real-world challenges when
working with urban constraints.”
The participants produce a wide variety of solutions, but Rosenius
has spotted some common themes. “There is a desire to bring
a sense of nature into the urban context through light,” he said.
“Water ripples, shadows from tree canopies and other visual
linking effects have been popular.” Whatever the solutions they
came up with, he believes that “Everybody left with a feeling that
lighting is a powerful yet demanding tool for creating positive urban
environments. The feedback has been very positive. This is an
intense learning process, not a product display. It’s a great day for
learning, for debate and analytical thinking.”
It should help prepare the participants for forthcoming changes
that Rosenius predicts in the way that we use lighting. “I see a
multidisciplinary approach and creativity being the defining factors
for the lighting design profession in the future,” he said. “New
technology opens up new possibilities but also adds complexity.
Each project will need a holistic vision, creativity, a great deal
of collaboration and a high level of technical competence. The
lighting profession must be able to grow and develop to answer
these needs.”
Top: Dubrovnik Create the liveable city, ground floor, workshop group results. Bottom: Dubrovnik Create the liveable city, lighting ambiances.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 43 16-04-13 11:01
44 WORKSHOP
STRATEGY MEETS SOCIO-DYNAMIC FORCES
Marco Bevolo, who led the theoretical part of the discussions at
the four workshops, is an author and researcher who specialises
in strategic design, people research and thought leadership. At
the workshops, he encouraged participants to think in terms of an
urban futures matrix which he developed as part of a project called
City.Futures.Light, which he developed when working for Philips.
This matrix considers four different strategies for cities (accelerator,
memory, iconic and connecting) and also four socio-dynamic
forces (identity, exploration, belonging and sustainability). It then
allows an exploration of each of the 16 possible interactions
between strategy and socio-dynamic force.
“It is,” Bevolo explained, “the core tool regulating the entire
methodology: it cross-references socio-cultural drivers
‘Create a liveable city’, Bratislava. Lighting ambiances.
‘Create a liveable city’, Dubrovnik. Ground floor, workshop group results.
© J
ean-C
harles F
rém
ont
© J
ean-C
harles F
rém
ont
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 44 16-04-13 11:01
representing future evolution of human societies, regardless of any
business implication (horizontal axis) with city strategies that are
possible ways to position cities for the future (vertical axis).”
Bevolo’s role then was to give the participants some ideas about
the challenges and potential of cities that they may not have
encountered before. He presented these ideas, which he has been
refining since they were first published in 2007, and then led a
panel discussion with regional experts who were invited to each
of the events.
This approach offered participants an insight into some creative
thinking about cities, which they could then use as a theoretical
basis for the real-world designs that they produced later in the day.
‘Create a liveable city’, Dubrovnik. The Rector’s Palace, first floor, workshop group results.
‘Create a liveable city’, Dubrovnik. Lighting ambiances during the Rector’s Palace workshops.
© J
ean-C
harles F
rém
ont
© J
ean-C
harles F
rém
ont
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 45 16-04-13 11:01
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 46 16-04-13 11:01
© L
ind
a N
ylin
d
LIGHT SHOW EXPO, LONDON
By Ruth Slavid
The Light Show exhibition in London’s Hayward
Gallery earlier this year contained art works
spanning a 50-year period, with technologies
ranging from neon and incandescent bulbs to
the latest highly-programmed LEDs.
Dazzling
exhibition
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 47 16-04-13 11:01
48 GALLERY
© L
ind
a N
ylin
d
London saw one of its largest collections of incandescent bulbs
earlier this year, when Light Show opened in a major exhibition
space, the Hayward Gallery. This was not an exercise in nostalgia
but an art exhibition of the sculptural use of light in which some
of the 27 exhibitors, such as Philip Parreno and Katie Paterson,
chose to use the bulbs in their work. Parreno’s piece, Marquee,
which also employed neon, was one of the most recent works,
showing that contemporary thinking does not have to employ the
newest technology.
