Table Of ContentLimit of Liability / Disclaimer of Warranty
While the author and the publisher of this book have made every effort in preparing this book, they make no
representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the content. Nothing in this
book should be construed as an endorsement, warranty, or guaranty by the author or publisher of any
product, process, technique, system, or service. Users of this book are responsible for applying their own
knowledge when using the information provided herein. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable
for any loss of profit or other commercial damages arising from the use, application or adaptation of the
information provided.
The photographs, illustrations, diagrams and other information in this book have been compiled from many
sources, both commercial and private. The author and publisher have made every effort to obtain
permission from the original copyright holders.
It is acknowledged by the author and publisher that all service marks, trademarks, and copyrighted images
and graphics appear in this book for editorial purposes only and to the benefit of the service mark,
trademark, or copyright holder, with no intention of infringing on that service mark, trademark, or
copyright. Nothing in this book should be construed to imply that respective service mark, trademark, or
copyright holder endorses or sponsors this book or any of its contents.
Copyright © 2012 by Conceptnine, La Jolla, CA
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted
under section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without the prior written permission of
the publisher. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to Permissions,
Conceptnine, 340 South Lemon Ave., #4545, Walnut, CA 91789
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Russell, Sage.
The Architecture of Light / by Sage Russell.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-9800617-1-0
ISBN-10: 0-9800617-1-7
eBook ISBN: 978-0-9800617-4-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012907632
1. Electric lighting. 2. Lighting, Architectural and decorative. I. Title
ARC007010
2.1
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
WELCOME TO THE SECOND EDITION.
Wow!
It is hard to believe it has been four years since the first copies of this book hit
the shelves. I can’t express enough gratitude to all of the instructors, students,
designers and just plain “light aficionados” out there who have joined The
Architecture of Light family. I love your feedback and am thrilled to have such
an enthusiastic audience.
What’s new in the second edition?
Besides new diagrams, design process ideas, sample projects and an expanded
“basic luminaire” family, this second edition addresses the rapid changes that
have affected the lighting design practice.
Lighting design has been moving at a blistering pace over the last few years,
primarily in the realms of code compliance, sustainable design, and of course
light emitting diode (LED) technology.
Energy codes and compliance
The rolling wave of national and local energy compliance regulations has vastly
expanded the responsibilities of the Lighting Designer. Expertise in these
constantly changing codes is absolutely critical not only for outstanding design,
but for efficiency in dealing with the documentation and third party software that
demonstrate compliance. Whether it’s ASHRAE, DOE or your local codes,
expertise is absolutely expected of the serious Lighting Designer.
Sustainability incentives
Projects of all scale and scope are pursuing the benefits that come from
sustainable design. Between government sponsored incentives, life-cycle
economic benefits and just plain pride of good design, there is no shortage of
programs - well-known and obscure - to guide design direction. The EPA, DOE,
Energy Star and the USGBC’s LEED programs provide resources and assistance
for all manner of efficient design. Sustainability is a broad, fast-changing area of
expertise that a good designer must stay on top of.
Resources for researching code compliance and sustainability incentives can be
found in Appendix B at the back of this book.
Light source and Luminaire technologies
The ways we convert electricity to visible light, and deliver that light to the
designed environment have changed dramatically since the first printing of this
text. Back then, LED’s were a work in progress; more useful for color changing
effects than anything task related. HID luminaires were just beginning to make
in-roads in color critical interior environments, and the incandescent source was
not being pushed towards phased extinction.
My how things have changed! Throughout this volume, you will see evidence
of these ever-evolving technologies and best practices for implementing the
latest generation of electric light sources and daylight technologies.
So let’s get on with it…
This second edition is designed to efficiently and enjoyably deliver a lighting
design education that is immediately useful for the reader. It includes knowledge
that eluded me until well into my professional career. I believe this text will
make you a better designer, regardless of your design focus.
But first…
My heartfelt thanks to the exceptional people that made The Architecture of
Light possible and assisted in creating this second edition:
David DiLaura, for inspiring an unfailing interest in the science of
illumination.
Patrick Quigley, the inspiration behind all things choreography related.
Greg Gorman, who taught me that light is responsible for beauty.
Nancy Clanton, a driving force in spreading the word about light and the
environment.
Cynthia Burke, my longtime design colleague who gave me every
opportunity to shine.
Jennifer Luce, who shaped my idea of the design process.
Chad Watters, Diane Borys, and Jenn Doran… The studio crew that kept
lighting design fun.
I would also like to extend special thanks to my editors. Without these dedicated
souls, there is no doubt that the content and legibility of this text would have
suffered greatly. In the same breath, I would like to absolve them of any
responsibility for the information provided here. Any errors or erroneous content
is solely the fault of the author.
Lastly,
This book is still dedicated to anyone who sits through my lectures or design
presentations indulging my discussions about design, art, culture, food, travel
and everything else.
Thanks for being part of the Family,
Sage Russell 2012
More teaching and learning resources can be found online
at:
WWW.LIGHTINGTEXTBOOK.COM
Contents
Part I:_The Fundamentals of Light
Chapter 1 The Design Mentality
Chapter 2 The Power and Purpose of Light
Chapter 3 More Impact with Less Light
Chapter 4 Adding Light in Layers
Chapter 5 Physical Basics of Light
Chapter 6 Physiology of Vision
Chapter 7 The Color Science of Light Sources
Chapter 8 Electric Light Sources
Part II: Designing Light
Chapter 9 Textures of Light
Chapter 10 Shapes of Light
Chapter 11 Location of the Light Source
Chapter 12 Building Light from Darkness
Chapter 13 Developing Lighting Ideas
Chapter 14 A Shortcut to Concepts in Light
Chapter 15 Lighting That Works
Chapter 16 Designing with Daylight
Chapter 17 Graphic Tools: Rendering and Light Maps
Chapter 18 Lighting Units and Measurements
Chapter 19 Understanding Illuminance Levels
Chapter 20 Lighting Calculations
Part III: Deliverables
Chapter 21 Deciphering Manufacturers’ Literature_and Luminaire Cut
Sheets
Chapter 22 Selecting Luminaires: A Basic Family
Chapter 23 Switching, Dimming and Control Systems
Chapter 24 The Preliminary Lighting Layout “Redline”
Chapter 25 Luminaire Schedules and Cut Sheets
Chapter 26 The Lighting Plan
Chapter 27 Lighting Layouts for Residential Spaces
Chapter 28 Lighting Layouts for Commercial Spaces
Chapter 29 Common Lighting Details
Chapter 30 Daylight and Electric Light Integration Details
Part IV: Final Thoughts on Design
The Fundamental Lighting Design Process
Green Design and Sustainability
Designing with New Eyes
Appendices
Appendix A Glossary of Lighting Terms
Appendix B Professional Organizations and Agencies
Appendix C Descriptive Words for Lighting
Appendix D Directory of Contributors and Other Manufacturers
