hi, eric here with thirty by forty designworkshop, today we're going to be talking about outdoor lighting strategies for architectsand homeowners. there are two fundamental points to understandabout outdoor lighting. the first is that we actually require muchless light in outdoor living situations than indoors, which means the overall lightingcan generally be more theatrical and less focused on tasks. the second is that in lower ambient lightsituations, we actually prefer lower color temperature light that is warmer. it's actually visually more comfortable.
whether it's our primal draw to the flickeringflame of fire or the fact that warm light renders the skin so naturally, our outdoordesign objective is to aim for low, warmly toned lighting levels. now, let's get into the general concepts prosthink about when considering how to light exterior spaces. the lantern effect. we'll begin with the most basic means of lightingyour outdoor areas: relying on nearby structures to act as an ambient light source. i call this the lantern approach, and dependingon the amount of glazing on your home it's
perhaps the easiest to employ. it also produces potentially the least amountof ambient light for outdoor entertaining and promotes the form and shape of the architectureabove all else. the lantern effect can be quite powerful whenit leverages a distinct interior material palette. in this project the warm wood of the douglasfir enhances the glow, naturally drawing one in, while casting pools of light onto theadjacent outdoor living areas. it also reinforces the rough, bark-like exteriorand warm heartwood interior and highlights the timber frame structural system.
be cognizant of the fact that a bright buildingnext to a dark landscape is a high contrast situation. to minimize this effect, consider supplementingwith smaller light fixtures at the far edge of gathering spaces away from the home. low lighting levels are most effective. this can also work in reverse when a landscapeobject, such as this pool, becomes the lantern. here it's treated as one large luminous plane. pools bear special consideration, especiallywhen adjacent to down lighting, which becomes a reflected up-light and can cause glare problemsat night.
the screened outbuilding in the backgroundand the minimal up-lighting on the fence are equally effective at balancing the pool oflight. this brings us to the concept of layering. this space is an excellent example of a well-roundedlighting strategy. it makes great use of all three: main componentsof any lighting design: ambient, task and accent lights. for ambient light, the main living space iswell lit and provides the general outdoor areas with ample light for gathering. the circulation path to the right uses recessedcans in the ceiling to light the functional
pathway. the portable lamps on the side tables offergreat task lighting and can help users navigate back and forth. the wall sconce and vegetation lights positionto add depth and sparkle to the overall scene and are set at opposite sides of the poolto balance their effect. layering light concepts tend to feel the mostnatural because it's the way we're used to perceiving the world around us, which is amix of dark and light. the ambient interior light of the structurehere can be seen illuminating part of the exterior landscape and the pathway followingthe glazed exterior wall.
the architect also has placed step lightsto illuminate the outdoor circulation zone. this has the added effect of connecting interiorand exterior spaces and reduces the black hole effect we often see with exterior wallsof glass. a landscape without any light will make windowsappear from the interior as black planes. lighting the landscape, even very minimally,allows the eye to move and see the illuminated objects outside and not a dark plane of glass. this is an example of how layering outdoorlighting can actually enlarge the perception of your interior space. path lighting.
lighting pathways enhances safety and addsanother dimension to the architecture at night. night can transform circulation routes intowonderful experiences of syncopated light. the step lights shown here efficiently lightthe critical riser areas of these stairs. step lights are an essential tool in youroutdoor lighting palette because they can be tucked out of the way, recessed in wallsor in risers. they can even be completely concealed andused to achieve the hovering effect seen here. lighting is most effective when it's usedintentionally to enhance design elements. here we see different sources of path lightingused to suggest movement and highlight the architecture.
i particularly appreciate designs such asthis that consider the transition between day and night and how that affects our perception. these lights aren't merely functional; theyactually reinforce the project's geometries and complexities. they complement the dynamic quality of thearchitecture at night but with a completely different execution. these micro ground recessed lights by bk-lightingare extremely subtle but they effectively connect outdoor destinations. color temperature.
