The advantage of a good lighting plan

Something is only visible if it's reflected by light. This may seem as obvious, but beautiful spaces are designed without lighting. This makes the colours of carpet be less prominent. There can always be found a good solution, but I think it's a missed opportunity, because the earlier you start to think about the lighting plan, the more elegant and subtle are the applications. People don't want too many 'holes in the ceiling' but they do want light. You need to take constructional preparations in advance to do this. Fortunately this is happening more and more,

Needless to say daylight plays a role in architectonical designing. I think artificial lights are just as elemental as windows. Light can make or break a space. We always start with what the architect means by the design and adjust artificial light in such a way this meaning is enhanced. This way the colour is strengthened and a colourful carpet is much more visible. We are at the moment designing new fixtures for a big foreign project by architects from Rotterdam. The lighting plan is considered from the start of the design by a lighting architect. During construction rebates are being made into the concrete to provide tailor made lighting solutions. All functions are included: moving sensors, dimmable gears, emergency lightning & signing. It is a big help to have realised this up front and that it does not have to be done separately afterwards.

Light doesn't only determine the view, but also behaviour and feeling. People are more active in a completely illuminated space compared to dimmed lights. This daylight-effect can also be reached with artificial lights. We made big improvements on the quality of led-lights, the output is still increasing and at the end of the year we switch to led with a 97% of colour fastness. The days a red carpet looked like aubergine is long gone. Colourful carpet must be seen in the original floor colours as thought of by the designer. Offices are delivered, like The edge in Amsterdam, where users can change the strength and warmth of the light for each work spot to their own liking by using their smartphone. 

To make students conscious about the importance of lights we are involved with DUCXX and just like LEOXX we supplement the architecture program at the technical university in Delft. In the practical classes we show how much opportunity light has for the project of the designer. The natural light strengthens the impact of colour and the effect coloured floors have. These possibilities will only become bigger in the future, so I hope as much as possible talented architects to be will see the light.