The purpose of this session will be to discuss the transformative qualities of light and how these might be used to create and support new types of architecture. Our work as lighting designers is in some cases very much in the shadows, unseen by the non-specialist eye but intrinsic to the successful delivery of content, atmosphere and messaging of a space, it plays a significant yet subtle, supporting role. However, in other cases it can be a much more active tool where lighting can delineate space, define mood, elevate a feature or an object, bring a particular focus to a narrative, adding a dynamic, a rhythm, a depth. Our approach to space lighting is a choreography of luminance, a journey of light and to achieve this we use both creative and technical toolkit. The nuances of these toolkits have developed in recent years and we believe can be further employed in future design thinking.
It is the context of these dual aspects of our practice, the dialogue between art and science, the poetic and the practical, that we want to frame our thoughts on the relevance of our work in this “new” landscape where sustainability, flexibility, inclusiveness and balance are key and how lighting as a medium can play an important role in this evolution. We will illustrate the discussion through examples of our own work and inspirational imagery and invite the audience to participate in raising points of interest to discuss further.
Zerlina Hughes, Founder and Creative Direction, studio ZNA