when designers reference color temperaturein lighting they're describing the character of the light emanating from a lamp or lightsource. temperature is expressed in degrees kelvinand what's important to remember is that the lower the number, the warmer your perceptionof it will be. open flame is quite warm: around seventeen-hundredkelvin. warm incandescent light ranges between twenty-fivehundred and three thousand kelvin while an overcast sky is sixty-five hundred to tenthousand five hundred kelvin on up to fifteen thousand kelvin for a clear blue sky. the higher the number the cooler the feel,generally anything above three thousand five
hundred kelvin is considered cool. note the warm interior incandescent lightingand how it contrasts the much higher color temperature outdoor light in the atrium space. the lighting design plays up this contrastbetween warm and cool on the interior and exterior with a blue hued underwater lightingscheme. this pool, lit from within, is the focal pointin this exterior landscape. using color at night can render striking effects,especially when it's a cool tone such as this blue. because our eyes actually use the rods (whichwe have far more of in our eye) to sense blue
light and not the cones, we actually requirea far lower amount of blue light to perceive it. this is especially true at night, which meansvery little is needed in an outdoor situation. here the pool has a very strong visual weighteven though it's not overly bright. using this type of colored lighting alonewouldn't be very effective because it doesn't render depth very well. in order to perceive depth we use shadow. to solve this here they've introduced accentlighting to establish shadowed zones and enhance depth perception.
the vegetation in this landscape is lit tolend depth to the composition and a sense that the pool is part of a larger order andnot the bounding edge. when we light the perimeter of the landscapein an outdoor setting it actually helps to enhance the sense of privacy by giving usgreater visual control of our surroundings. object or sentinel lighting. by highlighting specific elements in a broaderlandscape we're able to draw connections and by extension understand the scale of a space. the steel wall seen here is washed with up-lightingto mark an edge of the outdoor space and create a contrast of light and shadow.
it essentially acts as a sculptural, largeoutdoor luminaire. in general, whenever we can create shadowsin a landscape we enhance our perception of depth and the understanding of three-dimensionalspace. note that the space between isn't lit at all,it relies on the reflected light from the wall. establishing territories in the landscape,whether they be architectural or simply small splashes of light, can be the only order oneneeds. by extending the reach of our architectureinto the landscape we visually claim that space and make our interior spaces a partof a larger outdoor order.
this is a good example of how a simple objectplaced in the landscape can define a destination or remote territory with very little effort. the small moon globes are minimal but effective. fire. this is a wonderfully organic light sourcethat can provide some or all of the lighting in an outdoor area if it's centrally located. consider a gas or bio-ethanol fireplace forconvenience, lower emissions and no smoke. they make for comfortable gathering spaces. and the color temperature of firelight iseven warmer than incandescent.
it helps to have a screen element nearby tokeep wind interference to a minimum. the screen is another opportunity to layerlight and render color too. even a simple fire pit as a gathering pointcan extend the utility of an outdoor space. this one acts as both gathering space anda sentinel in the landscape. wall washing. this project employs recessed alcoves as alighting element in the landscape. hiding the light source and using reflectorsto bounce or wash a particular wall surface creates subtle effects, appearing almost asa waterfall of light here. used as part of a layered lighting schemeit highlights form, material and movement.
using dimmers in an exterior lighting conceptcan adjust for changing weather, season and use. this also helps to conserve energy when verylittle light is required and can be dialed up or down to improve safety for guests ofall ages. up-lighting. this grouping of trees is a wonderfully subtlegesture in the landscape pinpointed by small up-lights. lighting their canopies provides an exteriorlayer as viewed from the interior space. for deciduous trees the effect of up-lightschanges throughout the season adding another
layer of interest and connecting interiorto exterior. up-lighting is dramatic and should be usedsparingly. lights pointed upward into the primary lineof sight can be uncomfortable so take care to use lower wattage lamps, use shields andposition them out of nearby seated sight lines if possible. be sure to use a dimmer to mitigate the effectsof glare and to control intensity. up-lighting isn't allowed in many parts ofthe u.s. anymore because it's a primary source of light pollution. be sure to check with your local regulations.
in closing, it's important to discuss lightpollution. dark skies are becoming ever more difficultto find in the world. whatever lighting strategy you select forlighting your home and the surrounding landscape it should always be respectful of the environmentand your neighbors. light pollution is caused when photons oflight strike particles in the air. this creates a glowing fog around our metropolitanand, increasingly, our suburban areas. many cities and towns have begun introducingdark sky ordinances as a way to control the unwanted consequences of light spillage. these ordinances require light shields, noup-lighting and a specific lighting plan to
be submitted for approval prior to permitting. i urge you to try and incorporate outdoorlighting in your home because it can enhance the architecture and your enjoyment of theoutdoors. but consider a plan with a small footprint. use only the light you need, which is notonly more comfortable for you and your guests but it's a better use of electricity. and it will preserve the view to the nightsky for future generations.
