light series 2

[a] stone building lobby

luminaires: pendant fixtures along left hallway, uplighting along right hallway
location: pendants are located in the center of the ceiling, uplights are located along both walls near the ceiling

brightness/glare: for the right hallway, there is heavy brightness above the lights, brightly illuminating the ceiling right above the light fixture. for the left hallway, the lights are somewhat dim and the only glare appears on the floor below the fixtures.

patterns of light: for the right side, there are bright spots just above the lights. the hallway is sufficiently illuminated on this side. for the left side, there are also circles of light above the fixture, but aren’t as intense as the right side. this side is not sufficiently illuminated.

shade and shadow: on each side of the hallway, there is noticeable shade in between the light fixtures. the shade is more apparent on the left side where the light is less intense. also on the left side is shade at the floor and the lower half of the walls. on the right side, there is less shade because the lights are more intense. shade occurs directly under the lighting fixtures and near the floor.

summary of illumination: for the left side, the hallway is dimly lit and has areas of shade where the space is most used. for the right side, the space is well lit, but gives off a negative impression with such brightness.
problems with glare: the glare on the floor on the left wing is not as much of a problem as the brightness directly above the fixtures on the right wing.
effectiveness of light/shade patterns: I think neither of the spaces have very effective lighting. the left side is too dim and the left side is sufficiently lit, but has an unpleasant energy.
suggestions for improvement: the left side needs to be brighter, possibly installing cove lighting with the lamps overlapping so that shade in between fixtures doesn’t occur. the actually fixtures on the right side are attractive and makes the space feel like a hospital. the fixtures could be changed to cove lighting to increase attractiveness and reduce the negativity of the space associated with the intense brightness on the ceiling.

pendant light fixture in left hallway

uplight fixture in right hallway

[b] art museum

luminaires: adjustable track lighting
location: on ceiling, in center and near walls

brightness: no negative brightness in the space
glare: on protective glass covering artwork

patterns of light: light is concentrated on artwork and also serves purpose of general illumination
shade and shadow: shade on ceiling and upper half of walls and near floor, shadow under some artwork

summary of illumination: the track lights highlight the artwork but also provide soft ambient lighting throughout the space
problems with glare: the only source of glare I observed was from the light reflecting off the glass covering some artwork
effectiveness of light/shade patterns: I believe the light is effective for this type of space. there are not boldly defined shades in between light fixtures; the lights fuse together to create a uniformly lit display wall.
suggestions for improvement: the only suggestion for improvement is maybe for the actual fixtures to be more attractive or maybe hidden. as far as the light goes, I believe it is successful for this application.

[c] restaurant

luminaires: recessed can lights, track lights for art work, wall sconces
location: groups of three track lights along walls, recessed placed throughout the space, sconces on two walls

brightness: track lights weren’t positioned properly and shined directly into customers’ eyes
glare: not much glare except on floor

patterns of light: very bright light from track lights on artwork
shade and shadow: very dark shadows in corners, shade along floor and ceiling line

summary of illumination: overall somewhat dim lighting for more intimate atmosphere with very bright spots on walls
problems with glare: some glare on floor, but doesn’t cause serious problems
effectiveness of light/shade patterns: the light is effective for a restaurant setting. the shade in the corners and along the ceiling line seems heavy
suggestions for improvement: reposition, reduce number of track lights, choose lower wattage bulbs/fixtures for tracks

[d] retail store

luminaires: recessed rectangular fixtures w/ fluorescent bulbs
location: rows of two and three centered

brightness: no source of overwhelming brightness
glare: no source of glare

patterns of light: light is distributed fairly evenly throughout the space
shade and shadow: areas of shade around the ceiling line and near floor

summary of illumination: the space is well-lit and has no instances of glare or brightness
problems with glare: no glare problems in the space
effectiveness of light/shade patterns: the lighting in efficient for the usage of the space; the merchandise can be easily seen in the provided lighting
suggestions for improvement: the lighting is efficient but the overall design of the space and the design of the lighting fixtures isn’t very appealing; some color on the walls and more attractive fixtures might make the space more interesting and aesthetically appealing