The Continental Congress passed an act establishing an official flag for the new American republic on June 14, 1777. President Truman declared June 14 as Flag Day August 3, 1949. Anyone considering displaying America’s flag for Flag Day today or on Independence Day on July 4th might want to give some thought to proper illumination.
The term Architectural Lighting encompasses three main factors. The first is the building’s aesthetic, which is crucial for any commercial, especially retail, environment. The second consideration is ergonomic or functional — any aspect which improves one’s ability to live, work, function, relax or play — to make the space easier to use. The third aspect involves the efficiency of energy, ensuring that light is properly, which is to say economically or optimally, used and distributed.
Early in his architectural journey almost 70 years ago, now-renowned architect, educator, and urban planner Balkrishna Doshi made a quiet, powerful promise to himself in his diary, “It seems that I should take an oath and remember it for my life-time: to provide the lowest class with the proper dwelling.” And for the next six decades he lived up to his oath.
The latest California Non-Residential lighting regulation updates occurred in 2016. The updates to Title 24 included changes to required lighting controls. In a nutshell, areas that require multi-level lighting controls are now required to have either a vacancy sensor or a partial-ON occupancy sensor—this includes classrooms, offices <250 square feet, Multi-purpose rooms <1,000 square feet, and conference rooms.
The benefits of LEDs are well studied and documented. By now we know that it’s much healthier for humans to work, function, and operate in environments that are lit by LED lighting. Without a doubt, LED technology will continue to change how we light our environment and our world. So why then, are our students and teachers still spending a significant amount of their days in classrooms and schools under dull and dated fluorescent lights?
JKMM Architects is a prominent Finnish architectural firm established in 1998, growing over the years to actively operate in various areas and scales of architectural design from buildings, interiors, furniture, and urban environments. The studio’s design approach reflects an emphasis on simplicity, craftsmanship, and innovation through experimentation with the goal of creating exceptional architectural and technical work.
Previously, we explored the The United States for the best examples of LED architectural lighting used to enhance design features in buildings and art installations. We also learned that architectural lighting gives designers freedom to build creative but functional spaces. Here are the top 7 international uses of architectural lighting that we found notable.