For example, Cerith Wyn Evans, in a piece entitled
S=U=P=E=R=S=T=R=U=C=T=U=R=E ‘Trace me back to some
loud, shallow, chill, underlying motive’s overspill’ created in 2010,
used defunct technologies to create tall illuminated columns. “The
technology is obsolescent,” said curator Cliff Lauson,” as it emits a
lot of heat. We are used to all the light we have being cold. So this
is fantastic, it has a great architectural resonance.”
In contrast, Jim Campbell with Exploded View (Commuters) and
Leo Villareal with Cylinder II have written their own programmes to
create rapidly changing effects with LEDs.
Lauson decided to put on the show because there had not,
he believes, been one of this nature before. “There have been
monographic shows looking at a single artist,” he said, “but light art
has not been looked at in this way before.”
There are big names, and also artists little known outside
their countries. Most exciting are the immersive environments,
such as Olafur Eliasson’s Model for a Timeless Garden, with
fountains ‘frozen’ by strobe lighting, and Carlos Cruz-Diez’s
Chromosaturation, which makes you question the way that you
perceive colour.
“The technology is obsolescent”
Above: Cerith Wyn Evans, S=U=P=E=R=S=T=R=U=C=T=U=R=E (‘Trace me back to some loud, shallow, chill, underlying motive’s overspill…’) (2010) ©the artist; courtesy the artist and White Cube.Pages 46-47: Carlos Cruz-Diez, Chromosaturation (1965-2013), ©the artist/DACS, Cruz-Diez Foundation.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 48 16-04-13 11:01
GALLERY 49
© L
ind
a N
ylin
d©
Lin
da N
ylin
d
Top: Leo Villareal Cylinder, II (2012), ©the artist; courtesy the artist and GERING & LóPEZ GALLERY, NY.Bottom: Anthony McCall, You and I, Horizontal (2005), ©the artist; courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers, Berlin, London.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 49 16-04-13 11:01
50 GALLERY
© L
ind
a N
ylin
d©
Lin
da N
ylin
d
Top: Ann Veronica Janssens, Rose (2007), ©the artist/DACS.Bottom: Jim Campbell, Exploded View (Commuters) (2011), ©the artist; courtesy Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, New York and studio of Jim Campbell.
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 50 16-04-13 11:01
Copyright
© 2013 Koninklijke Philips Electronics B.V.All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. The information presented in this document does not form part of any quotation or contract, is believed to be accurate and reliable and may be changed without notice. No liability will be accepted by the publisher for any consequences of its use. Publication thereof does not convey nor imply any license under patent - or other industrial or intellectual property rights.
The quarterly email newsletter
www.philips.com/luminous
The app contains inspirational
projects and also off ers you the
complete professional lighting
portfolio in one go.
The Lighting hub is a great
source for inspiration and
information.
Discover the Philips Lighting hub iPad app
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 51 16-04-13 11:01
city.people.lightaward 2013
11th anniversary of city.people.light award
is your city a potential
winner?
Register your urban inspiration
lighting project now to enter the
11th international city.people.light
award competition, by completing
the entry form for 2013 on
www.citypeoplelight.com/award
The international city.people.light award was
set up jointly in 2003 by Philips Lighting and
the Lighting Urban Community International
association (LUCI). It rewards cities and
villages that best demonstrate the added
value that lighting can give to an area’s cultural
and architectural heritage and night-time
identity, whilst at the same time respecting the
environment. Three cities will be awarded for
their projects during the annual LUCI Forum,
which takes place in Guangzhou in China this
year. The winning project will receive the first
price award and a cheque for € 10,000.
Is your urban inspirational lighting project a
potential winner? Go online now to see if
you meet the criteria and register for the
2013 award. All entries must be received
by before 31 July 2013, so visit
www.citypeoplelight.com/award or
www.luciassociation.org today.
The award ceremony will take place in Guangzhou, China, during the Annual LUCI Forum from 13-17 November 2013.Lyon, FranceWinner city.people.light award 2012
[advertorial]
Luminous_11_2013_UK_v6.indd 52 16-04-13 11:01